Happy New Year!!

Hey! The best to you, my silent, quiet, screen friends! It's been a while.

So, what do we talk about first? Writing? I don't know where I want to go with this writing/blogging thing. Sometimes I think I'm ready to be done. It was fun to try for a while. I'll probably always blab, using the written word. But do I want to here? I love connecting with people... but I've spoken too freely, had stuff passed around the conference, deleted a bunch of readers, disconnected and lived my own life. And more.

So ya.

We had a wonderful Christmas. The best yet. We haven't gone home for the last two years so it was extra special to sit in the huge Crooked Creek church on Christmas day and listen to the beautiful youth Christmas program. I sat between Aunty Judy and Pam and had to ask who most of them were! Yes, I've lived in Swanson longer than I've lived anywhere else in my life. But Crooked Creek birthed me. Crooked Creek is my home. My stomping grounds. My people.

This year we had a grade party. Matt & Kendra didn't come and Allison & Justin couldn't make it. But it was absolutely delightful and healing and lovely and FUN to be together. I told mom that I didn't know when I had last been so Extremely loud. (And I wasn't the only one!) There is nothing like old friends to understand and validate you. There is no one else who you can immediately update on your family status. There is no one who so completely understands your past, your hurts, your accomplishments and grey hair. There is no one you can be as relaxed with as your old friend whose three-year-old teaches your three-year-old to climb the bookshelf and sit on the top.  And there's nothing in this world like fancy chai in fancy cups and lounging in a sewing room.

I didn't write a Christmas letter. I didn't do cards. I didn't even get past the pepper-nuts and party mixes for goodies. But this December was awesome. This last year has been up-building, healing. Like, after Trevor's moved away I've just decompressed and the air keeps whooshing out in big, belching plumes, like an air balloon settling on the earth after a long hard ride.

There is so much to learn in life, so many things to face, so much to let go of. And somewhere, through it all we find ourselves. I've tried so hard to be a 'Swanson' girl and I feel right at home here and love it here. But. I'm a Northern girl at heart and always will be. My roots are deep. And it's a good thing. It's strengthening.

So, with all the deep analyzing done (for now) I'll bid you good night.