It’s been a crazy, crushing few months around here.

- Two weeks before Hurricane Sandy, black bears broke into my porch giving my girls nightmares for weeks.

- A week before the hurricane, a flying squirrel wound up in my BEDROOM. While I was sleeping in there. Hijinks ensued.

- A day before the hurricane, my washing machine hose broke and created a waterfall in my living room.

- Insert Hurricane Here!

After getting back home and taking weeks to get to a somewhat normal routine, the holiday season crashed into our lives, and while it is great that I was busy filling orders, it is stressful and throws my whole family’s routine out of whack.

And then Newtown happened.

I was like almost every Mom I know on that day. I cried and grieved for those babies and their families. I continued to cry for days afterward, and once the tears stopped I still thought of them every single day. I cannot shake the feelings of grief and slight panic I feel.

Having two children so close in age to the ones that lost their lives makes what happened that much more disturbing (my daughters are 6 and 5 years old).

As I wrapped my children’s presents and listened to Christmas music this past week, my thoughts would drift to the moms of Newtown, now faced with the gifts they had bought for their babies. What would they do with them? How could they continue with Christmas for their other children? How are they even getting through each day? I prayed (and continued to pray) for them.

So now Christmas has past. My kids had a ball, which mended my heart a bit, seeing them so happy. I take comfort in their hugs and their chatter as they tell me about their dolls and Legos and other playthings that they were excited to receive.

 

 

 

 

I continue to thank God that my children are with me, because we all learned on December 14th that life has a way of changing in a second. Each moment is a blessing, and as we close in on a new year, I vow to be more “in” those moments.

My business Christmas rush has died down, and I’m happy to say that this was my best month of sales ever! I’m also busy planning a new adventure, breaking out into a new niche of jewelry and a new brand! I’ll have more on that in a few weeks.

I won’t ever forget what happened in Newtown CT on December 14th. I will carry my own hope with me as we move forward. I will remember those families and will use that awful event as a reminder that our children truly are gifts, and that they should never be taken for granted.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, whichever one you celebrated, and that you are anticipating the New Year with hope and optimism.