HaPpY nEw YeAr!

Oh man! How blessed I am! We have just returned from our post-Christmas travels. We got to spend some quality time with both sides of the family - first with my extended family in Searsport, Maine, and then with Sara's, both the Ewing and the Turkington sides, in Lake Junaluska, NC. Rachel got to celebrate Christmas with all four grandparents, and with all five of her living great-grandparents, and with a whole assortment of aunts, uncles, and cousins. If I counted it right, we got to see 37 different family members over this past week! We are feeling so grateful for the gift of extended family - for these relationships which keep us grounded and which nurture us so deeply.

I have lots to reflect upon here at the beginning of a brand new year, but first I'm anxious to get some good sleep in my own bed, so I'll begin with just these few things for which I'm thankful:

• that the trip home went smoothly, and especially that our plane landed safely even in the middle of a snowstorm
• that Rachel slept the entire way home, through two flights and all the transitions in and out of her stroller, on and off planes, and even into a car once we'd landed the final time
• that our friend Oliver came in his four-wheel drive to pick us up at the airport and delivered us to our door
• that even though we've apparently had several significant snow "events" while we've been away, some kind and generous neighbor has kept our driveway and walks shoveled, saving me lots of time and frustration tomorrow

How much better does it get?

Happy New Year! I'll get back in blogging mode soon!