Ring out the old; Ring in the new...

Happy New Year everyone. Merry Christmas, too. I feel like I haven't written on my blog in months, and now I don't even know how to catch up on everything I want to write about. So, let's keep it simple.

We drove to TX for Christmas, and we had a wonderful time. We visited friends in Austin, and checked out the area there to see if we might like to live there. Considering that we came home to sub-zero temperatures, Austin is looking even greater now. We definitely liked it a lot, and also really enjoyed seeing our friends again. We mostly enjoyed spending time as a family, and time with family. And now we're back home to long university days for Henry, and playing for me and Sophia.

I love Christmas so much and I wanted to write down all my thoughts about Christ and Christmas etc. And I never got to it. Now we've got a new year, and I want to write down all my thoughts about the last year, and what I hope for the new year etc. And I feel like there isn't enough time for it all. So, we'll go with simple again.

The thing I probably love best about Christmas (besides the lights, the smells, the sounds, family, Christmas spirit, Christmas food etc.) is Christmas music. For me, singing Christmas songs, really drives home the message and reason of why we celebrate. Here is what I 'hear' when I sing Christmas songs:

Born the King of Angels; Silent Night, Holy Night, Son of God, love's pure light, Radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace; And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love, for that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heav'n above, and he leads his children on, to the place where he is gone; Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay, close by me forever, and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, and fit us for heaven to live with thee there; Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled, joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies, with angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem; Lord with the angels we too would rejoice, help us to sing with the heart and voice: Glory to God, peace on earth, good will to men; God is not dead nor doth he sleep, the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men; Es ist ein Ros entsprungen; Oh du froehliche, oh du selige, gnadenbringende Weihnachstzeit, Welt ging verloren, Christ ward geboren, Christ ist erschienen, uns zu versuehnen, Koenig der Ehren, dich wollen wir hoeren, freue, freue dich oh Christenheit; Ihr Kinderlein kommet, oh kommet doch all, zur Krippe her kommet in Bethlehems Stall, und seht was in dieser hochheiligen Nacht, der Vater im Himmel fuer Freude uns macht; Sei ganz nahe bei mir, so nah wie es geht, fuer immer und ewig, dass ist mein Gebet, und segne die Kinder mit Kraft fuer und fuer, dass sie koennen leben im Himmel mit dir; Macht hoch die Tuer, die Tore macht weit, es kommt der Herr der Herrlichkeit, ..., der Heil und Leben mit sich bringt; Still, still, still; Tochter Zion, freue dich, jauchze laut, Jerusalem, siehe dein Koenig kommt zu dir, ja er kommt der Friedefuerst; God rest you merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay, remember Christ our Savior was born on Christma day, to save us all from Satan's power, when we were gone astray, oh tidings of comfort and joy; Fall on your knees, oh hear, the angels voices, oh night divine, oh night when Christ was born.

These are just some of my favorite messages from some Christmas songs. I think they express perfectly all I could ever want to say about my feelings about Christ.

On to the New Year's stuff. First of all I should say how grateful I am for the year we've had. I really consider myself so blessed. In a world of increasing instability, I feel so grateful to have a loving husband, and wonderful family, great friends, and the gospel to guide me and enlighten me. I had a bunch of goals for the last year, and it's been great to actively work on becoming a better person. I'm also pleased because I achieved a lot of my goals, or at least did a lot better in all the areas I sought to improve. It's also been great to travel, see friends and family, and to be able to do all of that with Sophia. Sophia has definitely made the last year better than any year in my life before. She is such a joy to be around, and I just feel lucky to be there so see her grow up, and to learn so many things from her and with her. Truly, we're so blessed to have all the comforts and joys we do.

Now, for the New Year, I hope to continue to grow personally, and to enjoy the good things I've been given. A friend (thanks Isa) suggested to find a word to guide you for the year. I like that idea, and I think the word I'll use is 'enjoy'. I have a bunch of goals for this year (liking myself more, speaking German consistenly at home, making changes to be more green like eating less meat etc, being less critical with Henry, playing more with Sophia, be a better friend, etc.), but I think what I really hope to achieve this year, and all the years to come, is to truly enjoy all the magical, wonderful moments of life that are being given to me. I've been given all I ever really wanted, and given much that most people don't have. I really don't want to be distracted anymore by all the meaningless things that ruin my enjoyment of what is. I want to enjoy my child, my husband, my life, and all the special moments that take place all the time. I want to be able to see them, and enjoy them.

So, now that I've written up another eternally long post, what are you hoping for in the New Year? What have you loved about last year? I hope one goal everyone has is to leave lots of comments on my blog. :)

P.S. Here are some random pictures for your enjoyment.

The spring from which Pres. Lincoln drank as a little kid (Kentucky)

Martin Luther King Statue at the Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham (Alabama)

New Orleans (Lousiana)

New Orleans (Lousiana)

Christmas Nativity - Grumpy Baby Jesus almost caused a fight between Maria and Joseph

Well...a rare picture of me

At the Zoo

Sophia trying to brush all those goats

Checking out the presents

Sophia's sunglasses - she actually likes to wear them

Christmas Commotion

Raclette in Austin