Angels All Around

Happy New Year, everyone!

I had a break of total peaks and valleys.

Peak: I got a Wii! Thanks, Matt & Omara!
Peak: I got to go to Council Bluffs to see Tracy, Steve, & the girls.
Valley: I went in the ditch because the roads were so crummy, and a semi wouldn't stay in his own lane.
Peak: I wasn't in the ditch long before a very nice State Patrolman stopped to make sure I was OK. He gave me a lift into the nearest town.
Valley: There was a tow ban on the highway due to high winds and terrible conditions.
Peak: I met another fantastic State Patrolman named B. S. Cubit (great name, eh?) who got the tow-ban lifted for me so I could get on my way. Hewitt's in Monroe was on the scene in no time. Thanks, guys!
Peak: I stopped to see my stepdad, Mike, and my stepstepmom, Betty, on the way. I'd never been to their place on the lake in Dexter, so it was nice to see them!
Valley: Tracy was recovering from surgery, so she was dealing with pain, but she's getting better and better every day (as long as she doesn't overdo!!!).
PEAK: It was wonderful seeing her and spending time with her family. The girls are an absolute joy. We saw great movies, ate great food, had great laughs... it was a GREAT time! I haven't spent New Year's with Trace in ages... it was wonderful!
Valley: I had to come home.
Peak: I got to see Andrew!
Valley: My friend Suzanne lost her very best friend and first cousin Paula to a brain aneurysm on New Year's Eve. My prayers go out to Suzanne and all the Koehler and Deisley families. The first funeral is just a couple of hours away. They're going to have two very hard days ahead of them... well, not just two days...
Valley: I almost burned my house down with a candle that had been lit for over a week. I don't know how I missed it before I left, but let's just say that my house should not be standing right now. I have quite a scorched entertainment center, a charred black basement ceiling, a melted Wii CD, and ashes where a crocheted doily used to be, but my house is still standing. I don't know how or why, but all is well, and I'm thankful.

Tomorrow is the first day back to school, and I'm glad. I'm ready to get back to things. 3rd quarter is always my busiest time of year, but I'm ready to dig in.

Are you setting any New Year's resolutions this year? Mine are always the same. I need to eat better and exercise more. Hopefully the Wii will help with that. It's so much fun! But I do have a unique resolution this year. I want to accept and love my life's path. My life has many blessings in it, and even though I imagined my life much differently, it's full of joy and love. I need to be content with my path, even though it's not the path I thought I'd be walking. Otherwise, I'm going to waste the wonderful while I'm wishing for the what-might-have-been. Every day is a blessing and a gift. I hope to do a better job of remembering that this year.