Welcome In 2013

Another new year has arrived.  Please forgive me if I sound less than wildly enthusiastic.  Celebrating the new year has never been a really big deal to me.  I only remember one big New Year's date as a teenager.  Yes, it was a great date and left me with wonderful memories, but I chose to babysit most of those teen New Years Eves because I needed the money and people paid extra for sitters that night. My husband and I went out a few times after we were married, but once the children came along, we welcomed the new year with dinner and family activities with them, then usually fell asleep before the magic hour.  As they grew older we watched the clock waiting for them to come in rather than the new year.  After our children were all raised a group of us began going out to dinner then renting a movie to watch at one of our homes.  That was fun.  Tonight?  I'm sleepy now; I'll be doing good to stay awake until ten. 

New Year's resolutions?  I prefer setting goals, but either way I did okay in 2012.  I set a goal to read the Book of Mormon all the way through and to lose twelve pounds.  I finished the Book of Mormon about a week ago and I've lost almost twenty pounds.  I started out the year doing okay on the weight loss, then put the five or six pounds I'd lost back on.  The nurses weighed me the morning of my pancreatic surgery a month ago and I was two pounds heavier than when I started the year.  Since the surgery I've dropped nineteen and a half pounds.  Let me assure you this hasn't been a good way to lose weight.  Getting through Christmas without raisin filled cookies, a nibble of chocolate, pie, or any other seasonal treats has been tough. 

My goals for the new year?  I'll try not to lose my sanity over the insanity of Washington D.C.'s political hierarchy.  I'm determined to get healthy again which means learning to deal with diabetes (the unfortunate result of having almost all of my pancreas removed.) I want to end this leave of absence and get back to serving at the temple. I also want to get my house and garden back in shape.  I'd like to take one of the trips my husband and I have been planning for years.  We didn't even have a fun anniversary a couple of weeks ago to celebrate our 48th wedding anniversary; we spent most of the day in my doctor's office then I went to bed and he watched a ball game. I think a resolution to do something fun is in order! 

My professional goals haven't changed a lot.  I intend to keep reviewing LDS fiction for Meridian Magazine.  I have a new book, Where the River Once Flowed, scheduled to come out in February.  I'll post the cover as soon as I get it.  I also have a story in Covenant's Mothers' Day anthology which will be out this spring. 

It's time to resume the Wish List contest.  Just leave a tasteful comment on any of my blogs this month, multiple entries are welcome.  You can comment on my blog or tell me about your New Year's Eve celebration or resolutions. The winner will receive one of the books I've been sent to review or if he/she doesn't mind waiting a bit, the winner can choose a copy of my new book. 

Happy New Year everyone and may it be better than the last.