Your Resolutions

The start of a new year is drawing nearer each passing moment ...

tick tock, tick tock, tick tock ...

and what are the types of things we're so determined to stand firm on next year?

Are we convinced that this is the year we'll lose those pesky ten (maybe more like twenty) pounds gained over the holidays?

Is it decided that we'll make more time for ourselves, our children or our spouses?

Become a better friend, a more caring sibling or a considerate neighbor?

Whatever it is that you're hoping, wishing and dreaming about for 2010, there is little consolation that these things don't happen on their own. These things must take on a life of their own and more than just a slight modicum of effort on ourselves for it to materialize.

Thank you friends, family and e-samaritans for unfailing support, renewed energy and exemplifying the magnitude an act of simple human kindness can impress on a person.

Wishing everyone out there a safe and Happy New Year! See you in 2010!!

End of Year Musings

We're almost to the end of the year and there a lot of erratic emotions wildly flying through our hearts ... not quite sure where to settle down. The holidays are bittersweet and the bite of loss is sharp. To cope and make it through each day, it is and was important to remind myself of the things I am thankful for.

Everyone is doing their countdown of the "Best of 2009" so I adapted that to my own liking here.

NARIA and KEN'S BEST OF 2009

JANUARY

Enjoying the wedding planning and setting a date.

FEBRUARY

Deciding a wedding theme and searching venues in a few different states.

MARCH

Planning and booking our annual joint family vacation.

APRIL

Found a venue!!!
Thanks to a wonderful suggeston - much appreciation!

Many, many birthdays!!!

MAY

Bridal dresses, the Knot and my birthday :)

JUNE

We're pregnant!! Oh Happy Day!

JULY

We're sick and preparing for vacation.

AUGUST

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!
No laptop!
Enough said.

SEPTEMBER

We're married!

Finishing first trimester and seeing 3-D ultrasound photos.
We're in awe!

OCTOBER

Shy of our next exam, Nari is born and became our personal guardian angel.

Most beautiful little girl we ever saw!

NOVEMBER

Becoming a "Mrs." on plastic and fried turkey.

DECEMBER

Ending the year - we're so ready for twenty-ten.

I forgot how wonderful it is having a living Christmas tree.

I also keep forgetting that a real Christmas tree means it also needs watering ... oops!

Don't worry though! It's still alive ...

... and holding all of our ornaments ...

... complete with a trinket admirer.

From one family to yours, keep loved ones close and warm your hearts by the fire that creates.

We exist to enjoy the adventures that these connections spark.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Wonderful Kwanzaa everyone!!!

Sweet Tooth

Oreo truffles were devoured at work - both Ken's and mine! In fact, I had to get them out of the house before Ken gorged himself on them. I love baking for the holidays. Actually, that's not true. I love baking any time of year but it's probably the one time of year you can get away with baking so many sweets without the guilt. Well, not as much anyway.

This past Sunday, a dear pastor friend of mine preached a great message (as told to me by my other dear friend, his wife). I'd like to share it with you.

It was about "Unlocking Uncommon Blessings/Favor" in one's life. He said,

"Touch your heart & say this to yourself out loud:

I Am Sacred. What's Inside Me Is Sacred. And I Need to Treat it That Way."

I am in agreement that once I heard it, that one line has also rocked my world.

I am Sacred.

What's inside me is Sacred.

And I need to treat it That Way.

 

Have you been wasting the best parts of yourself on things, situations and people who STILL don't understand the value of who you really are?

Pause for a moment and remember: your body is a temple.

Treat it that way.

And treat others with the same honor & respect.

All credit for that message due to Rhema Fellowship Church and its great Pastor Green and First Lady.

Lights, Chocolate, Action!

Can you believe we both slept in until almost noon today?! It just isn't heard of in this house so everything that we had planned for today pretty much either fell off the list altogether or was drastically delayed.

Given the gravity of our day yesterday, it seemed our souls and bodies needed rest. Neither of us left the house nor changed out of our pajamas today. Such bliss that comes from these simple things!

So we cleaned our house, put up a few more decorations inside and I spent a little time later in the evening making oreo truffles to include as part of my office gifts. There was the best holiday sprinkles I picked up yesterday in my travels ...

After making about 100 truffles and individually wrapping each, I was happy to be done with them. Each holiday printed cellophane bag will have candy canes and Lindt truffles with my homemade truffles to be added last before I bring them into work with me on Tuesday. These are the kinds of things that make the holidays so exciting for me.

Not so exciting is all the work for work that I've been and am still doing ... where is that coffee?

The Holiday Spirit

Stores are blaring it, stations are playing it and we're humming along to it. Christmas is here when Oldies 103.3 FM  dedicates its entire playlist of everyday to the Sounds of the Season.  I admit, I've been getting in the spirit too and have settled on the Holiday music channel on TV more than a few times.

Ken and I have put it off for some time but we are finally placing our daughter's ashes to rest somewhere we can visit each year on her birth date. It's already and only been two months since that date. We've thought about this since then and realized that we were partly also afraid to face that reality head on.

How does someone bury their own child?

I don't even know the answer to that question. However, I do know how important it is for us to do this because it is more than going through the motions of the burial itself. There is such significant symbolism exhibited by our actions to do so and actively pushes PLAY on all the efforts we've invested thus far.

I won't rattle off the countless clichés about loved ones and the holidays that come to mind because we've heard them all before, right? What I will say is that none of those heartfelt Hallmark clichés spark chords with a person until their life experience allows them access.

Ok, just one saying about family and home ~ one of my favorites ...

Houses are made of sticks and stones, but

Homes are made of love alone.

Our Wedding

As we're in the final month of 2009 and heading into a new year, it's rife with memories and mostly hope. I don't think I've mentioned it here but Ken and I were married just this past September in a small ceremony with family at my childhood home in New Hampshire. We're planning a formal reception with a renewal ceremony for September 2010.

I think back to this day as I'm browsing through some photos and think that there are some days that turn out so much better than you expected.

Here are a few of my favorites from the day ...

What is this life but a series of moments taken by love, laughter and most importantly, dessert!