We had a good Christmas overall.We saw a very small amount of Roth’s.

We saw a very large amount of Baer’s.

We saw a Baer at Roth Christmas and two Roth’s at Baer Christmas.

We read Luke 2. I wish the boys would have recited it, but even I knew that was too much to ask in front of pretty much anyone other than their parents.

We hosted and were hosted.

We ate Christmas candy. We listened to Christmas music. We ate ham and potatoes and pie.

We opened gifts. Gifts seemed extra fun this year because of how long I’d had them sitting around and how much fun I’d had putting them together. I could’ve done with a little less of my boys throwing other people’s gifts around though. :/

We tried to keep small children from biting and devouring one another.

We went ice skating. (Well, I didn’t.)

We played games. (Well, I didn’t manage to do that either.)

We built snowmen in the snow. (Once again, not me.) It really was marvelous to have a White Christmas, although we didn’t realize it had been white till the next day.

We had lots of conversations.

We were happy to see the ones we saw and sad to not see the ones we didn’t.

We were happy when it started and happy when it ended.

And now it’s suddenly almost New Year’s. I almost completely forgot about one holiday in favor of the other.

I think the closest thing I’ll get to a New Year’s resolution this year is, I’ve got to eat less sugar.

I counted sugars for a while yesterday. Then I got discouraged and scribbled out my countings. Then I happily ate whatever I wanted.

This may not go well.

I also got a One-Year Chronological Bible for Christmas that I’m super excited about and that should probably figure into my New Year’s resolutions. I checked out that Bible from the library once many years ago and literally read through it like it was any other book. That was really interesting to do, but I think I’d better stick to the reading plan this time.

And I always want to be a better mom . . . more gentle, more consistent, more intentional. "Pause. Be Gentle. Speak Life." That's my daily reminder on my to-do list. Sometimes it helps; sometimes, like today, it is too easily forgotten.

So maybe I do have New Year’s resolutions after all.

Whatever the case, a new year is almost here.

2022.

“Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matthew 24:42)

Happy New Year.