Whelp. Just another boring ole Monday around here. Nothing much going on today.
Oh, I jest.
It's January 13. Mason's half birthday! In just six months more, he'll be 15 years old and taking driver's ed. How did we even get here?!
Oh, and Louisiana's governor was inaugurated for a second term today. (But I'll bet nobody in this state is aware of that.)
Usually this time of year I'll do a little review of the previous year . . . 18 in 2018, 17 in 2017 . . . but I don't have a top 19 in 2019. Honestly, I'm glad 2019 is over. It wasn't a bad year. But it was a hard year. It wasn't an exciting year. But it was fun sometimes. It was a year that brought a lot of growth - spiritual, personal. (And let's not even mention how much taller Mason is than me now. It's a strange thing when you have to look UP to your 14-year old son.).
I may not have a top 19, but IG tells me I have a top nine, and here they are:
Oh, I jest.
It's January 13. Mason's half birthday! In just six months more, he'll be 15 years old and taking driver's ed. How did we even get here?!
Oh, and Louisiana's governor was inaugurated for a second term today. (But I'll bet nobody in this state is aware of that.)
Usually this time of year I'll do a little review of the previous year . . . 18 in 2018, 17 in 2017 . . . but I don't have a top 19 in 2019. Honestly, I'm glad 2019 is over. It wasn't a bad year. But it was a hard year. It wasn't an exciting year. But it was fun sometimes. It was a year that brought a lot of growth - spiritual, personal. (And let's not even mention how much taller Mason is than me now. It's a strange thing when you have to look UP to your 14-year old son.).
I may not have a top 19, but IG tells me I have a top nine, and here they are:
This is so interesting to me. But it's sweet that most of these are just us together and the children. I have no idea what memories of their childhood they'll carry with them as they grow into adulthood or how they'll remember our family together. But what I hope they'll remember the most is that they were loved and that we were a team and each other's biggest fans. I hope they'll remember that even though their parents made a lot of mistakes and required a whole lot of forgiveness and grace, their parents gave it their all because they were the greatest gifts and blessings we've been given. I hope they'll remember that no matter what their education or job or residence or socioeconomic status, the most important thing is to love God and follow wholly after Him. I hope they'll remember that no matter what the world tells them, God says they are loved, forgiven, called, chosen and accepted because of Jesus.
I didn't even realize it until I heard the narrative at the close of the year, but not only was 2019 the end of another year; it was also the end of a decade. A lot can happen in a year. Let's be real. A lot can happen in just a day over here! But A LOT happens in a decade.
Ten years.
It began with the construction of our house. It's so hard to believe we've been here (in the same house) for ten years. Of all our houses, we've now lived in this one the longest. We were also a family of four. Mason hadn't even yet started school. So, yeah, what a difference a decade makes.
Gosh, I miss those days. I miss the simplicity. Of course, at the time it didn't seem so simple. But give it ten years, and I realize just how simple it was. I wonder . . . ten years from now . . . 2030 . . . will I look back at 2020 as simple? I don't know. But here's what I do know. The days are long, but the years are, oh, so short, and we have so much to look forward to. This year alone brings a milestone anniversary and milestone birthdays and so much more in between.
One more thing.
2020 is off to a pretty good start for some of my people. And that's fine. I'm fine. We're all fine.
And, now, moving. on. (Because the last couple of weeks have felt like Mardi Gras on steroids. The state can return to "normal" now. Whatever that is.)