New Year and new beginnings!

Ok, so I’m new at this blogging thing. One of my very good friends has been doing this for over a year now and has encouraged me to try it. Yes, I’m a nerd!

With this New Year, I’m giving thanks to my fantastic family, friends, and neighbors. In addition, thanking God for the many blessings we have and continue to receive. I don’t have any New Year resolutions or newfound wisdom. I have however discovered my total inability to play video games, remember the artist of songs, books I’ve read, etc… I suppose the kids will say dementia is contagious and I bring it home everyday.

My husband and I have reached a time in our lives that the kids are all hitting the change years 16, 18, & 21. Whew, we have almost made it. I use to think (when the kids were little) that when the kids got older life would be less expensive and easier. Well, I was wrong at least about the less expensive part. I mean do you know how much it costs to buy the kids cars, GPS, cell phones, school tuition, books, pictures, class rings, clothing, food, and the never-ending needs of extra money?

And to top it off, we are told we have reached the “way to old age” to understand their issues, fashion, music, etc… The last few Christmas’s my husband (Jim) and I bought the kids mostly practical things they would need now and later in life like cordless screwdrivers (so ours will be safe) laptops (with not enough storage space for the thousands of songs, video), clothing (totally the wrong style or brand). So this year we said if we don’t get a detailed list with what item (exactly) the place to purchase it and the approx. cost. If we don’t get a list then you get nothing for Christmas.
Oh my gosh this is the secret to a perfect gift giving for our brats. It worked like a charm and we didn’t have to run about town at the last minute picking out things they would either give away to the local thrift store or toss out as if it cost nothing. I don’t remember my parents ever asking us kids what we wanted for Christmas or Birthdays. We got what we got and if you are not happy with it too bad, next year you might get zilch. Thank goodness, this year was a hit; I don’t think I could take another year of total disappointment. Well, the kids didn’t really complain.

It has occurred to me over the last year or so that the kids are almost grown and will be making their own lives and decisions in life. Most of which I’m sure I wont like, but with any luck I don’t have to know about them all. I’m starting to appreciate and understand how my parents must have felt trying to be understanding and lead us in the right direction, knowing we thought they came from another planet.

Being 22 again this year I have learned that the only thing that really changes in life (with age) is our perspectives. The world really isn’t much different; I just see things from older eyes. Yep, I’m talking about saying things to my kids my mother said to me and thinking OMG, I did what I swore (at age 16) I would never do to my kids. And I find myself repeating it to our 18yr old “No you can’t stay out after midnight because my mother was right there is nothing but trouble out after midnight and you don’t need to have any part in it”, which she very politely replies, Yes Mam. I guess we didn’t do so bad after all.

Rock on people (or what ever the cool thing is to say now)!

Wendall K