The New Year!

It has been a long 2 weeks. In both good and not so good ways. The bad first. The kids have been sick with, as the doctor said, something "viral". Fevers of 104, snot, coughing, more snot. For something that was viral it certainly feels flu like. The kids were just lethargic and doing all they could to try and play. This is completely out of character for all of my kids. We had to miss all of our family get together's. We were all sad about it. We were able to go to my parents house(just around the corner) on Christmas night. The good news is, we were all in the house together. Yes, we were all getting a tad stuffed up. But, there was a lot of snuggling going on with the kids. Lots of time playing and be thankful for what was in front of us. We were really able to soak up the finally days of Christmas 2012. We watched Christmas movies, ate popcorn, and laughed. Even though they felt awful, they still gave us plenty of laughs. Unfortunately, they have passed their cold on to the parents. This is not nice. I think we need to re-think the whole "sharing" thing for New Years.  Which brings me to the coming New Year.

I love the beginning of a new year. A new year, a new start. A time of refreshing and starting over. Every year, I feel as if there is a "theme" to the coming year.(Is this weird, or do other people do this? Maybe?) Sometimes it's peace, joy, change. This year I really feel there are two themes The first is simplicity. Going back to the basics. The time before so much Internet, so much TV. Just being in the moment with the people you love. My husband and I recently went out to eat. As we sat and watched everyone around us, we noticed an almost unnatural attachment people had to their phones. It was as if their smart phone was permanently attached to their hands. The kids got the board game Operation for Christmas. The game even has a "Texting Thumb". Then we realized that only a few months ago that was us. We had a smart phone and an I-pod touch. We were constantly looking down and never looking up. We answered each other in mumbles and "uh-huhs". There but not present. This really confirmed Simplicity for me. We no longer have smart phones, only the basic *gasp* cell phone and dare I say it...land line. We have no laptop or i-Pad. We have a plain desktop and a Kindle reader. Then I realized how, even though I don't have a device at hands length anymore, I still spend more time than I should on-line. I am on Facebook or Pinterest a lot. There are games to play and people to "observe" on Facebook. I never have enough time to get the things done, I need to get done. Hmmm...wonder why? I am taking a break for a while from the Facebook world starting the New Year. A new year, a new start. I have 4 very special people in my life that need my attention more than the dramatic people on Facebook that I may see once a year. Maybe. (Some I haven't seen in years.) My family are the ones that need my observation. Our kids are the ones who need our attention. I don't want my kids to be unable to be sociable in any situation. Walking around with technology in their hands and sending messages, will cause them to not know how to interact in "real" life. So, all that to say, it's time for me to step back and be in the moment. Be on social networks three times less than I was. And I'm ok with that.

The second "theme" for this year is Trust. It's something everyone has issues with in one form or another. This is really spiritual thing for me. I want to get closer to my Savior. I love the song that says, I am a friend of God, he calls me friend. Then I thought about it. He knows everything about me, as a best friend should. Yet, what do I really know about him? Do I know all there is to know about him. Yes, I am aware that it will take a life time to know our Lord. Probably, eternity. But, I want to not only try but succeed in knowing all I can about him. When you have a close friend, you have to be able to put all of your trust in them. I feel there is going to be a lot of growing and stretching this year. It's the growing and stretching that makes us who we are. I'm going to trust that God is going to take care of us every day. That he will be our provider and friend. That if we put our trust in him and him alone, he will not let us down. So, I'm going to trust in him and let him be my everything. 

There are exciting things going on with the Fowler's. I'm excited! As always, I'll keep you posted! Hopefully, I will have Christmas pics up soon. Perhaps, by Easter? ;) Now, I have to go be in that moment I was speaking of. My son is trying to stick a Handy Manny sticker on the dog while telling his sister the dog doesn't like her. And that the dog said it not him.



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