To start, Ade has a very special message for you. It’s a little bit late, but it’s still cute.
2009 ended beautifully at our house. It all started with our favorite party of the year, known as the Boyd Christmas party. This year didn’t disappoint and there are quite a few stories to be told, but I’ll let those who own the story do the telling. It was quite a way to introduce ourselves to our new neighbors, and I’m just glad that the police weren’t called for all the noise that we created.
For Christmas, we had quite a bit of family travel to Orlando to help us celebrate both Christmas and New Years and we loved having everyone close. This allowed for Fluffer (our bird) to become more comfortable with people, and I also learned how much counterpace there is in our main floor bathroom. Probably the best part about the season was waving good-bye to 2009. Not that we didn’t appreciate the time that we had, it’s just that there wasn’t a lot to smile about in 2009 so we have high expectations for 2010. The pictures from Christmas have been posted here.
Some of my friends know that I had named 2009 – ‘Alive in 2009’. The title seems a bit inappropriate now, but the point was to encourage myself to fully live in the moment and set-aside specific time to have adventures that I had never had before. Although we did some planning, nothing really got off the ground. At the risk of setting myself up for another year of failure, I’m officially naming 2010 – ‘Not Dead in Twenty Ten’. So if you have ideas for how we (me and at least you) can shake things up in 2010, then send me a note. Chances are, I’m all in and I’ll welcome your help in leaving 2009 behind.
2010 also brought two new things into our life. I am now officially Mr. Mom and Sheryl started her new job. Ask her about it, she would love to tell you all the details. I’ve often felt that my job had really taken me away from my family too much over the last couple of years. Often, even when I was home, I wasn’t really home. So I’m really enjoying the time that I have now to make up for that at least a little bit. I don’t know how long this opportunity will last, so I’m enjoying as much of it as I can. I have to say that I’m not sure the kids enjoy my interpretation of cooking, but I’m doing the best that I can.
I’ve decided to set goals for 2010 in order to aid with making progress in the new year. Although there are a lot of recommendations to make these public for accountability, I’m not sure that I have matured to that level. If you are in a similar situation and would like to raise the game a bit with a little personal accountability then let me know and we can make it work.
Finally, in case you don’t follow me on twitter, I have launched Twitter accounts for the girls as well as photo blogs with their own domains. I actually think that I like tweeting for them more then for me, so at a minimum I entertain myself. If you are interested here are the details:
Chloe:
@ChloeAnnB
ChloeBoyd.com
Adaline:
@AdalineB
AdalineBoyd.com
Enjoy the winter months, I hope that if you don’t like the cold, then it warms up soon. TTFN!
2 Responses
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Thanks for writing Jay. I can only imagine the significance of this last year for you and your girls. In our conversations I can see that you truly were affected in so many ways.
For me, (as you know) I have many things I would like to leave “behind” (love the “behind” pictures btw), but I must admit that I would not trade it for anything. I feel funny saying that because I don’t like when people just say that they have not regrets, and that they wouldn’t trade their failures or mistakes… I think it is a bunch of crap… all of us have things we would like to leave behind and not re-live.
However, I have found in 2009 that as I am learning not to live for my own desires, but for God’s, then all things do work out for the good of those who love Him. I am not saying it is comfortable and fun to go through loss (and I can’t even begin to compare my losses to yours in this past year), but at least I see God shaping my life, increasing my faith and strengthening my mind, so that I actually have joy even if I am beaten down.
The reason is… God’s ability to fulfill my heart with satisfaction is so much greater than my own, for I can only fulfill myself with things of this world which fail and are taken away at the blink of an eye… (houses, jobs, money, health and even loved family members) they are temporary joys for temporary satisfactions that always leave me incomplete and they always leak out if I don’t learn that they are meant to point me to the source of complete and greater joy. Then I find myself having to find some more, or something new to fill my longing with, only to find out that all things of this world will fail and nothing is solid or unshakable.
But I have truly found that God’s love and joy is actually there always, and that joy is my strength to keep going on, thankful to Him for all that He’s given me, and satisfied in the Creator, instead of the creations that are only a taste of His greatness.
This has been my experience, and in no way it is meant to undermine yours. The loss of a father, especially a loving father like Tom was, is a battle I have not had to fight, and I can only imagine the pain and struggle. You’ve been real and open, and I appreciate that about you my friend. You have a giving heart, just like your dad did… I see him in you and you are doing a great job not only at dealing with your loss, but at being Tom’s legacy for your girls.
I encourage you to not just leave 2009 behind, but to actually remind yourself of it and search for ways that it can shape your spirit and for ways that God can show you that in the middle of all, HE is the only unshakable and the only 100% guaranteed investment and joy. 2009 will always be with you, so don’t throw it under the rug and try to forget it. Invest it in God, who is right by your side and He will show you in 2010 that all things can be mended and all pains can create joy for a God lover.
I love you my friend. I hope and pray that 2010 brings us more of God into our lives, and as we daily learn to place our hope and trust in Him more, that He will also pour out his blessings onto us according to His greatness. We can have both, but learning to be joyful solely in the first is what carries you through when the second ones are lost or taken away. God gives and takes away, but His love for us never fails… nothing will separate you from it.
I am living life and learning its purpose right alongside with you.
Thanks Cesar, your words are always a light.