Danielle’s beautiful post makes my heart overflow with love and gratitude for my dear female friends. And with admiration for the ways that women can honor and support each other.
I have a powerful series of experiences of Christmas and Advent, both alone and with my children. Certain hymns embed themselves in my thoughts for days, my children ask questions about divinity and holiness, and the presence of something sublime visits me as I sit in silence with my Christmas lights.
Grace and I start reading Harry Potter, finish the first book, and watch the movie.
My town is hit by its first blizzard of the winter.
Our Christmas celebrations are small and lovely, with just my family (my parents and my sister, her husband, and two girls) at my house. On Christmas Eve we see some of the children that my sister and I grew up with (some of whom have their own children now). That reunion is wonderful.
My goddaughter turns one on the day my grandfather would have turned ninety. The universe spins inexorably forward.
We have a great Christmas celebration with “the stool” – the two other families who are our family’s dearest friends. The eight children run around madly, enjoying each others’ company. The adults marvel at having gone from 0 to 8 children in 7 years.
I feel ponderously, occasionally paralyzingly aware of the turn of the decade, of the uncertainty ahead and the regret behind.
Lindsey, I love your “year in review.” I am in awe of your ability to create it, quite frankly! Thanks for sharing it.
Best wishes for a prosperous New Year!
What a wonderful way to celebrate the year. I have enjoyed reading through your reflections on each month of 2009. Lovely thoughts. Exquisite writing. I feel very blessed to have found your blog. Happy New Year!
The turn of the decade is one huge thing. And I just realized we were entering a new decade a few days ago. I think my head has been in submission deadlines, snowy road trips, and making cracker toffee!!
Lindsey – While I have not been “with you” the whole year, I love your review of it. Happy New Year!
Thanks so much for sharing your reflections of the year gone by. What a gift you are to your children!!