Happy New Year - Finally!

The holidays are officially over. Finished. Kaput.  I don't know about you, but I'm ready to move on. I love Christmas and all that it entails. But after all the shopping, wrapping, visiting, eating, cleaning up, eating, Christmas break for Derek, eating, well I'm ready to get my life back!

I thought I had a good head start for this Christmas. I got most of my shopping done early; wrapped the gifts way ahead of time (usually I spend all of Christmas Eve wrapping) and bought all my baking essentials so I'd be ready to go. Then real life happened.

I really wasn't finished shopping. I kept thinking “maybe I didn't get enough”. And I left the stocking stuffers for last. So off to the fight the crowds I went. Then I started the baking. And you all know what happened with my baking. In case you didn't read that post, see “For the Love of Baking!” I guess I should be happy the baking flopped, because I kept the obligatory holiday weight gain down to a minimum this year!

The biggest challenge during the holidays: Derek's vacation from school. No two ways around it, Derek is a lot of kid. Non-stop, full-charge ahead, all-day-every-day-for-12-days kind of kid. Waking up before 5 am almost every day, it made for some long days. He normally gets up early, but when he gets something new, well, then he hardly even sleeps at night. He can't wait to get up and get his day going. And forget about taking a nap. If he's napping, he's sick. Derek has one speed – fast! He even sleeps fast, haha! He's also still like a toddler in so many ways, even though he's now 29 years old. He wants my attention, all of it, all the time. If I leave the room that he's in, well, that's license for havoc. From touching the TV, DVD, Wii game controls to tormenting the dog or whatever else happens to be in the same room, havoc will be wreaked. All day, every day. For 12 looonnnggg days. And of course, he has to be right on top of me. If I'm in the kitchen, he comes and stands behind me, just looking at my hair and breathing on me. Right behind me. All day, every day, for 12 loonnngg days. He does the same thing when we go to the stores. Bob says the Bible says that “hair is the glory of a woman”. Well, I guess I must be just full of glory in Derek's book! He's enthralled with my hair. All this, in addition to managing mom all day, every day, well, let's just say it's a wonder I have any mind left at this point. But there's hope for recovery: Derek went back to his regular routine today at the Hab center!

So, today is the beginning of my new year. New resolutions. I don't usually make resolutions, because then I don't have any to break! But there are things on my list that are high on my priority list to do, and some of them are so I can keep what little sanity I have left. Like playing the violin. I must get back to it, as learning it and playing it really does soothe my soul. Completing the book I've begun writing about Derek and all the life lessons I've experienced in the last 29 years. This has proven to be painful at times and sometimes I have to put it aside because it's hard to go back there in my mind. But it's also a journey that has so many good things in it, and it's a joy to experience those again as well. And don't forget exercise. It's a great way for me to release the stress that builds up and helpful to my family so I don't explode on them! But first on my list of things to do every day is to have my quiet time with God. When life gets busy crazy, unfortunately this is usually the first thing that is the easiest to skip. But it really is the best way I know to get my head in the right place at the beginning of every single day, and with His help, I can face whatever challenges that are thrown my way. On my own, they're pretty difficult to manage. But with His strength, well, anything is possible.

Philippians 4:13: For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Happy New Year and may your year be filled with peace, love, happiness and many blessings! Now, I think I'll go take a nap!