Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everybody! The end of 2015 was a frenzy of traveling, teething, and illnesses which has left little time for blogging. I hope that once the holidays wrap up and we get back into our routine then I’ll be back to regular posting. 

New Year’s has always been my favorite holiday. I love the excitement for the future and the nostalgia for the year we’ve left behind. 

I love the symbolism of a fresh start and new resolutions, and I love starting the new year off right with a midnight kiss. 

Jonathan and I got engaged on New Year’s Eve *10 years ago* on a family vacation in the South African wine country. The entire day remains one of the best days of my life, start to finish. The memories are made even fonder in my heart that my grandma and grandpa (and my mom and dad) were there to experience my engagement with me.

Nothing all that exciting happened this year. Our friends found a sitter for the boys and we went to see Stars Wars for some much needed adult time. 

We didn’t ring in the new year with much pomp and circumstance since we knew that Forest would be up early, but I know 2016 will be epic. 

This year will bring  a lot of uncertainty and transition. We find out soon if/when/where Jonathan’s next job assignment will be. Our 2 years in San Ramon is almost up and we haven’t been given a clue as to where the wind might blow us next. We could stay in California, move back to Texas or head internationally again.  It’s exciting and terrifying and full of ambivalence for me. I truly have loved our time in California and would be ecstatic if we got to stay a while. 

But because I can’t say with certainty where I’ll be in 6 months time, it’s hard to come up with resolutions for the coming year. Mostly I resolve to have faith and to keep a cheerful and positive attitude about whatever comes our way. 

 

I hope not to stress too much. I hope to have the energy and stamina needed for whatever transitions we have to tackle. I will try to not get so bogged down in my personal circumstances that I loose perspective or empathy for those around me. 

I will try to have a deep well of patience for Forest who is not a fan of change or being taken out of his comfort zone(hmmmm I wonder where he gets that trait…). I hope to become a better photographer and editor. I hope to continue to blog at least once a week. I want to read as many books as I can, one of which being The Bible. That’s about it. 

Nothing too concrete about these goals. No resolution to eat better, lose weight, or run a marathon. I just resolve to be a more faithful, humble, patient person and to make more time for reading, writing and photography which are the things that restore my soul, energy, mind, and heart. I think this year is going to be about baby steps and just learning to remain who I am despite the chaos stress and transition that 2016 will undoubtedly bring. Bring it on, 2016!

What’s in store for you this year?