Suddenly *Not So* Single Journey

Once in a blue moon…

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

I read that there’s going to be a blue moon tonight.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, a blue moon (not really blue) is what happens when there are two full moons in a single month.  It’s a rare occurence.  And that it is happening on New Year’s Eve, even more rare and special.  It only happens every nineteen years.  Wow.

I’m already awed and inspired by the concept.  It seems to follow along with my belief that big and special things are in the works.  It feels magical.  Of course, New Year’s Eve is already really magical for me to begin with.  It is one of my favorite nights of the year, always has been.

There’s something about the idea of  waking up the next day to a clean slate, having the ultimate do-over, the chance to make the coming days so much better than the ones past.  There’s so much hope and happiness.  And I think it is always especially telling who we choose to spend those last hours of the waning year with and how we choose to spend them.

Last year, I was at a Southern Culture on the Skids concert in Ocean Isle, North Carolina.  And I have to tell you, if  you want me happy…stick me near water.  I love water, especially the ocean.  So much peace and tranquility.  So much beauty.  So perfect.  Only this time, not so much.  I wasn’t feeling well.  I wasn’t happy.  I was beyond stressed.  And the high point of the evening was Sam’s call just before midnight.  We weren’t together at the time, but I was the one he wanted to talk to starting into the New Year.  It just made me wish we were together.

This year, I’m bringing in the new year with my Bubble family.  I lived in The Bubble for nearly three years and never spent New Year’s with them, and now I live elsewhere and I am.  Somehow, it seems right.  And Rachel and I joked that we were only invited so that I would plan it.  (I’m the activities director.  It was something of an honorary position that I seem to have maintained. Yay!)

There will be food, or course.  I have yet to plan ANYTHING that doesn’t involve food.  At the rate things are going, I’ll be opening up a catering company.  (Just kidding.  I hate clean up and set up and the pressure of cooking for others and well, pretty much everything that job would entail…)  My Michigan Sauce was specially requested.  We’ll be cooking out.  I’ve baked more of those stinking cookies.  And I promise you, after this holiday, I will not be baking them again until next Christmas…I hope *gulp*.

There will be a fire in Ed’s fire pit.  Laura was so proud of that purchase and she should be.  It fits in perfectly near the swing and is easily surrounded by the Adirondack chairs.  And the kids will have a blast making S’mores.  I’ve already picked up the necessary ingredients.  It’ll be great.

Oh, and I almost forgot.  Not really.  I just have very mixed feelings about this.  There will be fireworks.  We’re setting them off in the sac.  For one, there’s a relatively new baby on the street that we don’t want to disturb.  For another, it’s safer in the sac.  (That was for you, Kimberly!)  Plus, David is a fireman and given our history with fireworks…it seemed prudent.  I already told Ed I wasn’t sure I could survive many more of these events with Snickers since he almost blew me up last time.  And the Fourth of July before that he took out my knee, rendering me immobile so I couldn’t even limp away from the blasts.  Oh, and did I mention Bishop will be there?  Big dog that he is, he’s proven himself to be rather fearless.  Well, it won’t be dull.

Of course, my life is never dull.  I like it that way.  And part of it may be the way I approach my life.  I love words, so I can find the story in nearly every situation.  Everyone has a story, everyone’s life is an adventure.

Here’s to ringing in the New Year.  Here’s to finding your story.  Here’s to 2010, the next big adventure.  May you and yours have a very Happy New Year!

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