Happy New Year!

Here we are! 2021 is here, and I think many people were glad to see 2020 go.  I know it was a difficult year on a global scale.  The pandemic and its collateral damage were pretty unprecedented events. 

I was extremely grateful to be able to celebrate Christmas with my father, stepmother, and sister.  I had only seen my parents once since last New Year's, because of the pandemic and an uncle who was undergoing cancer treatments (my parents helped him).  It was my greatest hope to see them for the holidays, but when my sister's place of employment erupted in a vicious covid outbreak in early December, we weren't sure we could make it work.  I was quite concerned. 

However, thanks to N95 masks, covid testing, and extreme care, we did all congregate together on Christmas Eve.  We had about 5 days together, and it was wonderful!  We made gingerbread houses, ate cookies, opened gifts, played games, talked, drank copious quantities of coffee, and just enjoyed each other's company.  For five days I didn't think about the virus, didn't wear a mask, and didn't spend an ounce of mental energy on thinking about anything other than our Christmas together. It was delightful!

One additional delight was that late on Christmas Eve, some surprise snow began to fall.  And when we woke on Christmas morning, we had a white Christmas! I was overjoyed!  It was Annie's first white Christmas; the last one we had was in 2010, when she was just a couple of weeks away from being born.  What a gift!  It was like another little mercy after a strange year. 

And then the snow lingered for several days....how lovely to wake early in the morning and look outside at it!

Back in the fall after I turned 43 I made a little list of dreams and goals for the year ahead.  I am not making any new year's resolutions or goals, because I have already articulated my ambitions for the coming year!

In this blog in 2021, I have many thoughts I want to share.  I'm excited about these ideas. 

If you're reading this, I want you to know that I wish you a happy new year, and am saying a prayer for your health, happiness, and safety.  Thanks for reading this little corner of the big, wide internet!