Bright Spots in the Darkness

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, friends. 

Yes, it's been a while. 

No, nothing is wrong.

We just needed some time off.

Okay, to be totally honest with you, I think we've been in survival mode for the past 6 or 8 weeks.  Just trying to ride out the tremors and get through the holidays and start the new year full of hope.

So that's where we are now.

Full of hope.

I think 2011 can go down in our family history as the crappiest, most miserable year on record.  It was anxious, quarrelsome, frightening, aggravating, distressing, depressing and I'm so glad to see it end.  2011, a pox on you and your house.

But now things are starting to look up a bit.  We've crossed 2 major hurdles as a family: Thanksgiving and Christmas without Jeff's mom, all the while dealing with my mom's cancer.  And we survived.  And even in the darkness, there were bright spots:

Christmas Eve service with my father in law. 

The reading of "The Stable Where Jesus Was Born" before opening presents. 

Christmas Day, the kids attending 'Big Church' with us instead of Sunday School with their peers and upon witnessing Communion, their 147 questions about why we do that. 

My brother-in-law and his family making a 4 hour drive to spend the 26th with us. 

Remodeling the kitchen. 

Delivering homemade peanut butter fudge and baklava to friends and neighbors. 

All bright spots.       

So now that we're through the holidays and the decorations are put away and we're recovering from the rich foods and frantic schedules, I'm daydreaming about spring and starting seedlings in the basement.  Adding perennials to the landscape.  Learning new skills.  Anxiously watching for those extra minutes of daylight each day.  There's hope and brightness and normality in all those things.

How would you describe your 2011?  What are your hopes for 2012?