I stand in the kitchen, beating eggs, folding in half-and-half, listening to a mother listen patiently to her child and mine both clamoring for her attention, trying to complete our ritual eggnog in time for our ritual drink at the stroke of midnight, knowing already that it’s hopeless, folding faster anyway. The Man stands next to me, blending eggs and soy milk in another bowl for our non-dairy-drinking friends, when he glances at the clock, and, as children bicker — oblivious — behind us, reaches to pull me against him and kisses me. “Happy New Year,” he says to me over the din, then, smiling still, goes back to stirring.
Such has been the essence of my life this year: surrounded by shrieking chaos, trying to make a life and make it on time, never quite managing it, and still — kisses at midnight, laughing children, and company I wouldn’t trade for the world. If all I can hope for for the next year is to do as well, it will be enough.
Welcome, 2010. I’m fond of you already.
Arwyn
In my bathroom hangs a plaque with a picture of a yin yang and the word BALANCE. I can never get it to hang straight. This probably says something deep and meaningful about my life.
Gorgeous moment captured, and so vividly. Nice.
Happy new year.
Happy New Year!
A beautiful post.
(We had a new year’s breakfast today – bagels, smoked bacon and scrambled eggs with lots of fresh coffee- and, when we all sat down around the table to start our first meal of the year, my 3yr old said ‘hello family’. Perfect. Just how I felt.)
Love the picture you’ve painted
At 2 minutes to midnight, my son was awoken by fireworks and I walked (ahem, stomped) in to nurse him back down. Ten minutes later I gave up hope of getting back up and went to sleep myself. That partially summed up my 2009
Happy New Year!
And I totally understand the never quite making it. But I admit, I (mostly) wouldn’t trade it.
while i would trade many pieces of 2009 because of the pain, i am realizing that if i were to do that i would also be trading many of the wonderful pieces. thank you for helping me to begin to realize that. <3
I love this. What a perfect moment.
<3