Dear December

December 1, 2009

Dear December,

I have to be honest here; I am slightly hesitant to welcome you into the year. Don't get me wrong--I love you for everything you bring to the table: festive food, twinkling lights, down time with favorite people, and of course the celebration of Christmas! However, for some reason, I don't remember half of October, and now November is a blur too. How does this happen?

As soon as we turn the Corner of Fall, we are rushed through all of the festive parties & daily details until all of the sudden we are standing here. Right where we are now. Face to face. Nose to nose. Eyeball to eyeball. I guess I only have one day to jump on board from the beginning, and today is it.

I look at you--all perfectly trimmed in your radiant red and gorgeous green--you know how important you are and you take your place confidently among the most favorite months of the year. Your hair in a perfect up-do of curls with a sprinkling of snowflakes on top, you are stunning from head to toe. No one can resist your cranberry lips or ignore your peppermint perfume. We are all drawn to you in one way or another.

Some of us recognize you for your popular parties and delicious dishes. Others recognize you for your warm reminders of Christmas's past and long-ago sleigh rides. Of course there are those that would attempt to ignore all that you offer, receiving only the gifts and discarding the moment that started it all.

The most important part of your presence is not in the shimmers and sparkles (though I do love those fancy schmancies that add to your allure), but it is in what you are telling all who will listen. The story you whisper, ever-so-softly for every heart to hear. The story, most marvelous and important of all--the true beginning of all things bright and sparkly--the birth of the Savior of the world.

It is His birth story you share with the world.

Your beauty is a tribute to the One who offers us the greatest gifts of all--the gifts of truth, light, and the purest kind of love. You bring the beauty of the season, tell us The Story, and then quietly wait.

We are all dazzled by the twinkling lights, but are we listening to The Story?

And when we listen, are we opening our hearts to let Him in?

And when we let Him in, are we changing ourselves to shine a brighter light?

These are the questions in your eyes, my sweet December.

Though I do not feel ready for this month to fly by in a flurry of tissue paper and egg nog...I do feel ready to celebrate, honor, and truly listen to the most important Story of all time.

Welcome back, December.

Did I spend enough time outside this summer?

Outside

Sitting

On my covered patio.

Laptop

Resting

In the folding chair.

Trees

Blowing

In the September breeze.

Birds

Dancing

Perfect choreography

Leaves,

Falling

One by one...by one

Clouds,

Hovering

Making familiar shapes

Flowers,

Whispering

Secrets as they wink at me.

Summer

Wrapped

In a box to pack away

Fall

Arriving

Minute by minute...by minute

Winter

Waiting

Around the corner

Toddler

Snoring

In the quiet room

Husband

Whistling

In his little car

Yesterday

Calling

To ask me if I remember

Today

Insisting

I breathe it all in

Tomorrow

Asking

Are you smiling?

~sjh.09.15.09

Thankful Thursday: August 27th

Today's Thankful Thursday is brought to you by brand new pearls, scrumptious cakes, and blue-hued hydrangeas.

Why is today so special, you ask?

Today marks 5 years since THE DAY.

The day that Mr. H made me his Mrs.

The day that we dressed up in our fanciest to say, in essence, "I do"...

The day that the Tennessee August Sun beat down on our smiling faces...

The day that we pranced around The Opryland hotel as if we were king & queen...

The day that we danced for the first time as husband & wife...

The day that cemented what we felt and started something new: our marriage.

Today marks 5 years, and I am so THANKFUL!

Here is the story of us (posted last year to commemorate our 4th anniversary), if you're interested.

I am thankful that I met such an amazing man & that he thought I was amazing too.

I am thankful that we have so much in common to help us dance along the daily jig of life...and I'm thankful that we have so many not-in-commons to spice it up a bit.

I am thankful that we were married in the temple*, which means more to me than anything else in this world and beyond, because it takes us into forever.**

I am thankful to be so blessed with a thoughtful, generous, hard working, honest, willing, faithful, funny, intelligent, strong MAN in my life who doubles as my best friend.

I am thankful for his super-Dad skills and his willingness to be a true partner in this parenthood adventure.

