Happy New Year!! Time to Reflect

Did you stay up late last night to ring in the new year?  I did. I’m just an ole married chick, so my ringing in the new year consisted of a nap before midnight, my husband waking me up about an hour before the ball dropped, and then staying up for another hour to loudly proclaim “HAPPY NEW YEAR” and sing to my sweetie.  Then I stayed up for another couple of hours and woke up this morning to a lot of sunshine, and a dog that was doing his own loud proclaiming.  It’s okay though.  It was my dog.  I am welcoming 2023 with open and expecting arms.

So, I know that 2022 was a doozie for a lot of people, including me.   I feel like I have just been trying to survive, more than usual in 2022.  But having said that, I am grateful for the experience, the lessons, the triumphs and the grace.  But Hello!  It is a new year, and I want to reflect on a few things that made me smile and were memorable this past year.  This is not an exhaustive list, just the ones that stand out at this moment.

1.  My Daughter’s Thoughtful Birthday Present.

My daughter took me out for my birthday in May 2022.  She went all out.  First, she took me to a nice restaurant and we ate and drank.  She bought me flowers, and she dressed up super nice to show me a good time.  I love it when she dresses up.  Then, we went back to her place, and she gave me everything I asked her for for my birthday.  I was merely giving her some ideas of what to get me, but she gave me everything I asked for.  Imagine that.  Then, after I opened all of my wonderful gifts, when I got home, I discovered that someone had decorated my room with balloons, flowers and wall decorations.  There was another birthday card in that room that said, this card was one of many cards that were hidden all over the house.  I learned that my daughter had hid a ton of cards [representing my age on my birthday] for me to find over time.  Each card would have a special message inside from my daughter to me and a little something extra in each card.  I was so excited, I just cried because of the sheer thoughtfulness and planning it took to pull this off.  Apparently, she went to my house first, decorated the room and hid all the cards [more than 50 cards] and then came to my job to meet me for dinner and drinks.  Whew!  I felt so special.  And the cards!  Not only were they aesthetically lovely, but the words she shared were phenomenal.  So kind, so loving, so thoughtful.  She made me feel super special, and I will never forget it.  Below are some of the cards she shared with me, and the beautiful words she wrote inside.  Makes me misty just thinking about it.  The best birthday ever.  She treated me like royalty, and gave me a gift that just keeps on giving.  I still haven’t found all of my cards.  I think there are still about 5 waiting to be discovered.  I have already reread a ton of them.

2.  Handmade is the Best Made.

My friend made me a handmade crochet blanket for our new house as a housewarming present.  Ahhh, can you feel the love.  When she asked me what I wanted for a housewarming present, all I could think about was a blanket that I saw her making for her mother.  I think that blanket was either red or burgundy.  It was beautiful, and I wanted something similar for myself, although I was reluctant to ask for it because I know how much work [and love] goes into a project like that.  We both share a love for sewing and crochet.  It’s something that bonds us together.  But, I did ask for the blanket, and thankfully she granted my request.  My friend is very busy.  She works a full time job, like me, but she has several side businesses, including creating crochet bags, blankets, baby clothes, etc.  You can check her out on Instagram at Stituation_Room.  She is very good at crochet, sewing and anything she puts her hands too.  But crochet is definitely her thing, and her work is impeccable, as you can see by the pics.

I received the blanket in September.  Receiving this blanket from her was one of the highlights of the year.  It took a long time to make it, but when it was finished, it was so worth the wait.  I gave her three colors to choose from, to add a little element of surprise.  To say the least, I am thrilled to have it.  So happy.  Here are a few pics of my housewarming gift from my friend.

3.  Sisters, Music and Memories.

My sister and I finally went to a concert that we had to miss twice after purchasing tickets in 2020 and then again in 2021.  The first time the concert was canceled because of the pandemic. The second time, we purchased tickets, but COVID was so bad that we didn’t feel comfortable going, so we just didn’t go. We would have had a long drive to attend that one.  And then we saw that he was going to be close to us, we bought the tickets AGAIN!  Well, by the time the concert came rolling around people were still getting very sick.  We had both been sick but were over it.  We were reluctant to attend the concert again because of the crowd, but we just didn’t want to miss it again. So, we went!  And guess what?  We had the time of our lives.  It was everything we had hoped it would be.  He was fantastic, and my sister and I danced and sang all night, along with everyone else.  I listened to Jeffrey Osborne for months after we went to that concert.  He was fabulous and the concert was one for the books.  We didn’t take any pictures but I wanted to post a pic of us.  She’s one of my best friends and we are always together.

4.  An Inadvertent House Husband.  Yayyy!

I inadvertently got three wonderful weeks of my husband not working as much as he normally does.  It’s over now, because the situation was fixed, but I will never forget the time we shared together.  It was priceless.  I had a house husband!  A HOUSE HUSBAND!  He was cooking and cleaning and fixing stuff.  It was wonderful.  He always does his share at the house, but he did so much more when he was not working.  I fell in love with him all over again.  Made me see what it was like to have a wife.  Hmmmmm.

5.  Already Good but Renewed Friendships

I have a small circle of friends and have not spent as much time with them as I would have liked.  But at the end of 2022, I did get a chance to spend time with one friend whom I have not seen in about 3 years.  It sounds so odd to say this because we were inseparable, until I got married and moved.  Prior to this, the last time I really spent time with her was when I got married, more than 3 years ago.  In 2022, she came to visit me, and we both needed the time together. We superglued everything back together and she is still one of my besties.  We, along with other friends, have vowed to not let the distance continue to happen.

Recap.

Okay, so after writing this, I am starting to realize, it was a good year after all.  My husband traveled abroad and brought me back some beautiful African fabric.  My sister and I took several trips together and started our Tuesday night movie night.  I have two wonderful fur babies, and one fur grandbaby that I get to enjoy.  I spent the weekend at my friend’s Lakehouse.  And . . . . . My friend and her sister, and my sister and I attended a fashion show in Atlanta this summer.  Sewzaizay.com still has life and it still brings me joy.

I hope you have/had a wonderful New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  I hope you are spending it with people you love doing stuff you love to do.  I am.  And just like in 2022, in 2023, I will be making my life better one project at a time, and I hope you do the same.  For yourself and for others.  Thank you for your support over the last couple of years, and I hope you continue to stay tuned to see what’s on my sewing machine, on my mind, and in my heart.  I also hope you share what’s on your sewing machine and on your mind as well.

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To be continued . . . . .