Happy New Year and Time to Move Ahead

Spencer took down the Christmas tree today, and put away the decorations and the lights. It's time to pack up the holidays for another year and move on to see what the new year holds.

Yesterday was my sister's birthday. She was a new years baby. My dad drove my mom around in their bumpy car with poor shocks the week before the new year, trying to get her to go into labor before the old year finished, hoping to get the tax deduction her addition to the family would bring. My mom also walked up and down the many flights of stairs to their little apartment in Kansas City, MO, hoping to help the process along. But none of it worked enough. My older sister came when she would. And it was just the next day, January 1. 

Jason's brother married another New Year's baby. My sister-in-law has the same birthday as my sister, born in the same town, just three years earlier. I don't know if her dad tried to get her to arrive before the new year too, but I know my dad said he took it out of my sister's allowance over the years for the tax break he missed. Guess that's one of the drawbacks to being born on New Year's Day. Plus everyone just finished exchanging presents, so maybe there aren't as many gifts left to give just a week later. Then again, maybe there are more because of all the after-Christmas clearance sales, as long as you don't mind everything being wrapped up in red and green paper with reindeer on them.

With yesterday past, tomorrow is a new day, and a new year to face. So many possibilities. Tomorrow, Jason goes back to work, Molly goes back to school, and I go back to my desk to work. It's a chance for new enterprises, new attitudes, new books and stories, new perspectives, and new attempts to reach long term goals. I hope tomorrow brings closer to you all the hopes that you hold for a new beginning. I hope you wake up with new excitement for what might be. And new strength to face the leftovers from last year that didn't resolve and don't look to be going anywhere anytime soon. Have courage, have faith, and have anticipation. Happy New Year, and may the year be full of new unexpected and also long awaited happiness.