Happy New Year 2011!

I've been looking forward to 2011.  It's just got to be a better year than 2010.  With my mom's passing away last February, a good friend passing this fall, and a friend and family member both being diagnosed with malignant brain tumors, I'm ready for this year to be over.

So here's to the New Year and my resolutions:

• To do whatever it takes to get healthier - more sleep, better eating, more exercise - I want to lose some weight and get my blood sugar down to a normal level.
• To get through the stuff at my mom's house and get it ready to sell.
• To finish up all the unfinished projects I have floating around.
• To clean out and wallpaper the guest bedroom.
• To paint the linen closet!  
• To send a bunch of stuff from around the house to the thrift store.

I'm so thankful for my wonderful, patient husband who takes such good care of me and provides so well for me.  Who is and always has been the spiritual leader of our home and who prays with me every morning before he leaves for work.  Who makes me a lunch each day to take to work, poop scoops the dog yard after my dog, faithfully takes out the trash, and unloads the dishwasher.  Hhe takes care of the cars and the yard; de-leafs the gutters; picks up the horse chestnuts; prunes the grapes; feeds the chickens; and collects the eggs.  Our home would fall apart without him. Last weekend he crawled under the house to remove a dead rabbit that was blocking the sump pump hole.  What can I say?  He is my rock!

I'm thankful for my beautiful daughter.  Words just can't express what she means to me. She's been a delight every day of her life and fills my life with joy.  No one could have a better child.  She has never given me any trouble, and loves me even though she knows all my faults and fears.  I don't know what I'd do without her.  She is my right arm in every and any endeavor.  

I'm thankful for the Little Guy.  What an incredible privilege to be a grandparent.  Every minute I spend with him is priceless.  What an opportunity to do it all over again, but better this time.  Again, he fills my life with joy.

I'm thankful for my son-in-law.  He makes my daughter happy and that makes me happy.  He is a wonderful daddy to the Little Guy.  He has brought dimensions and depth to our family that I couldn't have dreamed of.  I'm excited to see what God has planned for him this coming year.

I'm thankful for our home, our friends and family, our jobs.  Without them life would be so much harder.  God has so richly blessed us.  I pray his hand of protection on all of us for the New Year!  Happy New Year!

~Jane