The closer we get to the end of the year, the faster the days seem to go by. I can remember years when I just wanted to move on to the next year. I just wanted a do over or a restart. I had this idea that the next year would be different, better, less sad, less awful. In between bad years, there are good ones that you just don't want to see end because you're scared that next year will not be as good. This week was the beginning of the speed up for me. One day it was Monday and the next day was Thursday. Except that's not entirely true because I was able to get a jump start on some Christmas crafty things I have going (stockings cut out and ready for the sewing machine, Chad and Jess's ornaments started, and Christmas cards ready for the mailbox). And if things go according to plan, I will have all Christmas things literally wrapped up by the end of the weekend. That would be a record for me to have a whole week before Christmas to not worry about this gift or that or getting what not in the mail. I think I will use that time drinking hot chocolate. As for the coming year, I neither dread or look forward to 2014. I'm not ready to move on and I'm not ready to say goodbye to this year. I expect that there are some pretty awesome things ahead for me in 2014, but I also can foresee some heartbreak. Just like this current year. There is a balance to all things and it's taken me a really long time to figure that out and see that even the bad years contained some good things. I remember one year in particular that Chris and I couldn't wait to end. It was a year of job loss, surgeries, deaths, illnesses, and a general just awful. That was before I started to change the way I looked at things. I couldn't see any thing good. I'm thankful I made that change in my life to find something (anything good). Not to find a silver lining, but to see that yes, this whatever moment sucks but look how beautiful that sky is today. Honing in on finding something good has made the hard things easier to bear. My gratitude practice makes it easier to not take those good moments for granted.

I have good reasons to be thankful. There's a familiar rhythm returning to my daily life and though parts of that rhythm is new, it flows in a way that is consistent. That is something I am more than thankful for. I am thankful for walks to the art museum and new found gardens. I am thankful for you. Here's to a wonderful weekend and a truly Thankful Friday.