Back at the turn of the new year I made a list. Not resolutions, per say, but rather some good things that I’d like to focus on seeing more of. It is a fairly flexible list, open to interpretation as the year goes by.

It looks something like this:

More water
More sleep
More salads
More movement
More Bible
More friends
More love

When I woke up this morning I had no idea where the day would lead. We had plans that changed at least twice, a great walk in the fresh air and fantastic sledding in the sunshine. We watched the Olympics and hung around in our pajamas.

I am happy to say that I ended the day with a check mark in the more friends category. I had a lovely date with my dear friend Heather full of heartfelt conversation, good feelings, promises to ‘do this again soon’, and a last minute, intimate, Dar Williams concert.

I’ve decided to add something new to my list this year:

More Dar

I don’t think I will regret it.

{bonus material} I ended up walking to the mostly empty parking lot with Dar herself. We had a short, but lovely, conversation about her concert, her time in MA and how nice the city of Salem is. I think that might make us BFFs now 🙂

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa’s super idea and persistence, we are now the proud owners of Parcheesi. We broke it out tonight and had a great time playing.

The little paper dice cups were a throwback for us adults and they intrigued the girls. The gameplay is simple enough, but there are plenty of strategical moves to be made (Mama’s many turn blockade, anyone?).

And, of course, I love the simple, geometric game board without loud colors, branded characters or hip/faddish graphics.

We had been playing for a while before any of us noticed something surprising- A game purchased from Amazon, and gifted in Ohio is produced by a company in Danvers, Ma, our former hometown and current next door neighbor! It’s a small world, after all! You can check out this link easyslots.com/all-games/ for more inforamation.

From the shock of Peter coming home from work an hour early, to the chlorine scented, sleepy heads I kissed goodnight well past their bedtimes, it was a thoroughly enjoyable pre-birthday surprise trip to Coco Key!

Just when I need it the most, God sends me a very clear message- She may act grown up sometimes, but four is still a very little kid.

There’s a sort of melancholy that sets in while packing up the Christmas things. A longing to hold on to the excitement and expectation of the past season lingers as the lights are taken down and the nativity boxed up.

And yet, I always feel a wonderful calm when, in the wake of greens and lights and baubles of Christmases past, I find the blank slate of a new year.

January has a starkness that sparks my imagination every year. It leads me towards new projects and new ideas. I find myself moving furniture and questioning ideas. I start to see the possibilities of the coming year.

And so, in the process of packing and storing away, I move on from melancholy to a peaceful anticipation of what is to come.

{Family portrait, original drawing by our friend Allison, Live Simply print by Katie Daisy, gifted by the sweet Jennifer. Home Sweet Home, and the hanging shells, original works by Catherine.}