It's January first, New Year's day, and my husband and beagle are participating in a snoring contest as I obsessively review and revise my eBay store. We've only been up since seven this morning, but nap time is an important part of how my little family thrives.
Calm and quiet is essential in our home, but quiet doesn't mean silence.
Puddin' Pie sometimes snores so loudly that I can't believe she's just a 30 lb. dog. But, you know, as I sit here in my living room, foregoing my usual NYD ritual of watching the Sy-Fy channel's annual Twilight Zone marathon and take in what is most definitely a day of rest, I make the realization that my dynamic duo never snore in unison. It's more like a conversation or contest the two of them are having for one to outdo the other.
However, today especially, I'm finding that their little snore-and-snort sonata is somewhat soothing seque into a new - hopefully BETTER - year. It's truly started off to be just that!
Last night, my husband's youngest brother, who is in his mid-thirties and really a sweet guy, asked this wonderful woman to be his wife. Okay, so lots of people get engaged, but the great thing about his proposal is that he did it on the bridge where my husband and I were married AND the entire family was present, as were his closest friends.
The proposal happened before midnight, but it was such a great way to create an atmosphere of warmth and joy beyond the basic convivial New Year cheer. My BIL's fiancee is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Truly. I will also say that I was (and am) so genuinely pleased that she said she considered me to be her "new sister." It meant a lot more than you could ever know.
I'm sure I'm not unique in that I haven't always appreciated my family (immediate or otherwise) but, as I grow older, I realize how crucial the bonds are to creating a satisfying life. I'm looking forward to having another new "sister." Additionally, I'm hopeful that 2012 will be the year that relationships can be mended, friendships can be forged and families can allow bygones to be just that...bygones.
After all, this moment, right now, is really all we have. So, having said that, I'm going to make a cup of tea and listen to my own personal snoring serenade.
Happy New Year!
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