Good Riddance 2012

I remember back in the day - (in the interim, as you may hear me call it, when I refer to the time in which we were not living the ways of the Lord) - I would wake up on the first morning of a new year wearing makeup from the previous night that was slightly smeared on my face from where I slept hard, wherever I may have landed. Well, tomorrow morning, the first day of 2013, I, again, will wake up with tonight's makeup still on, slightly smeared, hopefully in my bed, but possibly in my 5 year old's bed - if my husband snores too loudly. I will, hopefully, sleep hard and for a long time - but I have a still fairly new baby; so you never can truly predict. I won't make it to see 2013 ring in - because I worked all day and I am a very tired Mommy.

On this night in 2011, we had a date night. It was fun. It brought us a gift :) Her name starts with a C. Ha ha. Little did I know, it would usher in one of the hardest years of my adult life. 2011 has not been a walk in the park. It has been riddled by pain, fear, grief, sickness, sadness, and doubt. It has also been accompanied by sheer joy, surprise, love, and a stretching heart. There have been answered prayers and things that I still do not know 'why', nor will I never. I'm not sure where it has taken my relationship with Christ. Stronger at some points, and sadly, I must admit, weaker in other times.

I'm going to be glad to move to another year. I am hoping that 2013 will have more of the love, joy, and a closer relationship with Christ and less of the sickness, grief, fear, pain, and doubt. I will probably spend a great amount of 2013 trying to get to where I was at the beginning of 2011, before the nightmare year began. It is my hope and prayer that I can get there and become even better; to meet all of my resolutions and excel at them; to be a blessing in the lives of others and in my family; to serve them and others and reflect Christ; to make people smile and feel good; to love my little family to the very best of my ability; and maybe to even cook dinner now and again :)

Happy New Year, friends. May 2013 be good to you :)