Happy New Year!

( HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I LOVE YOU!!!)
To ring in the new year, we went to my friend Sheena's house to celebrate and be around good friends. Before we left, I had decided to wear a dress that I wore 2 months ago and thought would still fit. Dustin was helping me zip it up when he finally gave up and said "Sorry babe, it's not gunna happen!" We both just laughed. Conrad is becoming a big boy. I wasn't surprised that it had gotten too small, so I tried on another dress, and another dress, and another dress, and all of them were too small and I didn't want to wear jeans, so I grabbed one of Dustin's work shirts, threw a belt around it, put on a cardigan, some black tights, some heels, and my outfit was complete! The shirt went almost down to my knees, so it sort of looked like a dress! Dustin was impressed by my ability to "make it work", as Tim Gunn would say. (Wow, I'm totally not a Project Runway fan or anything.....) I couldn't believe we had stayed up past 10:00, we hadn't done that in a long time. Earlier that night, we went on a very long walk, came home, had dinner, got ready for the party and left. I was on my feet all night, tired and probably dehydrated, so by the time we got home, I was in pain! We went to bed and around 4am, I woke up to one of my calf's spasming. The muscle just clinches and stayes tightened, which is extremely painful. Dustin woke up because he heard me moaning in pain, and grabbed my calf, started squeezing it and stretching my leg out. This has happened before when I exercise too much. The next day it always feels like I've pulled it which is uncomfortable. (I need to drink more water and eat some bananas!) Other than that, we had a great New Years. We relaxed and enjoyed having the next day off together.
Right now, I'm sipping a hot cup of coffee listening to the likes of Radio Head, Jamuel Saxon and Page France.... I'm reflecting on the year we had, the ups, downs, joys, heart aches. The dynamics of our marriage and our relationships with the Lord have changed. Not only in the last year, but the last 5 years of my life, I've gotten to see my husband's character stretch in different situations, I've gotten to know him more and fall more in love, We've become better friends, and evolved into what we are now. We both decided that when we first started dating 5 years ago, we were just two people going in different directions, both clinging to our own ways, and now, we've both noticed traits that we've obtained from the other person. We're no longer pulling in different directions trying to be our own people, we've become "one" as corny as that may sound. Back then, I was jaded by the past, going through changes that i wish i could have avoided; the death of my sister, the transition of my mother going from alcoholic , to recovering alcoholic with almost a full 12 months under her belt now of her new life as a sober woman who is strong in the Lord and living a full life! Praise God for how he orchestrates situations for the better. I remember also this year watching my Dad give a eulogy at his best friends funeral, sharing the gospel with a room full of people, sharing scripture, making people laugh, encouraging others that out of pain can come new life! Looking back, i think, Wow God, this is big watching him share your love with others....Wow God! It's astonishing. 5 years ago, Dustin was a golf major, 18 years old, unaware of what the life ahead of him, with a woman like me would be like! Living on his own, making potatoes everyday just to prove his Independence and not have to depend on others for money. He became a man, he helped me become a woman. He saw me through lots of scary situations and changes. I had to grow up quickly and he grew up right beside me. It has been a really rewarding life together so far, and a really great year. I'm excited to see what God will do in 2009. And we're mostly excited that this year new life will come as we welcome our first son. Now, he is heading towards graduating with hopes of using his degree as an engineer as ministry to help others. This is what he feels he was made to do. Create, build, bless, and also be a Dad. He says that although Conrad isn't born yet, he already feels like a Dad. I'm very excited for what's ahead.
No one better to kiss to ring in the new year than the one I love.