Reflections

As we should, the end of the year brings me to reflect on this year as it comes to a close. Dang! It was one heck of a year!

The Dearest Husband officially retired from his second career and we began to settle in to our new home and new life.

We sent one son by birth off to Iraq along with a whole bunch of other sons whom we love and cherish like our own. I am proud our son calls them brothers. We worried. We fretted. We prayed. We shopped. We mailed. We worried and prayed some more.

We were priviledged to witness the marriage of the last of one brother's three daughters (the 3rd wedding for them in 4 years!) We joked what they'd do with all that money now that all three were out of college and married... and they laughed and said "Grandchildren!" Finally got to see the first two grandnieces and a grandnephew... the first three of many (there's already another on the way).

Had two sisters' families up and move from their long-term abodes to new digs in new states and traveled to help unpack and ask God's blessings on them in their new lives. For the first time since our oldest brother died in 2000, I actually saw every one of my five living siblings this year.

Went to some baseball games in our new state. Despite all my cheering, however, my beloved Yankees didn't win the World Series (but neither did Boston, so that's something.)

Managed to see some concerts this year: Little River Band, Eagles, Toby Keith, Nazareth...

We had a daughter and a nephew each start medical school this year and finish their first semesters with flying colors. We had one son find a love and ask her to spend the rest of her life with him in the New Year... and a niece that wears the ring of her betrothed as well. We had a son receive his college degree and take a new assignment aboard a new Navy ship which may set sail for an extended cruise this year...

Had the phone call from hell in August and that trip to Germany... and then to Fort Benning. We aged ten years in ten days... it took us months to breathe normally. But we met folks along that journey that we cherish and hope will be life-long friends. We received prayers and encouragement from those who until that day were complete strangers but will never have that title again. We were blessed that our son's injuries were not so severe as originally feared and that the injuries are healing and that his future looks so bright!

We had friends die tragically and too many young soldiers die much too young. We mourned with their families and we begged the Lord to thrust open the gates of Heaven to receive our Heroes. We prayed for our elected officials. We prayed for the Iraqis. And we prayed for Peace as hard as we have ever prayed for anything.

I had another year coddled in the love and caring of my wonderful husband... and the company and affection of our children and our siblings and their children. We enjoyed the laughter and companionship of our friends.

We celebrated birthdays and holidays. We reveled in the fellowship of our new community.

I thank all of our new friends (that would be you!) for coming by and reading... for your encouragement... for your contributions. I hope to meet many more of you this year!

Today I reflect on just how lucky I am... how lucky we are. I believe we have ended this year better people than we began the year. An admirable goal. A remarkable achievement. One I intend to repeat each year in the future.

To the members of our Armed Forces we thank you. To those deployed far from your families and friends, you are remembered all year through. To all those that serve and are in harm's way, we wish you safety, a successful mission, and a speedy journey home.

To all those that pass by here, I wish each of you and all of you a Wonderful, Happy and Healthy New Year full of Love, Contentment and Success. A Year in which there is Peace.

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