One of the "perks" of being the parent of a toddler is that we are not out celebrating somewhere, watching something drop, as we count down the seconds to 2017. I'm not sure whether that's a win for us or not. The win that I can guarantee is that our two year old is already in bed. So, we will fight the fight of all parents of young children (especially those who are 32 weeks pregnant) on New Year's - can we stay awake until midnight? It's an exciting life, folks. All of that aside, I wouldn't trade it for the world and I can promise that I am more than happy ringing in the new year with my favorite person.
Six years ago, on New Year's Eve, Adam proposed. So, on this night, we do at least acknowledge our engage-a-versary. This time around, we had a lovely steak dinner on our wedding china. We taught Amelia how to do "cheers" and heard gleeful, toddler shouts of "happy New Year" throughout our romantic dinner. Because of that significance for our family, New Year's is doubly meaningful. You know how I love my special occasions.
Anyway, on this eve of a new year, I'm going to join the throes of people who are looking back and looking forward. This is always a precipice and this year (just like all others) had it's ups and downs. Yes, I will be the first to acknowledge that 2016 was tough at times; sometimes it felt unfair, sometimes we lost people, sometimes we had our hearts broken, sometimes we fought the good fight and still lost. Even so, 2016 was also a year of smiles, of laughter, of growth, of new things, of anticipation and of life.
I thought about giving you the rundown of my favorite parts of 2016, or my resolutions for 2017 (which are, as always, many but not a little bit vague), or even just a countdown of moments to add to your countdown to the new year. However, I decided against it.
Tonight, you do you. Take the time to look back; think about your favorites of 2016. Think about what made you smile, what told you to get out of bed in the morning, what made you look forward to the next day, what you learned, who you met, all of those things that make life, life.
Yes, you should also think about the things that were tough; that didn't work for you in 2016. Think about your mistakes, think about the hurt, others that were hurt, what went wrong. That's how we make 2017 better; that's how we move forward.
In the coming year, I hope that we will all move forward. Looking back is important; we must know where we came from and how we got to where we are. Moving forward doesn't mean we forget the past, but rather, that we learn from it. Moving forward doesn't mean we give up on the things we aspire to change, but rather, that we evolve in our tactics, that we re-adjust our approach, that we concentrate on growing the right way.
My hope for 2017 is that it will be the year of love. We should aspire to love so deeply, so radically, in such an all-encompassing way, that it cannot be ignored. My hope for you in 2017 is that you are loved, you give love and you live love, whatever that looks like for you.
Right now, days pass quickly. Our new addition's arrival is coming soon; my to-do list is a mile and a half long. However, I am aspiring to cherish the moments we have as a family of three (plus Scout) and actively wait in happy anticipation for the changes in store in the next couple of months. Currently, it's tough to see past the looming month of February. Obviously, I have high hopes for you, 2017.
Happy New Year!
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