Cup of decaf

Some moments in life I wouldn't trade for all the money in the world.

I've been thinking over this past year, as I'm sure a lot of other people have as well, considering the time of year. There are so many things in life that I am grateful for this year and many other times over the past year have broken my heart.

I hate to get all sappy but I'm nostalgic right now. Get over it and go to the next post if you don't like it.

I can't look back at 2008 and say that I've accomplished everything that I've wanted to accomplish. I can't look back and say, "I'm proud of myself for sticking to every resolution," especially since I didn't have any resolutions and I usually don't make any. Why start on January 1 when you can start on December 31? I'll end 2008 with about the same amount of money in my pocket as I started, still childless (with the exception of Lucy and my husband), I still don't have the perfect body and I moved again, something I swore I wouldn't do in 2008.

I can look back and say that I loved my grandmother dearly, and I hope she knew just how much before she passed away. I can say that Wayne was one of the most dear friends I'll ever have and that I'll miss him forever. I can fill my heart almost explode with the amount of love I have for those two people despite that holes that are left from their departures.

I can look back and appreciate every moment I had with my family members over this past holiday season. There were new faces to cuddle, new bonds and more laughs shared. I can honestly say that this was the first Christmas that I really sat back and let all the love and laughter really sink in while I looked at my family and thought of how much each member meant to me.

I can take what I've learned in 2008 and head into the new year more readily armed for what life hands me in the next 365 days. I know that there will be in the inevitable rough time, the challenge. But I'll gladly take and learn from those if each one of them helps me appreciate, even more, the people and things I already have in my life.

It's when you can truly appreciate the good that the bad finally gets outweighed.