Happy New Year!

I'm always so ready for the old year to end and the new year to begin. I always feel like like I'm getting a second chance. I brought the old year to a close by spending a few days before Christmas in Seattle with Andy, Brandon, and Alix. It was fun and very Christmasy. The snow piled up to almost 9 inches and brought a halt to everything, especially the usual holiday craziness.

This is a picture of Bran and Alix's deck (of course we couldn't let that snow go to waste without putting it to work).

Andy and I even built a snowman.


I then flew to Billings for Christmas and loaded up furniture the day after. I didn't get to see too many friends while there, but thoroughly enjoyed the ones I did get to spend time with. The move went surprisingly smooth even with the four inches of snow the night before and still snowing all during loading. Although I'm looking forward to having all my stuff again, I was a bit sad to see it leave Billings. Billings will always be home, but it seems a little less home now, saying goodbye a little harder. There are always trade offs of some sort with the choices we make, and we don't always know what those will be.

So, with the taste of bitter-sweet on my tongue, I start the New Year with hope, because that is what a new year is all about, and to start it with anything less than hope would be unbearable.

I wish you all the very best of health, joy, peace and love in the year to come! (And Happy Birthday to my big brother!)