Happy Dia de Amor

I love Valentines time. Not just the day, but the whole week. Everyone seems just a little bit nicer, even if they are just trying to get chocolate, but it is just nice. When all the kids were young I was a very good consumer and went all out buying all the kids candy and gifts. Being in Costa Rica, where commercialism is not quite as healthy I don't spend as much. We still like a treat and little gift.

This year we went out Friday night with my daughter and her hubby to a movie and then to Outback Steakhouse, where the only thing we felt we wanted to spend the money on was a sandwich. I mean give me a break, ribs are $30.00? That is freakin ridiculous. We all had a great time, and I paid for eating the Bloomin Onion on our long, really long, run this morning.

We got lost and ended up running for 2:17. I was supposed to be up to 1:30 at this point. Needless to say I am beat. It was really hot this morning also about 85, so that took its' toll. But we survived and will be having a great Valentines with the kiddos making Valentine cookies tomorrow. They love making cookies, so this will be a fun activity, plus give them a little treat.

It is also Chinese New Year so we will be eating Chinese food for dinner. I am thinking they are pretty right on about the year of the Tiger. A year of lots of movement and change. My daughter and hubby will be moving to Hondurus in a month or so. Man are we going to be bored without our exciting party partners around :(

Reflections

We just took down the Christmas decorations in record time. There are some years you are just a little too anxious to see depart. This would be one of them. You would think that being an ox I would have enjoyed the past year of the ox. But I have to admit working so hard at tasks that seem to have no production gets very frustrating.

In reflecting on why I feel so exhausted by 09 I have decided it is all my mind set. I have got to be more positive. Reading over old journals did not help either. I think sometimes that I have PTss from the child bearing years of having, nursing and homeschooling kids for 15 years, with no outside input or stimulation.

At any rate I digress into the past and not just the past year. The past year was fun on one level. I had a great, very awareness promoting trip to my moms house. Note to self four weeks is too long to be away from home. I enjoyed working at massage again and realized that I still love massage and look forward to sharing it with many more students.

I also got to be at Micah's last update hearing and hear his sentence with his plea read. I also got to tell the victims family that I was sorry for their loss. I am and that was a good thing for me to be able to tell them that.

I also got to visit my brother in Texas and his girls and meet his new woman. That was fun and I am really thankful for so many brothers. I don't get to talk to them much and see them even less, but they are a great influence in my life. And they are also a great motivator.

It has been great to see my older kids start making life decisions and get the ball rolling in their direction. My oldest is a changed person, as well as his family and I have sure enjoyed watching their growth. Bekah is awesome and has completed two years of college, worked full-time and taken care of the two kiddos. Jesse finally got the web site up and is doing more art work. Jake is figuring things out, and I am thankful to have one of my boys here with me. Hannah is doing so much growing up and learning, just wish I had a box to put her in to keep it a little safer while she grows up. Baby is getting ready for kinder and learning to read, too fun.

All in all I guess it really has been a great year once I see it in writing. We have had some awesome students, hubby returned to school to finish his degree and I have a garden growing in leaps and bounds.

Man the longer I write the more thankful and happy I feel about 09, I guess there is some merit to writing things down. Now if we can all survive the year of the tiger, which is upheavel and movement, we will be thrilled. Happy New Year all!