New Year, New Appreciation

I was joking with DH last week that for Christmas I was going to buy him a shirt that said, "We are United in our Diversity". It was probably when his mom was here and we were more at odds than normal (this also happens when my family is in town so don't worry...it's nothing personal to mil). During the discussion, I explained that, even with all of our differences, we share things in common that eclipse all the little day-to-day irritations/differences of opinion.

During our New Year's Celebrations (yes, there were two, we are quite blessed) and into New Year's Day, I had to reflect again on this idea. Our New Year's went like this...

We picked up DH at work and headed to some friends' home where we met up with yet another family and did an early New Year's dinner and celebration. These families are outgoing and fun and their kids are very similar - the New Year's horns were especially popular. They live experiential, technicolored lives. This is especially appealing to our kids because they know, when they are with these particular friends, they can let loose a bit more than they might do otherwise.

 

Watching "Cars" on the big screen

  

 Happy (mostly), fun, raucous group

 See? Horns

We headed home around 8 to join up with our travel-weary friends. They were finishing up their Christmas in Maryland and blessed us enough to stay overnight and join us for New Year's brunch. We got to know them over a long period here before they moved West (sniff, sniff) and it's so much fun to get together with them.

These are not horn-blowers. Not that they're not loud at times, but they are much more introverted, play with one or two friends instead of a pack, and enjoy the discussions that come when sitting and cooking in a pretend kitchen or building a brick castle. Even the sleepover was more quietly serene than I could have imagined (perhaps because everyone was exhausted).

 Tiny man conked out early while the other boys hatched a plan to "stay up all night buy taking shifts" didn't work ;0)

 The penthouse suite. These guys are troopers for sure. Maybe the added warmth of friendship made the accommodations a bit more agreeable.

 Silly friends with great anticipation

  Little people sharing

 and learning together

 Mr. Adorable was a big hit

 Oh he is a smoodge. I miss him.

New Year's Morning

To say the second group is more my "type" (in only the most Myers-Briggs way) would be true. To say I benefit from both groups of people is also extremely correct - the first being a way to pull myself out of my comfort and allow my children the chance to be silly and act with childlike abandon. The biggest blessing from the whole day is the clarity with which all three families are unified in our faith. Shared dinner prayers, bedtime prayers, discussions of blessings and trials, walking the journey together. 

We are so blessed...

 Mother of the living Gospel,
wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones, pray for us.
Amen. Alleluia!

–Francis