Happy New Year

Well, it is 11:12 p.m. In 48 minutes I will bid 2005 farewell and welcome 2006. It will take me 6 months to write the new year correctly which makes me feel like the new year really doesn't start until somewhere around the end of May/beginning of June when I don't have to think so hard to remember what year it is. Jake asked if he could stay up all night tonight. We told him he could stay up for as long as he wanted...just make sure the doors were locked and the Christmas tree lights turned off. That elicited a plea for someone to stay up with him. At 10:30 p.m. as his eyelids were drooping he asked, "Has it been all night yet?" We told him no. He asked, "Did I at least make it to midnight?" We told him almost and then he was fast asleep. I'm left awake contemplating all the new years gone by and the progression of age it represents. From 14 years old until 16 years old I lived for the stake dances. Outfit preparations for the big dance started around the beginning of November and I was usually grounded from coming home late from the New Year's dance until the beginning of February. I remember a particularly stunning ensemble I wore one year that had lots of silky pink with enormous gold hoops and then the year I wore the sleek black velvet with the shiny black patent leather pumps. From 17 years old until around 21 years old it was the "stay out all night doing nothing" phase. It didn't matter what you were or weren't doing...just that you could say you stayed out all night doing it. I remember the 2 years I celebrated New Year's Eve on my mission...seems like we ate lots of Danish stuff and watched a Disney movie that was way, way too exciting. New Year's Eve 1999 does mark the first time that Chris ever kissed me...I reminded him of that tonight and he said he had blocked it because I freaked out the next day and broke up with him twice over the next 30 days. I assured him it wasn't the kiss...just what the kiss represented.

Anyway, here I am.

I am 35 years old and put my pajamas on around 7:00 p.m. tonight hoping I could be in bed by 9:00 p.m. I didn't wear anything pink, put on gold hoops or have any ambition for staying out all night but I have to admit I'm hoping to make out a little before going to bed. Jacob is sound asleep hugging his new stuffed frog named "George", Matthew is asleep with Little Ed the horse and a 2 foot blue stuffed Cookie Monster, and Hannah is sleeping with a stuffed monkey wearing Hello Kitty underwear (she took the rest of the poor stuffed animals clothes off...the kids got to go to "Build-A-Bear today...but that is another blog for another time). It is what I like New Year's Eve to be...safe, warm, comfortable, and surrounded by my favorite people. I don't believe in making resolutions that I really don't intend to keep but I do like reflecting on where I've been and where I hope to go. I've been lots of wonderful places this last year. I've also been in lots of "uncomfortable" places but in hindsight I am just as grateful for those places as well. I survived being the mother of 3 very little people, the primary president of 178 little people, and feel like I'm still moving forward even if it involves lots of backtracking sometimes. I've met some really great people, made some fabulous new friends, and have read lots and lots of interesting books. I've travelled to some interesting places, learned some new things, and seen some great movies. I have 3 amazing kids, an amazing husband, and a wonderful extended family. Christmas cards got sent out before New Years, Christmas packages got sent before Christmas Eve, and I got to stay in my pajamas all day a couple of days this past week. I have a trip to Hawaii to look forward to in 3 weeks, a visit from my sister, and a chance to meet my new niece and nephew. Yeah, life is good. I didn't lose the weight last year, eat any better, or exercise every day but you have to have something to aspire to each year. I'm headed upstairs to pour a little Martinelli's into a cowboy glass and make out a little on the couch.

Happy New Years!