Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

We rang in the New Year at Fred's Hickory Inn with some friends.  This is the second year for the Inn to host a NYE party, and I hope we go back for their third year!  The party included champagne, appetizers, and party favors to make midnight festive, but we also had dinner and drinks throughout the night. (Ah, that smoked sirloin will be had again...)  I enjoyed a bellini and a spiced apple wine; both were enjoyable and festive and made me wish we had visited Fred's earlier in December.  :)

What is funny is that we actually missed midnight here: we watched the countdown for the east coast at 11 and kissed and made noise then, and we were expecting them to replay it for the central time zone to no avail.  Oh, well.  We still got to make some noise and kiss a little after midnight. Then we were home and in bed by one.  That is a perk to living down the street from where you were partying!

Here is to an even better 2013!

Be Grateful #19 (the last of 2012)

I'm in a foul sort of mood today, which makes me not want to post (especially since I hate not staying on top of my blog)--but this is probably why I need to post to get me out of this mood.

Christmas Eve:  my stocking had a cankle because of a lovely box of See's Candies (my new FAVORITE!), our cats had too much fun with the ribbons and bows, Zach still loves getting LEGO.

We had a good Christmas other than some drama that happened Christmas Eve.  Zach and I are mostly drama free, so when I encounter it, I just break down and want to run.  Argh.

Still, we had a good Christmas.  We did our usual Christmas Eve traditions--rotisserie chicken, A Charlie Brown Christmas, exchanging of presents--and then we went to Hot Springs on Christmas Day.  Our state got hit with some white weather, and it was a bit scary to be driving through it.  (Our usual four-hour trip took two hours longer.)  But we made it safely and got snowed in.  I couldn't believe it that our home in Bentonville didn't get a flake because we got ten inches in Hot Springs!

Zach and I on Christmas Day

He gave me the green scarf with yellow polka dots that I am wearing.

Two days after Christmas, we came back home and got to experience a little snow here.  We've been trying to soak in the last few days of our winter break as well as I am trying to get over these sinus/cold/drainage issues I've had for two weeks now.  I probably should go see my doctor, but I'd really like to wait another day, so we don't have to fork out one more co-pay this year.  *hehe*  This is probably why I am in a foul mood:  I've been not feeling my best, and while we do get a week and a half of for Christmas, I'm not ready to go back.  Where did this time go??  I've been spoiled the past eight years.  For six, I was in school and got a plummy month off each winter.  Then the first Christmas after graduation, I was still unemployed, so I was on break all the time.  Last year, I was recovering, so I didn't go back to work until almost February.  See?  Spoiled, party of one.

snowpocalypse in Hot Springs

I still can't believe we had a VERY WHITE CHRISTMAS IN ARKANSAS!!

And, of course, the only county not touched by the white was the one where we live.  I guess it was good we were out-of-town, so we could enjoy it!

Not to mention that I had a terrible night in the kitchen, and we were supposed to get some more lovely winter weather today--I LOVE SNOW!--and I woke up to rain.  *grumble grumble*

a nice dusting in our neighborhood

Ah, man, I know I am being whiny and annoying to the point that my whining is annoying to myself!  *lol*  So on that note, here on some things I've grateful for in regards to 2012:

1)  my health--we've come a long way from this, baby.

2)  my job--I saw two of my students over the holidays, and I'm excited to see some returning faces along with the new ones.  If only I could get my gear in butt...**

3)  my constant interest in cooking and crafting--these give me something to talk about with folks on our lunch breaks.  *haha*

4)  my husband and our marriage--things aren't always easy, but I know we are willing to work hard to make this last forever.  He brings me more joy than anyone, and he's the one person I can be most like myself.  I keep hearing of folks who went to high school with me that have separated and/or divorced, and it breaks my heart for them.  It is comforting, encouraging, helpful, hopeful, amazing to have someone, along with God, to do life with every day.  I can't wait to see what 2013 holds for us.

5)  my life--I can't wait to see what 2013 holds for me.

In regards to resolutions, this year Zach and I are going to try to get back to eating more fruit and veggies and less meat, to keep the kitchen table cleaned off, to brush the kitties at least every other day, and to make more room in the freezer for cocktail and pilsner glasses.  *lol*

I'm going to continue to be more thankful, to continue cooking and crafting and reading--and to try to keep up with this blog as it is the umbrella for most of my creative outlets!

Happy New Year!!

What makes you feel thankful from 2012?  And how are you pledging to live a better life in 2013?

**Up there, I realized I typed "my gear in butt" instead of "my butt in gear."  I realized it as soon as I hit enter.  But it tickled me so, I decided not to change it.**

Be Grateful #18

Since the events of last Friday, I have become heartbroken.

That wasn't always the case.  On Friday, when reports starting pouring in on my Facebook feed while I was at work, I tried to tune them out.  Friday was supposed to be a happy day after I dropped off cookies at my doctor's office in the morning to come home to pack for our trip to Branson that afternoon.  We left for the weekend after work, and while we talked about the Sandy Hook shooting and gun control on the way, those tragic losses did not occupy my mind fully.

I was able to block out the news on Saturday as well after we headed to Silver Dollar City to see the lights, drink wassail, eat funnel cakes.  But I started to hear more about the children and those who tried to protect them.

Then on Sunday, when I first saw Emilie Alice Parker's face on a friend's page, my heart just cracked.
Just broke.
Strangely, rather than wishing never to have a child in such a fallen world, I longed for one.  I wanted to wrap my arms around a child and cry and pray over that sweet life.  I'm not a mother yet, and I don't know if I will ever be, but I felt like a mother when I saw all of those sweet faces, the adults included.  I've seen several people comment that this has been worse than 9/11, and in so many ways, I agree.

I don't want to say that it's worse that children were gunned down as opposed to teens or adults because the loss of any life--even Adam Lanza's--is a tragedy.  But somehow, it is worse.  So much worse.  These were babies, some who probably hadn't even experienced loss or death or any kind of fear.  I keep seeing Olivia Engel's smiling face and thinking of Noah Pozner's twin sister Arielle who has been left behind.  And I keep picturing Lauren Rousseau, who was supposed to go see The Hobbit with her boyfriend last Friday, and Rachel D'Avino, whose boyfriend was supposed to propose on Christmas Eve.  Of the teacher who told her small pupils she loved them, so that the gunfire wasn't the last thing they heard.  Not so long ago, all of these adults were six and seven, too.

While I would never have wished this to happen and pray that it never happens again, I am thankful for how we have responded.  I believe it was Ann Curry who challenged her viewers to commit to acts of kindness in memory of those who were lost last Friday.  I have seen several people make contributions to help grieving Newtown.  I watch as we vow to spend more time with those we love and to make known to them how much we love them.  And we have.

This week, I am thankful for life, for love, for the Cross that gives us the greatest freedom to live and to love each other forever.