New Year's Eve: Looking Back and Looking Forward

As 2011 came to a close, we found ourselves spending a quiet day at home.  No one was complaining though. We alternated between reading, napping, watching Purdue win (:)!), playing, and relaxing.  EVERYONE made it to 11PM this year. As it got close to New York midnight, we asked each other two questions. We asked each person in the family to talk about his or her favorite memory of 2011 and then give one goal for 2012 (this was a little of a stretch for Mary and Rachel).  Because 2012 doesn't have the promise of a Wisconsin trip, the conversation also turned toward activities we would like to do as a family.  Thinking about all the things we will do as a family in 2012 helps to lessen the disappointment we all feel about missing our annual Wisconsin vacation.

Rachel said she was a fishy in 2011, which we took to mean she enjoyed swimming :).  She IS a little fish in the water.  It is almost scary how independent she is when it comes to swimming, both in the pool and in the lake.  I loved watching her become a "little person," full of opinions in 2011!  She wants to go to her grandparents' houses in 2012.

Mary's best memory was swimming "all by myself" in Wisconsin (this was a BIG accomplishment for her - she has been so afraid of the water in previous summers, and she came a long way from the first day of swimming lessons to the last day of summer, which was spent at Hub Pool).  She also liked going to Grandma and Grandpa's house on Christmas (sometimes it is funny that the "best" memories are simply the most recent memories).  MY memory of 2011 for Mary is how excited she was to go to school for the first time.  There was no hesitation.  She was OVER ready, if that is a possibility.  Even now, she LOVES school and tells us all about it as soon as she gets into the car - many times minute-by-minute.  She would go every day if they would let her (and if I could let her go that often).  She and Rachel are VERY entertaining and such wonderful helpers - I'm not ready for her to be gone every day!

When we asked Mary what she would like to do in 2012 (thinking resolutions...), she said she wants to see dragons, horses, and penguins.  So we will be making a trip to a zoo sometime in 2012 for the second two - anyone know where to find dragons? :)

Katie said her favorite part of 2011 was Wisconsin and especially the new cabin.  It was a beautiful year in Wisconsin - cool but not cold, and the cabins gave us just enough space to stretch out a little.  We ALL love the swinging beds on the porch and hope for slightly warmer evenings so that we can sleep all night out there.  We did enjoy reading and naps last summer.

 Dad, Katie, and Grace were the only ones to remember to bring their Norway shirts (We ALL have them - made by the children, Melanie, and me to cheer Grace and Katie on at camp) from the "World Cup" tournament at soccer camp earlier in the summer, so they are the ones who got to take a picture in front of our cabin - Norway Pines. :)

Katie resolved (because she actually understood the question) to do her chores before playing.  (She is doing pretty good with this one - most days.)  Katie is a wonderful, patient helper when it comes to her younger sisters.  She is quick to take care of them, even giving them showers or changing Rachel's diaper.  She has such a generous, loving personality, and I am loving watching it grow deeper each year.  She developed a love of reading in 2011, which has been amazing as she went from reading picture books by the pictures to reading chapter books and competing with Jack for most AR tests taken in the family :)!

Grace's favorite memory of 2011 is Wisconsin and spending time with family.  (Notice a pattern here?)  Grace caught the biggest fish of the summer (for our group) too!  She wants to catch another one soon.

 Grace resolved to do her chores before playing (I promise I didn't prompt this one!!!).  She also said she wants to help other people more and think of others before herself more.  She is looking forward to receiving Jesus in the Eucharist in 2012.  She wants our family to have more craft nights in 2012 - definitely something we will be aiming to do!  Grace is independent and competitive.  She is cuddly and sweet when she wants to be, and she loves to draw and is so creative in her projects - my favorite projects of 2011 include a lion that looks straight out of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, a nativity with the creche (I never thought of using the box like that!) made out of a candy cane box and people she drew on paper and then cut out, and a chain of paper dolls and a chain of paper horses (she taught herself how to make the chain even!).

 Katie and Grace made some great Lego creations, always in addition to a backdrop or fort.

Jack's favorite memory in 2011 was (have you guessed yet?) Wisconsin, specifically fishing and swimming.

Jack started out by saying that he wants to go to New York Times Square.  We reminded him that we were talking about 2012.  He said that is a life goal, not necessarily a 2012 goal.  For 2012, he would like to go to a Purdue basketball game and a Butler basketball game.  He also said he plans to learn more about our religion, starting with a saint book he bought for his Kindle.

Jack graduated from the D.A.R.E. program at school in December.  Mary was so proud of him (as were we).

Jack is becoming such an amazing young man. He is so athletic (much more than I ever remember being) - he loves soccer and basketball.  He is an awesome reader - now testing at a college level (at 10 years old!!)!  He will read an entire series in a matter of days.  Reading that fast, you might think he is skimming or something, but he retains what he read, down to minute details.  He is so patient with his sisters (most of the time).  He has taught Mary how to shoot a basketball and how to kick a goal, in real-life and on video games :).  Jack will do just about anything we ask him to do, to the point where there are days that his "chore" is to be "Mom's helper," which means whatever I have forgotten to assign or anything that happens to come up falls on his lap, and he does it without complaining (again, most of the time ;)!).  I absolutely LOVE to take him grocery shopping.  He dislikes shopping so much that he pushes me to go faster but at the same time is joking and teasing and just generally making the trip much more fun.  (I doubt he would admit it, but I think he enjoys when we get to go just the two of us.)  I really like having the one-on-one time with him.  The time is going so quickly - hard to believe that 2012 will end with Jack being in middle school! Yikes!!!

2011 brought a big change for Bryan in the way of employment.  He finally left Methodist and the stresses of management.  He joined me at Franciscan Alliance (formerly known as the "Sisters" in my home growing up).  He found a position as a Principal Trainer, which means he is working on developing training material for the new computer system being implemented.  Teaching, computers, and pharmacy - it has been a wonderful (and so much less stressful) change for him (and for us).

Bryan and I both would like to be more patient, do a better job of budgeting, eat healthier and less processed food and take more time to read and just enjoy this amazing family of blessings God has given us.

We pledge to remember: "Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands." Isaiah 64:7

Whatever 2012 holds, we know that the Lord is with us. "For I know well the plans I have in mind for you - oracle of the LORD - plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope." Jeremiah 29:11