Merry Christmas!
As you probably realized by now, we did not do an end of the year letter this year. After I thought about it, this blog pretty much serves as a run down of what we have done this year. Also I love getting photocards from friends and family so I can see everyone and because I hang those pictures on the fridge and can see them all year around. So I thought I'd send one out, too.
Our Christmas Day is a little different this year, too. We traveled all over the place this year, so we are staying in Virginia this year. We have spent previous VA Christmas Days with our "VA family", but all have moved away or are out making new Christmas memories of their own. So we slept in and are having a nice relaxing day at home. A nice change of pace from the past couple of weeks of chaos. So today, Bradley's checking out his fantasy football standings (I beat him!), Sammy is laying in the sun, and I'm listening to Harry Connick's Christmas CD...very nice.
This afternoon we are going to see the movie P.S. I love you...the new Hilary Swank movie...I'm not a huge chick flick fan, but I do like her alot, so I want to see it. Then we are going to our friends Mike and Lisa's house for dinner after that. We've never spent Christmas with them, so it will be fun.
I've been thinking over the past week what things I am grateful for this season. Some are serious, some are silly, but all make my life fun or happy. In no particular order:
1. Family - Seems obvious, but I know a lot of people who dread visiting their family for the holidays. It's days like this that I do which we lived closer or that we had unlimited funds and vacation time so I could be there.
2. Friends - We have friends in Iowa that I miss, and since we moved to Virginia, we have made so many more friends. Some of them have moved away in the short time we've been here, but I am thankful there is technology that allows me to keep in touch with so many people. It's hard as the years go by to keep up, but this year I have reconnected with some people I haven't talked to year in a long time.
3. Bradley - Another one that seems obvious, but again, I know people who dread going home each day - I can't imagine being one of those people. Going home is the highlight of my day. I'm even more thankful that I get to work days again and that we get to see each other more than 2x a week. There's no one else in the world who knows me as well and loves me anyway :-)
4. Sammy - I imagine the only other thing that can provide that kind of unconditional love is a child. Each time I come home, it's like he hasn't seen me in weeks - He is so overwhelmingly excited, even if I've been gone for an hour. I think it actual pains him when I make him sit or calm down a bit before he can come over and say hi. I love it when he curls up with me when he's tired...he's so therapeutic and relaxing...most of the time.
5. Health - though some people make fun of me and my chronic ailments, they aren't anything that hinder my life too much. I may be a little high maintenance so that my eyes don't swell shut or be a little abnormal because I don't down caffeine when I'm tired so I can avoid my heart palpitating right out of my chest, but overall, they pale in comparison to some of the medical situations that some of our friends and family have been through. And Brad luckily, continues to be blessed with good health.
6. My job - Even though I have worked lots of hours and spent a year on a shift that wasn't ideal, it's a great environment where people aren't screaming at each other and I'm not being screamed at because I didn't do something exactly right. It's got good benefits, I work with people I actually enjoy being around and I could work almost anywhere in the country. It may end up taking us out of Virginia eventually, but if that happens, at least there's a chance we would end up back near family. Also, it provides us a nice life.
7. Recent motivation - I finally got sick of being tired and out of shape and having my clothes not fit. I have been to some classes at the gym and while not as many as I would like, I get to the gym at least a couple of times a week. This week, I got there 3 times and took up running on the treadmill. The last time I ran anywhere was our forced physical fitness test in PE in high school! I got bored on the cardio equipment so I thought I'd try to run and see if I could do it. In a week I went from running 4 minutes (2 minutes and then a 10 minute walking break) up to running 27 minutes in a row in my 30 minutes on the treadmill. Last night, the gym was closed so I went running in our neighborhood with Sammy which was fun. I went only 1 mile around our circle, but being that it was 40 some degrees, with my out of shape, asthmatic lungs, that was amazing...Yes, Grandma, even though I only use it 1 or 2 times a year now, I always carry my inhaler, just in case.
8. A nice house - Sure, we've got some home improvements that need to be finished, but overall it's a nice house and we've been lucky to furnish it with some nice things and be able to make some things into our own. When there's people out there with none, we are darn lucky in comparison.
9. Peace - To think that there are those in countries that spend their days trying to simply stay alive because there are bombs or gunfire going off outside their homes and workplaces every day, I stop to remember how fortunate I am to live in this country. Even though I may disagree with how things are run and some things that go on, it's a far more fortunate place to be.
10. The Cowboys - a silly one - Many funny moments and good times wouldn't be had if I couldn't banter with people about how my team is great and their team stinks.
11. Good wine and a movie - a great way to relax, refresh, and recharge....A way to escape from realty from time to time.
12. Good books - I found more time to read this year. It's something I love to do, but don't make enough time for. I will find more time this year than I did last year. I have a great stack of new books to read that I got this year.
