Back to reality

It seems strange to me that the past calendar year is over. I don't know why it's strange, as I was awake, cheering, and laughing with my friends and family at midnight. It, however, is strange.

I can remember so many things from early last year as if they were just a few weeks ago. That's a good thing I suppose. Some really great times, some really trying times. All in all, a lot to reflect on.

Rather than spending too much time reflecting on what happened over the past 12 months, I think I'll reflect on what I remember over the past 12 days. :)

Some of my favorite points with the kids of the Christmas and New Year's weekends are:

The kids tracking Santa on line
Watching lots of Christmas movies, even if one of them was Spongebob's Christmas - over and over and over again.
Kyla singing in front of an audience her Taylor Swift songs
Letting Kyla and Kade go to a friends house to play with out me. <--- that was hard.
Watching Kade become an expert at a few games on the computer
Watching Jack follow right behind him after his first try
Having amazing coffee from my new coffee grinder / maker ( it is that good to be thrown into the list! ) while the kids sip their hot tea from our matching mugs.
Kyla sharing her favorite cards with Kade.
Finding Jack sleeping in Kade's bed after I had placed him in his own bed just an hour prior
Me complimenting Kade in how good he cleaned his room, and him responding not with a "thank you" but with: "Kyla helped too mom, I didn't do it by myself." Then me proceeding to thank Kyla (separate from Kade ) for helping clean the boys room, and her answer also being: "I didn't make both beds mom, Kade did his own bed."
Sleeping in with my kids.
Picking up Kade early, taking him to Denny's, having strangers tell me he's gorgeous, then him proceding to grab my hands from across the table and say; "tell me about your day mom."
Kade giving me a wedding ring in a ring box.
Jack telling me that I'm his best friend, "but so is Daddy, and Kyla, and Kade mom."
Kyla teaching Kade math and praising him for his letter writing ability.
Kyla praising Jack for scoring good on games and coloring so well.
Jackie brushing my hair and pushing his nose in my neck and making humming noises.
Listening to my 3 babies giggling together and because of each other.

Kissing my husband, my daughter, my middle son, and my youngest son at midnight on New Years Eve!!

I'm sure I'm forgetting a ton about the kids, and I've definitely left out the non-kid things I remember that bring so many smiles to my face;
Football, and the COWBOYS!
Friends at the doctors office, and friends to have spontaneous tea with
Friends on line, and friends celebrating the New Year together
Family meals on Christmas, and quiet time alone.

I think I'll fall asleep tonight with a smile on my face, and with hopes that everyone dear to me and dear to those that are dear to me, find their inner peace, their personal strength, and their pride in themselves to take as much control over their year as possible. I hope everyone holds tight to their family and friends and leans on those family and friends when they need a little help standing up. They will need you to help them stand up straight at some point too. That's the beauty of love, on all levels.