I am thankful for my Mr. H, for everything he is and everything he inspires me to be.

I am thankful for the specialness of today...

let's celebrate, people!!

*To know more about why Mormons build temples, go here.

**To know more about what we believe about Forever Families, go here.

New Kid On The Block

It has now been two full months since we packed up all of our earthly possessions and moved to the Great White North (aka: Wisconsin).

If you follow our family's adventures (old site, new site), then you know that we have really been enjoying these first weeks and trying to take advantage of the summer events in the area. We basically have a crush-type relationship with this city. We know we are not here permanently (don't have to commit), which allows us to look at everything through love-struck eyes (why not enjoy it while we're here?)--it is fabulous!

Side Note: Let's just hope the crush lasts long enough to get us through winter

*shudder*

So-- we have a crush on this city (and the cluster of cities/villages in our county), we have been making lists of summer fun and checking them off as we go, making friends and getting involved, and all of the sudden our NEWBIE status is wearing off.

At Church on Sunday there were 2 new families that just moved here. There is another new family that came a couple of weeks ago and yet another new family that will be moving in next month.

What tha...?

I asked someone at church if they are always having new families move in--she said 'no, your family is the first new family for awhile--you must have started a new wave!'

Don't get me wrong. New families moving in and being apart of our Church group is awesome, amazing, wonderful, and exciting. It's really one of the best things for a ward, I think--adds new flavor, new personalities, new strength, and has the potential to provide opportunities to start afresh with friendships and habits.

I think I was just surprised at how fast I am losing my 'new girl' status. I wasn't prepared to give it up so fast.

Being 'new' has all kinds of perks. It is a great excuse for not remembering people's names: "I'm sorry, we just moved in, what was your name again?". It is a great excuse for not paying attention to where things are: "Uhhh where is that? We just moved here." It provides all kinds of very EASY conversations, people want to know your story and where you are from: "so you're from the south?" It offers a kind of *sparkle* that makes people want to talk to you, get to know you, and curious about who you are.

And my favorite part about being the 'newbie'?

A fresh sense of self & opportunity for reinvention. Since people don't know me, I get to decide what they know about me and what their first impressions are. There are no memories social faux pas floating in their minds, their perception of me is totally fresh...only to be blemished by my choices *now*, unaffected by my choices *then*.

There is no expectation scale and I feel a very liberating sense of opportunity. It only lasts for a short time... before long I've created a bar of expectation based on my behavior and choices. Then, it doesn't take long for my story to be shared (this is a direct result of my very open, here-I-am-let-me-tell-you-everything personality) and so I really only get to enjoy any kind of mysterious flair for a very short period of time.

And, I tell you what, it has been fun!

I have enjoyed being the New Kid On The Block and now I will begin settling into my new role as "old news".

Ha.

When was the last time you were the New Kid On The Block?

Thankful Thursday: June 11th

Today I am thinking about this week...

...this week last year was my last working week at my Registrar's-Office-of-Fabulousness job

...this week five years ago I was buying a wedding dress

...this week next year I'll likely* be living in another state

I am also thinking about the end of this week...

which marks the completion of the FIRST YEAR

-of my mother-self (including nursing--not the end, but a full year--, which has dwindled down in feedings AND I have switched back to 'regular' bras: a cup size smaller, I might add)

-of our parenthood adventure (which has changed us in ways we can't even begin to articulate)

-of Baby J's earthly life (way to go, J! From a darling little baby bundle to a standing, laughing, peek-a-boo-ing big boy!)

This is HUGE, people!

I know, I know...we already 'celebrated' his 'early birthday' last month...but...

this is the REAL THING.

On Sunday my baby will be 1.

He'll have 1 year under his tiny belt.

Awesome.

And. Crazy.

So...my dears, I am today oh-so-Thankful to the One who gives us all, who gives us life, who gives us babies to make us better than we were before. I'm thankful for the gift of motherhood and the ways I see myself changing through challenges. I'm thankful for the little sleeping J who has turned my life upside down (in a great way!) and the Mr. H who helps all along the way.

My heart is full of a years worth of moments.

And now I am crying.

Thankful tears.