Happy New Year!

It's the end of another year.  I took the kids for a swim in Mary and Arthur's pool this afternoon, after spending the morning with Ian, working out details of the landscaping we want to do in the next few months. We ate chips and dip, steak, meat patties, salad and cheesy herbed mashed potatoes while we watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  Halfway through the movie we felt peckish again, so we had salted caramel cheesecake and ice-cream.  Jamie and me nodded off occasionally towards the end of the movie, but we all enjoyed it.  Jamie went to bed at 10pm, and Samuel, Isabella and Ben are in Ben's room, determined to stay awake till midnight.  We shall see!

I'm looking forward to next year.  It feels full of possibilities and promise.  I'm sure it will hold it's share of troubles, but right now the new year is still a beautiful blank slate.

When I had my last birthday, I realised that having cancer has changed my perspective on birthdays.  I see no reason to be ashamed of the fact that I'm getting older - isn't a long life what everyone wants?  To achieve that, you have to get older!  Now, when I celebrate my birthday, I am celebrating that I have lived for another year.  I had a whole year to love and learn and live in.  I've had 44 whole years, full to the brim of laughter, tears, pain and joy, and I'm not finished yet!  What's not to celebrate about that?

So here's to 2017.  What a year it was!  Full of restoration, brokenness, grief, laughter, light and shadow.

 And here's to 2018!  The chance of another year to be with the people I love, watch them grow and change, to work and play and rest… I am so blessed.  Happy New Year!