Holiday Season 2009

Life can be odd and interesting and sad and glorious, all at once.

That's what this holiday season has taught me.

Now that my schedule is thrown off due to lack of work, I've been up much later at night. Which means I can feel the baby move about a whole heck of a lot. (She's a nocturnal baby. Lucky us!)

I've taken to walking around the house with my shirt half way up so I can stop and watch her move at a moment's notice.

New life. It just doesn't get any less amazing to me no matter how far along this pregnancy gets. I'm still baffled by how incredible all of this is.

At the same time, the holiday season has been sad. Andrew's Dad's diagnosis of cancer has become more scary. More real. And when you put a timeline on life, it gets incredibly difficult to make sense of what's happening in your world.

So while I'm marveling at the amazing-ness of our new baby and becoming a new Mom, Andrew's grappling with the devastation of the mortality of his Dad - yet still trying to love and appreciate his own status of new Dad.

Life.

It can throw such curves at us all.

With all of this happening during a busy holiday season, I've also learned that there's really no replacement for family when you're experiencing these huge life changes and obstacles. You absolutely need family to help you through it. To lean on. To look into your eyes and smile broadly as they touch your stomach and feel movement. To cry on. To hug. To laugh with. To open presents with. To have little moments of joy with, amongst bigger moments of sadness.

Family is what makes all of it worth it.

Family makes me able to feel elated at the idea of my little girl coming into the world and meeting everyone who loves her so much already.

And I can only assume that his family makes Andrew's Dad able to get up every day despite the heavy weight on his shoulders and still enjoy every moment of time around him.

So, while I'm ready for 2010 and all the wonders it's going to bring - I appreciate 2009. The tough times, the amazing times, the happiness and the sadness. All of it has taught me that family is home. Family is joy. Family is life.

And it's a wonderful life.