HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Through different phases of our lives we are defined.
The first 20 years we are students. Babies and toddlers learning to walk and talk. Children learning our ABCs and 123s. Teenagers learning how to socialize, drive cars and dreaming of what we want to be. Young adults moving through college or young career paths.
The next 20 we become spouses, parents and/or home owners. Working, going to sporting events and school programs...helping with homework, doing home repair and paying to bills.
During the first 40+ years of your life you fall into patterns. For us that meant me being a Mom first and foremost. Volunteering for Girl Scouts, Band boosters, working concession stands, anything that had to do with the kids. Christmas baking, birthday parties, cleaning, etc... For my husband it certainly meant working to pay the bills. As a Dad it was taking the kids hunting and fishing. Teaching them to be self sufficient. They can clean fish, butcher a deer and change their oil and a flat. As a family it was sit down dinners (every night), game nights, lots of love and laughter. I definitely feel blessed that we enjoyed such an "all American" family.
Along the way you could always count on me creating something in the kitchen, hubby creating amazing music in his band, fall hunting, visits to the lake in the summer, snowman building and cutting down our Christmas tree. Yep...all American. Surprisingly enough two of my all-time favorite TV shows are The Walton's and Happy Days.
Well 2013 saw most of these things change. Hubby left the band scene, this was the first New Year's Eve we have not "played out" in years. Our daughter moved out on her own. Our son has his drivers license and is preparing for life after high school (he's a junior). For the first time in yeeeaaars I am not volunteering with any organization. We purchased our first artificial Christmas tree. Family dinners at the table are now a special occasion.
Sounds sad but, with the right perspective, it is really invigorating and exciting. No I did not arrive at excitement overnight. But to be sad would be hanging onto the past. When we graduated we were kinda sad to leave the phase of our lives, and oh so excited about what was to come. So it makes sense that while I'm sad about moving from the full-time family mode to the next phase of my life, I am super excited.
What will 2014 hold? My business has been steadily growing, and recently experienced a growth spurt. Hubby is back at a flat-rate dealership and dabbling with entrepreneurship. Watching (and helping where I can) my children grow into the next "phase" of their lives is rewarding and exciting. Soooo many things on my list for 2014 I can't wait to get started and see what the next 20 years hold for myself and my family.
And believe you/me, I won't take ONE moment for granted.
