It's approximately 9 minutes until midnight here on New Year's Eve. Although we started out the evening with a rather large group of my family members who planned on celebrating together, one by one, everyone slowly zonked out, went to other parties, or headed home to sleep. Although we had the fun and the junk food and the loud music and the fireworks earlier tonight, now I find myself sitting here in my darkened living room next to my crackling wood stove, snuggled in my husband's warm zombie pajamas while he lies on the floor, gently snoring (he's had a cold for a while now--he's not usually a snorer), listening to the silence pervading my home.
I'm finding myself oddly pensive and nostalgic this New Year's Eve--we've never celebrated in quite this way before, and I figured I could talk about the things that 2014 brought us, as well as my hopes for 2015, and since I'm in this mode, I figure I'll send out our New Year's Letter--since we didn't do a Christmas card/letter this year.
2014 was a "learning" year, which to be honest is the nicest way I can figure out to put it--this year wasn't the kindest to my family, but the knowledge we've picked up along the way has been invaluable, and I guess I can try to articulate a few of the things we've learned, as individuals and as a family.
Maggie, age 2 has learned that screaming at a certain pitch and consistency can get a girl a lot, especially when you have two older brothers who can be your scapegoats. She has also learned every single word to the entire soundtrack of "Frozen," along with the lyrics to several "Annie" songs, as she got to attend rehearsals along with her Mom, who was the music director of a local production of said play. She has learned the joys of having hair, and has learned to demand with exactness what kinds of hairstyles she wants her mommy to create with the approximately five strands that she's finally managed to grow. She has also learned the skill of dressing herself without help, and if you ever see her on an average day, you'll be able to tell whether or not she has dressed herself, because that girl loves two things in an outfit: bright colors and busy patterns. The more, the better.
Clark, age 4 has learned just how much he loves Halloween, Jack Skellington (from "The Nightmare Before Christmas"), and the color orange. He has also learned to get through an entire year with no major health issues--last year, he had his tonsils removed on New Year's Eve, and the year before that was when he fractured his femur. This year, we've only had to take him to Urgent Care once! His parents (and their budget) have been extremely grateful! He has also learned that he really loves Joy School and he really hates to be left behind when anyone goes anywhere without him. Clark has learned to write his name (although he prefers the Chinese style of writing--vertical--rather than our boring English horizontal writing), and loves to come home from Joy School and tell his mom all about what he's learned that day.
Jack, age 5 has learned the joys of reading. In fact, he finally cracked the age-old Parent's Secret Code of spelling specific things rather than saying them out loud, and revels in repeating whatever his naive parents might still have the nerve to spell in front of him. Jack has learned that the more secret forts you can build in random juniper bushes around the neighborhood, the harder it is for parents to find you. He's also had the joy of learning that wiggly teeth fall out much easier than one might think when you play with them constantly. He has learned how to write stories and letters and the joy of Harry Potter (which his mom reads to him when she remembers/has time), and he is learning to love school (although recess is still by far his favorite subject).
Steve has learned that when you're ready to leave an eight-year career--even when it's for another career you've wanted and trained for, there are still bittersweet moments to experience. He left Wells Fargo in May of this year, after graduating with his LPN from his first year of nursing school. He's since then been working as an LPN and has learned the value of caffeine when working night shifts along with attending nursing school full time. He has also learned how to insert IV's, administer several different kinds of medication that could possibly kill people if done wrong, and how to handle completely psychotic patients without cussing back at them (as much as he may want to).
He also had an extremely difficult experience where he learned how hard it is to say goodbye to a loved one, when his Grandpa Busch passed away this last June. That was a blow to the entire family, and we have all learned the peace that knowledge of eternal families can bring in those times, even through the grief.
Jewel has learned that although it might be financially wise to have 24 piano students all at once, it might not be the best contribution to having a mentally sound mother, and after dropping all of her piano students in May, she has spent the remainder of the year trying to recapture the sanity she thinks she can remember having at one time in her life. She has also learned that when your husband is in nursing school and working full-time night shifts as a nurse, sometimes prepackaged meals and messy houses are the way to go. She has learned that kids are more resilient than one might think, and that they can happily go for weeks without bathing, as long as sponge baths are still provided occasionally. She has also learned that God is with her every moment of every single day, and knows that because of Him, all of the craziness and business that comes through life has meaning and purpose.
