Happy New Year

People all around the globe will be shouting "happy new year" to one another over the next few hours.  And each one of those people have their own definition of what "happy" is to them.

For me, my happiness is directly connected to my childen's happiness. I recently read "A Christmas Wedding" by James Patterson, and while the book was kind of disappointing, there was a memorable line in it that said something like "A mother is only as happy as her saddest child." 

Thankfully, my children are not sad all that often (moody perhaps, but not necessarily sad) but there are a lot of other negative emotions or circumstances that can replace the word "saddest" for our situation. 

For me, my "happy" new year would be a year in which Vivi's seizures and all of her other challenges disappear and a year in which Julia learns to be grateful for the blessings and gifts she has - and realizes that one of those blessings is her sister.

I guess that's shooting for the stars, but what better day to do it than when knocking on the door of the new year?

I wish you all the happiness - whatever that means to you - in 2012.

Gratitude - Part 2

Buying teacher gifts has been an important part of our Christmas shopping since Julia started preschool 11 years ago.  (No worries...she did graduate and move on....)

And, for Viv, it is simply not acceptable for me to go out and buy something.  SHE needs to pick something out, which I think is very cool.

We had two try and fail shopping attempts over the weekend, with the fails being a seizure in the parking lot before we even got into the store and then a "blip" seizure (as we call them) while in the store.  Gladly, today we made it through.

That's part of my gratitude feeling for today.  But the biggest part is in the realization of just how many people we want to especially thank at her school this Christmas.  Most kids buy 1 or 2 gifts.  We needed 12.  Yes, 12.  And this is just for the people who help Vivian on a daily or weekly basis.  And this doesn't even count the librarian, gym teacher, music teacher, or art teacher.

While I wish that Vivian didn't need assistance from so many people, wow am I glad that each and every one of these people are in our lives.

Big-time gratitude.

And this is where I wish I was rich and could send each and every one of them on a fabulous Caribbean vacation for a week as a gift, because they deserve even more than that.

But instead, most will simply receive my heartfelt thanks and small token of appreciation, and the three people most close to Viv will receive something specially picked out by her.  Which I actually approved of and didn't have to use any of my power of persuasion for. 

So, God, I've been trying to say thank you more and realize the blessings we have in our lives.  Today, I say thank you for the angels at Rothschild Elementary.  And if they could just create a 6th grade at the school before next year, that would be great.

Nostalgia

I’m very nostalgic.  Those of you who know me well are probably saying “No shit” right about now.  (Hey, it’s my blog and I’ll swear if I want to.)  (Feel free to sing along.)

And the perfect time for nostalgia?  Christmas.  I just started pulling out some of the Christmas décor and happened upon a candle that I took, I mean that my mom gave me, some time ago that was in our house growing up for as long as I remember.  It’s a frosted glass pillar holder with a country Christmas scene.  I guard that thing with my life.  I don’t know how old it is, who my mom got it from, or anything about it, but I know that it symbolizes Christmas for me, and for that reason, I hold it very dear.

Another nostalgic moment….a couple months ago, I was at Hallmark staring at this years’ commemorative ornaments and they had a – YES! – a Fisher Price tick-tock clock.  And they only had one left.  I love the tick tock clock so much that I bought a plastic replica from Target last year since my mom will not give me the wooden original she has because it’s apparently my brother’s.  Yeah right.  Even if it is his, who loves it more?  Huh?  Me.  (Deep breath…)  Anyway…I call my mom all in a flutter because there’s just ONE left and I have every intention of buying it so she can give it to me.  As I finish telling her all about this find of the century she simply tells me “Well, if you buy it, you’ll have two, because I already bought it for you.”  (As an aside, now my brother wants one.  And they’re out of stock.  Everywhere in the state.  Ha – too bad Jason. Although my mom does have plans to go to the Rothschild Hallmark on the day they sell the display.  Little does she know that I’ll be getting there first.)

OK, so I’m also possessive about my nostalgia.

The big nostalgia moment of Christmas, though, will come next weekend with the Christmas tree.  You think I’m neurotic now, you should come Christmas tree shopping with me!  But you can’t deny that I chose a legendary tree every year…and someday when I have vaulted ceilings in my home it’ll be even more fun.  But neurosis aside, my favorite thing about the tree will be all of the ornaments that go on it.  Just about every ornament that goes on our tree has a story.  The pregnant kangaroo for the Christmas we were expecting Julia.  Vivi’s silver cup ornament for the year she was born.  Julia’s fairy ornament with the glowing icicle. The wooden reindeer ornament that’s now missing a leg and has many bite marks (thank you, Harvey).  Many, many dough ornaments with (at first) two names…then three…then four.  The Packer and Bear ornaments that the kids (and I) always put on the back of the tree.  And the list goes on.  It takes a looooong time to decorate the tree because the girls and I relive memories with every one.  (Mike does the lights and then makes excuses to leave the room while we do this.)

OK, I just read what I wrote up until this point, and apparently I am a nut job.  Perhaps, but I’m a well-intentioned, nostalgic nut job. 

And I’m OK with that.

Milestones

When we are younger, we look forward to the magic age of 13.  Then to 16.  Then to 18.  Then to 21.

Then we start dreading the next group of milestones....30, 40, 50....

It makes me remember a moment in college when a beautiful friend of mine went into a MAJOR slump after 21 because "there was nothing to look forward to anymore."  Funny to think back on this now as her life is filled with blessings at 39.  Sometimes at 22 it's hard to see all that will all be possible.

Today is my Dad's birthday.  I called him this morning to wish him a happy day, and we joked about the "later life" milestones of 55 (when you can get 10% off at IGA on Tuesdays), 62 when you can get Social Security (well, at least he can), and now 65 when he's "officially old now" (his words, not mine.)  I told him that the next biggie he'll have to look forward to is 100.  Which made him laugh...but you never know...after all, even at 65 it can be hard to see what's possible.

So, happy birthday, Dad.  Happy day to everyone, because no matter what, even if it's not your birthday, each day is special and a potential turning point in it's own right.  In the words of another great friend, "Take it.  Claim it.  Make it your own." 

And enjoy!