Elijah's 1st Year

Once upon a time there was a happy family of four.

They were soon to become a family of five. Silas reminded his brother, "But I will always be Number 1!"

Not to be outdone, Zion reminded both her brothers, "But I will always be the Princess!"

And before we knew it, the newest Washington baby came to steal hearts.

And he learned there were cousins too! He was still the youngest.

For Elijah, he usually chose happiness. He rarely cried and just was the happiest baby I ever saw.

And although he sometimes slept through some important moments, he was part of the family of five.

And he was surrounded by love.

And like I said, he was happy.

He got to sit at the head of the table for his first Thanksgiving.

He began walking and we are all looking forward to seeing what his 2nd year of life brings and how much joy he will bring to everyone. Happy 1st Birthday, Elijah!

Super 70

 

Birthday milestones...those days that at the beginning make us go, "Awww". One year old--you've learned so much and are beginning to walk and talk and take on the world. As a two-year-old, your feelings are leading the way with temper tantrums and still so much learning and growing. Skip to five years--a whole handful of fingers in age. Then at ten, you get to double digits! The next one is a big milestone--thirteen, a full-fledged teenager with all its changes and drama. Of course, there's sweet sixteen, not sure how or why that was made up. For myself, I don't recall that year being so sweet. Then there's eighteen, finally legal for some things but then comes the big one, twenty-one, legal for everything! All those milestones are happily anticipated and celebrated.

Too soon, along comes thirty, the year you realize technically you are no longer a kid, but a full-fledged adult, at least as far as numbers go. If you truly grow up, is up to you. Each birthday after that brings a little prickling reminder, you are getting old. Forty, fifty, sixty, I've seen them all. I embraced sixty-four with the Beatle's song as my mantra, "When I'm 64". It kind of helped.

We take a departure from the decade acknowledgements at age 65 when we become officially considered a senior citizen everywhere. AARP has been after us for years, now we may as well concede. We embrace those discounts we have worked hard for all our lives. We appreciate the acknowledgement that we have gotten that far. We might as well cash in.

This year as I approached seventy, I was sad to leave the 60's. I felt I was encroaching on one of my most hated words to describe me--elderly. I hate that word. It sounds old and decrepit. I am not there yet. When you dread these milestone birthdays, people always say, "Well, it's better than the alternative." You can't argue with that unless you are ready to leave this world. I am not, but that's not for me to decide.

As I turned seventy, I knew I had a choice: be miserable, sad, depressed or just do as many say, "it's just a number" don't let it bother you. But it's such a big number! I have grandchildren who can't count that far yet. Ok, I had to stop and put all the negative thoughts aside and try to embrace seventy. No Beatle's song to help me through this one. My 70th birthday started out so wonderfully with such a thoughtful celebration with my family. The celebrating continued for a few days. My husband doesn't embrace the idea that you can celebrate birthDAYS for weeks. Whatever. It was during these happy days that I decided I would call it Super 70. I have to change my mindset. It all comes from within. Yes, these beginning celebrations were the result of friends and loved ones making me feel special, but to have a super year, it must come from me too. I can't rely on people to treat me like a queen every day. I need to make my days super. How will I do that? By doing things I enjoy. It will definitely include writing, but other things I love to do too. Besides hobbies and pastimes, spending time with loved ones, or places to go and food to eat (that's a toughie, as I am trying to eat healthy, but I will enjoy food too--it helps to be healthy to be super seventy), but I know doing for others can make me feel good inside too besides being a nice thing to do. Being super seventy isn’t all about me. It's about others too. Can I make the world a tiny bit better while I'm here? How can I, here for just a mere speck of time, touch someone's heart, if even for a second--letting someone ahead of me in line, dropping a note to someone, and other things that are still within my capabilities of doing at seventy years "old".

Now I know every day is not going to be super. There will be pain, sickness, heartache--all external forces bursting my bubble. I am realistic. I've been here long enough to know; life isn't all roses. When external things make me cry, I will have a good cry--ask anyone who knows me well. Crying is almost a pastime with me. My empathy meter runs high. Things that happen to us make us who we are. How we accept things makes all the difference. If someone has hurt me, forgiveness will help me more than it helps them. Having lost my Mom almost ten years ago now, but it seems like yesterday, I will still cry and miss her, but I don't blame God or anyone. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. I remember what we had and am so thankful that it was so wonderful and that is why it still hurts. I will try to accept whatever life brings me in my super seventies that is not super. I will crawl out of whatever darkness comes and acknowledge all the good and most of all, seek the light of peace--the peace that passes all understanding.

Now let’s get out of all those heavy thoughts, but I wanted to be real. For now, it's "Carpe diem" and "this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." My goal is to do something be it ever so minor, to make each day super in its own way, little acts of kindness for me or unto others. Whatever age you are, I hope you too, can make it super.

2022-2023

I look back on this year and for the most part, I think I want to say, “Good riddance.” We had more sickness in our family this year than in other recent years. My empathy meter has been revved up, from feeling guilty this summer enjoying the Cove a bit when due to health, my Dad was unable to even to do one day at the place he loves; to problems others I know were coping with and then there were so many losses for families around me. There just seemed to be so much loss, sadness and sickness. Then I think of 2021 and 2020 with Covid. It wasn’t really so bad for us, but I remember saying, “Good riddance” to those years too. I see a pattern.

We are always glad to see a year end and look forward to the next year being better. We hope that somehow flipping a page on the calendar will magically bring better health and happier times. We have this hope every year. Hope is a good thing. I would hate to dread a new year without hope. So, I won’t think about the years that we wish away and are glad to see end. This could be one of those other years, where there are so many wonderful things coming our way.

Looking back, even though there were bad things, there were certainly good things too. Every year must have some shining spots, For us those included a new baby, money to pay bills, health issues that cleared up, and friends and family nearby. There really is so much to be thankful for. We shouldn’t be so quick to say, “good riddance”. We should say, “thanks for the memories” and hold tight to the good ones.  

Now we will enter a new year with new resolutions, plans, hopes and dreams. A flip of a page, a new year boldly printed above a new picture and blank dates that will become quickly filled in with appointments, obligations but special days too. And then there are the blank dates that we have no clue how fate will fill them in. 2023, we have expectations, but God is in control and we will see how those little calendar squares become labeled as the year goes by.

For our friends and families, may your calendar be filled with completed goals, accomplishments, blessings and special times. And may the blank days be of rest and refreshment. Happy New Year 2023!