A few years back I decided to post something on FaceBook that I was thankful for each day of the week… for 365 days. Thinking of things I was grateful for each day wasn’t difficult, but remembering to post them was often a chore, and it kept me committed to social media, which, let’s face it – that probably wasn’t a good thing. About 11 months into the project, someone told me they were really tired of my posts. So I quit. The truth is, I was as tired of them as they were, but once I commit to something, I’m committed.
Well, most of the time, anyways.
I know it sounds lame, but I have always wished I’d have made it the rest of the year. I came so close, and then quit. When those posts come up in my memories and only number up to 345, I’m just so disappointed in myself for quitting 20 days shy of the year I’d committed to. So, I decided to do a month-end recap of all that happened in each month in 2022. (Twelve should be easier than 365!)
Here’s January’s highlights…
I enjoyed two GLORIOUS weeks off after a difficult decision to resign from a job I had enjoyed for 16 months, and began January 2022 with a brand new adventure! There are so many opportunities to choose from a variety of different specialties as a nurse, especially in these pandemic days! So I’m grateful for my new position with no weekends, no holidays, and absolutely no on call days.
On January 14, life-long friend to my family, David, and I drove to Chicago very early in the morning to attend Ian and Hayley’s wedding. I’ve enjoyed so many trips to and from Chicago with so many different people over the past seven years, but I gotta say – this drive with David was really special. We laughed so hard about all of the fun times over the years with the kids growing up on Brynford, and David made me smile (and cry a little bit) when he said that any kid who grew up in our court, grew up in the best neighborhood EVER! It was fun re-living all of the memories with David. That was such a gift to me. Oh, and we were both excited that we got to actually see the time change on the clock in the car once we got into Indiana, and then again on the way back home! For seven years I’ve tried to do that, and have never succeeded! Hey, it’s the little things in life, right?
Lyla came and spent the night in my room at the hotel that weekend, and we snuggled, and giggled, and watched the stars out the window, and told stories, and played games. She told everyone, “Guess what! I’m having a sleepover with my Gummy!” Seriously, could the weekend get any better?? She and Owen stood in the window of my room on the 6th floor and insisted they could “see mountains in the distance,” (from Chicago??) Oh, to have the vision of a 3- or a 5-year-old!
Hello! Ian and Hayley got married. (Pray for me. I now have a Holly and a Hayley, an Ian and an Owen)! I have the two best sons, the two best daughters-in-law, and the three cutest grandkids on Planet Earth. It has really been overwhelming to have watched both my sons stand up as best men in each other’s weddings. I’m a happy Mama! My sister and I boogied all night, shared some shots of bourbon, took turns snuggling Maci, and danced with Lyla and Owen all night. And I must be getting old, because I couldn’t have cared less that I wasn’t wearing spanks, or that I changed immediately into my Santa Claus slippers. Life’s too short to be uncomfortable. So for crying out loud, just wobble.
I sat back at the wedding, and just tried to take it all in. Such a good life we’ve all had. So much fun, so many good memories and reasons to be thankful (and laugh!). God’s really been good to me.
Thoughts I’ve pondered this month…
- I still wear my “school shoes” to work. I always will.
- When a person does something kind, and doesn’t tell anyone about it – that is very attractive.
- Making a decision to move on, doesn’t mean you are a quitter. It actually means you are pretty doggone strong.
- My relationship with Jesus is more important than my vaccination status. So is yours.
- Sometimes God gives you really good examples in people. Sometimes, God gives you really good examples of bad examples in people. Both are valuable. Be grateful for both.
- Hands down, one of the sweetest things I witnessed this month was an older couple encouraging a very young cancer patient, telling her that chemotherapy isn’t really that bad, that she will get through it, that she should pray, and they exchanged contact information so that they could all encourage one another. And do you know what’s really neat about cancer patients when they meet each other? They don’t talk about politics, or vaccinations, or COVID, or Trump, or Biden, or even Fauci. Nope. Those things are not even on their radars. School shoes, remember? Everyone (EVERYONE) should own a pair…
January 2022 was so sweet. And don’t get me wrong, I know life is full of it’s ups and it’s downs, but going through this life with the kinds of friends and family I’ve got… Well, I honestly can’t imagine life getting any better than this.
Welcome February. Brrrrr….
Leave a Reply