Ringing in a New Year

It’s funny how our New Years Eve festivities have changed through the years.  Scott and I have never been big party animals, but we did go to downtown Pittsburgh on Dec 31, 1999 to ring in the new millennium with a kiss on the Roberto Clemente bridge.   For several years we would watch the fireworks in Annapolis at midnight.

Then we had kids.

And New Years became a stay at home night.  Some years we’d have friends over, some years we’d do an in home date night of dinner and a movie after the kids were in bed. 

The past few years New Years has been a Family Fun Night. 

Last night we sat around the table and talked through the year… we broke it into quarters and talked about some of the highlights of those months.

2013 was an epic year for the circus family. 

We went on a mega vacation.  Without a doubt that was one of the major highlights of our year.  6 months later and when the kids recall our trip, their highlights were Mt Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Great Sand Dunes, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, prairie dogs, and the choo choo trains.  When we are out driving and see the sunset our three year old will exclaim, “Look a sunset just like on vacation!”  As I recall my blessings in 2013, that trip is  without a doubt one of my greatest blessings.  I am so thankful for the opportunity we had to spend 3 weeks together away from home, as a family seeing our beautiful country.  I don’t know if any trip could top it ever. 

We also grew our family… TWICE this summer with the addition of our beloved pup Wendy and our patient and slightly bipolar cat Cartwheel.  I am grateful for both of them and the joy they bring our family. 

Other highlights as we recounted the year was our Labor Day tradition, our 6 year olds first lost tooth, our son starting Jui Jitsu and even competing in his first tournament, our 6 year old joining the gymnastics team, our 7 year old scoring her very first 9 in a gymnastics meet, our sons 1st NFL game, , getting to spend time with their cousins, and swimming in the summer.  Honestly, it was a ridiculously good year for us.

After recounting our blessings, we headed downstairs for some family fun. We watched Monsters University, then dived into some chocolate fondue at 11:00 PM and started pulling out the party supplies…

Our girls know how to party hardy… Our seven year old is most def the night owl of the bunch… I think she could have held on past 1 am if I had let her.  She was in a fantastic mood.  I gotta tell you my boys battled some illness all day… with temperatures over 100 they were downing ibuprofen every 6 hours and the 3 year old was taking his nebulizer every 4 hours.  It def wasn’t their happiest of New Years for them, but they hung in their like troopers till midnight. 

This year we added confetti to the New Years festivities… which was super fun (and super messy). 

Today marks a new month and a new year.  As I look back on 2013 I am very grateful for the memories and good times that our family had.    I am mindful though that not everyone had such a banner year.    Some people that I know, some people that I love dearly, had a very difficult 2013.   I don’t know what 2014 will hold for us.   But, I do know that God is the same, unchanging good God in the good years and in the bad and my prayer is that our family will praise His name ALWAYS in any and every situation.