Cheers to you, 2010

Here's to darkening the doorsteps of my daughter's pediatrician office only half as much as we did in 2009. It was a sick, sick year. May the tubes being put in her ears next week help toward that end.

Here's to taking time out to play with Karis more often in my day. She needs it, and the dust balls and dishes can wait.

Here's to growing in patience with 2-year-old logic. It is, after all, only 2 years old.

Here's to stretching the limits of my writing skills...to writing with more passion and creativity than I thought possible.

Here's to finding the beautiful in the ordinary...and taking great pictures of it.

Here's to making this poem our family creed. So much truth in it. So much hope.

Here's to this being a year of trust. In my marriage. In my talents. In my Creator. In His timing.

Here's to the hope I've already found this year...I started writing this post a few days ago, and I'm glad to report today's version is much more hopeful. :-)

Here's to the grace I will give myself and others around me when 2010 doesn't quite live up to my expectations.

Here's to the inner city of Jacksonville. Only 113 homicides last year. Only. It's gut-wrenching, and I deeply desire to be a part of bringing hope and life to the streets. You're a beautiful city.

Here's to figuring out what it looks like to bring hope and life to our city streets. I have no idea what my small part is.

Here's to getting rooted in my neighborhood, meeting my neighbors (finally), and building community around us through a program I'm calling '52 Fridays.' A dinner party nearly every Friday night for a year (give or take a few). This is the year I embrace hospitality in all it's stressful, humbling, life-affirming glory.

Here's to bright winter sunlight, the brick side of our house, Karis' adorable boots, aperture f4.5, and shutter speed 1/4000 for this series of photos. I'm in love.

Here's to you, 2010.