New Years Eve 2011

I was looking back at my "new year's resolutions" for 2011 and realized that I mostly failed miserably. Maybe this is why people shouldn't make resolutions. Are they the same thing as goals? Clearly not enough action steps going on if so. I did manage to stay fairly active in 2011 in spite of a shoulder and neck issue that have nearly made it impossible for me to sit in front of a computer for more than an hour without locking up. But my writing, oh my writing, has been a source of avoidance for me. So many ideas, so many things to say...so little time. But if I'm honest, there are just a lot of reasons I avoid writing.
Not to be overly analytical about 2011, but it really was sucky in many ways. I think the tendency to wallow in self pity was pretty strong over the past year. Talk about an unproductive way to spend time. It really gets you no where. At the end of day there is a lot more to be positive about than negative. We are able to give our kids a tremendous amount of love, time and attention even if that doesn't come in the form of a beach vacation. And we have a loving and supportive family that has for the most part been blessed with incredibly good health (knock on wood). We have not joined the dark side of Republicanism which is always something to put on the plus side. And though there were a lot of things that I didn't do there are a few things worth mentioning that did happen:

• we hosted an exchange student from Ecuador who I'm pretty sure nearly froze to death in our 100 year old house
• we went ice skating at least three times
• we celebrated Ian's First Holy Communion
• we spent a long fabulous weekend visiting Dawn and family in Virginia
• we sent our daughter to Ecuador for two weeks in June
• we spent incredible summer days at the lake soaking in the Indiana sun and the freedom from obligations, cell phones, email and video games
• we spent long days and evenings at our pool making new friends and watching our kids three year old become a swimmer
• we watched each of our children get another year older, smarter and more challenging in their own ways
• we threw all caution to the wind and got a dog (we'll see if she's still around for the final 2012 post---the jury is still out)
• we cheered our "lake kids" to their first victory in the annual Cardboard Boat Regatta
• we defeated Senate Bill 5 in Ohio
• we had what always turns out to be the most beautiful Christmas ever

So I won't make any resolutions this year except to try to have faith, focus less on myself (always a good idea), and be truly grateful. And at this very moment I need to also try for patience because the two weeks I've spent with my kids over the break has just about sent me over the edge.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!