While 2014 was a good learning year for all of us, we pray and hope that 2015 will be a year of healing, a year of peace, and a year of stability. Thank you for being a part of our year (even if it was only through Facebook or from a distance), and we pray for 2015 to bring you the same things!!
Happy New Year!!
I'm finding myself oddly pensive and nostalgic this New Year's Eve--we've never celebrated in quite this way before, and I figured I could talk about the things that 2014 brought us, as well as my hopes for 2015, and since I'm in this mode, I figure I'll send out our New Year's Letter--since we didn't do a Christmas card/letter this year.
2014 was a "learning" year, which to be honest is the nicest way I can figure out to put it--this year wasn't the kindest to my family, but the knowledge we've picked up along the way has been invaluable, and I guess I can try to articulate a few of the things we've learned, as individuals and as a family.
Maggie, age 2 has learned that screaming at a certain pitch and consistency can get a girl a lot, especially when you have two older brothers who can be your scapegoats. She has also learned every single word to the entire soundtrack of "Frozen," along with the lyrics to several "Annie" songs, as she got to attend rehearsals along with her Mom, who was the music director of a local production of said play. She has learned the joys of having hair, and has learned to demand with exactness what kinds of hairstyles she wants her mommy to create with the approximately five strands that she's finally managed to grow. She has also learned the skill of dressing herself without help, and if you ever see her on an average day, you'll be able to tell whether or not she has dressed herself, because that girl loves two things in an outfit: bright colors and busy patterns. The more, the better.
Clark, age 4 has learned just how much he loves Halloween, Jack Skellington (from "The Nightmare Before Christmas"), and the color orange. He has also learned to get through an entire year with no major health issues--last year, he had his tonsils removed on New Year's Eve, and the year before that was when he fractured his femur. This year, we've only had to take him to Urgent Care once! His parents (and their budget) have been extremely grateful! He has also learned that he really loves Joy School and he really hates to be left behind when anyone goes anywhere without him. Clark has learned to write his name (although he prefers the Chinese style of writing--vertical--rather than our boring English horizontal writing), and loves to come home from Joy School and tell his mom all about what he's learned that day.
Jack, age 5 has learned the joys of reading. In fact, he finally cracked the age-old Parent's Secret Code of spelling specific things rather than saying them out loud, and revels in repeating whatever his naive parents might still have the nerve to spell in front of him. Jack has learned that the more secret forts you can build in random juniper bushes around the neighborhood, the harder it is for parents to find you. He's also had the joy of learning that wiggly teeth fall out much easier than one might think when you play with them constantly. He has learned how to write stories and letters and the joy of Harry Potter (which his mom reads to him when she remembers/has time), and he is learning to love school (although recess is still by far his favorite subject).
Steve has learned that when you're ready to leave an eight-year career--even when it's for another career you've wanted and trained for, there are still bittersweet moments to experience. He left Wells Fargo in May of this year, after graduating with his LPN from his first year of nursing school. He's since then been working as an LPN and has learned the value of caffeine when working night shifts along with attending nursing school full time. He has also learned how to insert IV's, administer several different kinds of medication that could possibly kill people if done wrong, and how to handle completely psychotic patients without cussing back at them (as much as he may want to).
He also had an extremely difficult experience where he learned how hard it is to say goodbye to a loved one, when his Grandpa Busch passed away this last June. That was a blow to the entire family, and we have all learned the peace that knowledge of eternal families can bring in those times, even through the grief.
Jewel has learned that although it might be financially wise to have 24 piano students all at once, it might not be the best contribution to having a mentally sound mother, and after dropping all of her piano students in May, she has spent the remainder of the year trying to recapture the sanity she thinks she can remember having at one time in her life. She has also learned that when your husband is in nursing school and working full-time night shifts as a nurse, sometimes prepackaged meals and messy houses are the way to go. She has learned that kids are more resilient than one might think, and that they can happily go for weeks without bathing, as long as sponge baths are still provided occasionally. She has also learned that God is with her every moment of every single day, and knows that because of Him, all of the craziness and business that comes through life has meaning and purpose.
While 2014 was a good learning year for all of us, we pray and hope that 2015 will be a year of healing, a year of peace, and a year of stability. Thank you for being a part of our year (even if it was only through Facebook or from a distance), and we pray for 2015 to bring you the same things!!
Happy New Year!!
Comments
2015 is gonna be great!!! I can feel it!!!!