For Auld Lang Syne

Once again, we find ourselves here in the middle of Christmas, hardly believing that a year has gone by since the last time we celebrated this holiday.  I hope that this finds you all well and enjoying the best that the season has to offer… and all the beautiful snow that will become annoying snow as soon as January 2nd shows up.

Since my last post, we’ve been enveloped in the busy-ness that fall brings – lots of work (too much work), lots of celebrations, lots of general life happenings.

I think sometimes about what the end of the year means – while I know that it’s just an arbitrary way of counting time past, it always makes me a bit wistful (which I’m sure I have in common with most of the world). So, in keeping with the theme of looking back, here’s my top ten list of favourite memories from 2017.

1. Moving from our condo into our house in April – it marked a huge transition for us, and one that we’re still marveling about almost daily.
2. Going to London – a trip just for two, our first since our son was born.
3. Celebrating milestone birthdays for three of my four parents/parents-in-law – three good parties.
4. My first day of work at a new job, one that I’d been waiting to take on for a long time.
5. Taking Kian to the cottage for the first time, and watching him learn the wonders of that special place and the natural world around him.
6. Learning about the new neighbourhood we live in, both just by ourselves and with the various visitors we’ve been fortunate enough to have hosted here.
7. Making some new friends, and keeping up with my old friends.
8. Decorating for holidays with Kian – his reactions to the decorations for Diwali and Halloween and Christmas have been perfect (my favourite is, “It’s booful!” which I think translates to “it’s beautiful”).
9. Taking a week off in November for a staycation with my husband – so great to have some time alone together after the worst of the fall rush was over.
10. Listening to Kian as he learns language – the boy sings all day and night, and when he’s not singing he’s talking.

If I could offer some completely unsolicited advice here, I’ll suggest that you take a few minutes in the next little while to come up with your own lists of bests from 2017 – looking back helps to clarify your goals and purpose for the new year ahead.  It also gives you the chance to stop and enjoy the memories, and think of the people who helped to make them with you.  Tonight, I’m thinking of each of you and sending love and wishes for a beautiful Christmas and amazing New Year.