A Toast to 2016

"There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before." -Willa Cather

Well, here we are.  Another door opened, another blank canvas, another cliched metaphor to start us on this new calendar year.  Despite all the trite celebrations and empty resolutions, I do find myself feeling a renewed hope in the clinking of champagne flutes and singing of "Auld Lang Syne."  I have always been a person who responded to change and transition when it was associated with dates, perhaps it is a function of my meticulous personality. So it is with optimistic excitement that I approach 2016.

A great deal has changed for me over the past year.  At this point in 2015, I had a two month old baby boy tethered to me, and a two and a half year old self-described "big girl" helping out.  I was at the nearly six month mark in my decision to stay home with my growing family and was deeply enjoying the hibernation of a true Midwestern winter.  (A new baby is an excellent excuse to stay inside and cuddle!)  

While I am still committed to my decision to stay home with my children, I have since begun various volunteer ventures both in our church and the community that keep our family busy.  I do my best to support my husband's career and keep our household running smoothly.  ("Smoothly" being a relative term, and should not be confused with "neatly" or "in a manner free from mess or clutter.") I am acutely aware that while I view my staying home as a sacrifice I make for my family, there are so many others who would view it as the highest luxury.  I would not trade it for the world.

We still face the challenges of not living close to our family and not having that tangible support system to watch our children as needed.  We are, however, blessed to have a comfortable lifestyle that affords babysitters as needed, within reason.  There is nothing terribly exciting or outstanding about our story.  We try to make a difference where we can while providing the best for our kids, just like generations before us.  This is why I chose the Willa Cather (one of my favorite authors) quote.  In our ultra-demonstrative society, we all want to believe what we are doing is extraordinary, and for some people perhaps that is true.  But I think more of us fit into Ms. Cather's way of thinking, into those two or three stories that play out again and again.  And truth be told I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

So I propose a toast to 2016, whatever it brings.  May the New Year renew your purpose as it has mine, and help us to find our way in telling our stories.

-E