Counting My Blessings

I have spent the last two days cleaning and pondering about the new year.

2014 was an unbelievable year of highs and lows ranging from my daughter's wedding to my stepdad's passing away. I made through all of that and retired only to be so completely pooped that I spent a good bit of the last six months fighting sickness. When you have rheumatoid arthritis fighting off anything is difficult, so I have had pneumonia and spent the days before Christmas with the flu.

Thank goodness, I had completed all my shopping.

I had a wonderful Christmas Eve with my family. I knew Christmas would be different this year and it was, but it was good...

I knew Mama would struggle with it being the first Christmas without my stepdad. I knew I would have to share my daughter with her new family. I survived it all. I looked around Christmas Eve grateful that the flu had let up on me and that I had all my loved ones sitting around me. Christmas Day was definitely different. No bubbly daughter and Mama had fallen ill to the flu, but grateful indeed for my many blessings.

I have spent the last two days putting Christmas away. If I thought for a second that I would make it to New Year's Day with it all still out...well, I should have known better. I really did think when I was decorating this year that I would keep it up until New Year's Day. While I taught I always felt I had to get it put away as soon as possible to clean and get ready to go back to work. I guess I have trained myself that it has to be put up right away. I grew up with the tradition that you put it all away on January 2nd. I always feel a little melancholy when I take the tree down, but it usually passes quickly because I love the uncluttered feel that follows.

Indoor decorations stored away.

I am working on organizing my new Erin Condren planner. I am on my 4th year using one. They are expensive, but it is the planner for me. I am finding myself really liking the paper/pencil way of keeping myself organized. I love technology and always kept up since it was very important in teaching to be tech savvy, but I am just really loving old school more and more.

 

Ready to set up some goals.

Yes, the last year and a half was filled with highs and lows literally, and I if thought too much about the lows, I would be counting the hours until 2015. However, through all of the struggles of the past year, I realize how blessed I truly am.

SOOOOO...I will Count My Blessings this year and try too focus on how grateful I am for my family.

This is something I crossed stitched in college and is hanging in my sewing room. It will be my theme for the year.

Blessings for a new year,
Sandy