Reminiscing and Looking Forward

Its New Years Eve.  The day we say goodbye to an old year and welcome in a new one.  This leaves some people sad, some happy, some excited.  To me, its just another day.  Maybe I've become hardened.  Maybe I've become a realist.  But, I have "Become".  This year has brought so much into my life.  Some felt bad at the time, some felt good at the time.  Sometimes the good ended up being bad, and the bad ended up being good.  I've noticed a huge change in myself and the loved ones who currently live under my roof.  The roof we were blessed to buy this year, the roof which is currently leaking in my bathroom.  Good and Bad.

Cassie in NYC, in front
of the Ball!!

I've decided I like the change.  What was it?  Acceptance.  I have accepted my husband for who he is.  I've finally thrown out all those dreams and ideas I thought marriage should be.  Have I settled?  Not at all.  See, I've noticed that since I've accepted him for who he IS, I'm finding him working hard to become a better person.  I have accepted my youngest daughter, Cassie, for who she is and gave up on who I had hoped she'd become.  Have I given up on her?  Not a chance.  I still challenge her to grow, and grow she is!!

Since pulling her out of public school, and teaching her in a manner that she can comprehend, she can now tell you not only WHY we won the revolutionary war, but she can also tell you how we almost lost it on many occasions!!  She is now in charge of figuring out how much to tip the waiter or waitress at the restaurant.  Math facts that she couldn't do in her head before, she's now spouting out.  Why?  She is accepted, loved, and feels safe.  Now if I could just get her to read a book!! But that will come in time.

I would like to share a few things I have come to realize.  Life is about choices.  A teacher at Rondout High School, Mr. Thomas, told his kids that once.  I never realized how simple and important that lesson is.  That is my mantra.  Seriously... think about it!!  We ALWAYS have a choice.  When you hear someone say "I didn't have a choice", they are lying.  They just didn't LIKE the OPTIONS that were given when they MADE the choice they did.   I challenge you to be honest with yourself and if you honestly can not find the choice in a life event, ask me.  You may not like it, and I do have a problem with being too honest, but everything that happens we are responsible, because a choice we made brought us to it.

There are a few choices I've decided to make.  Resolutions?  No.  Choices.  I like being in control and I feel by making a choice, I have control.  I choose to accept responsibility for all my actions.  I choose to never be the victim.  I choose to say no to drama.  I choose to be positive.  I will find the stupid silver lining on everything.  The way I see it, I will fake it until I make it.  I may not do anything more than to annoy those around me... and I'm ok with that.  Annoying people is kind of fun.  So, people, and I told a friend earlier today, "You've got to accentuate the positive.  Eliminate the negative. Latch on to the affirmative. Don't mess with Mister In-Between".