2008 through a child's eyes

For our New Year's Eve, Steven and me (along with Chad, Juli, and Will) went to our friends' Tara and Greg's home (parents of Tristan) for our first celebration with kiddos. Tara & Juli both went to great lengths preparing fabulous dishes (with more than five ingredients—nice job ladies!), and Tristan, Will, and Sena took center stage with their agility stunts.

At dinner, Tara & Greg set out placecards- each setting with a different word or theme, which was to be used for that individual's toast. As we each pondered what we'd talk about a common thread emerged. With such words as health, happiness, love, peace, and prosperity, you'd think the toasts would run the gamut from work to play to national security. And while one toast did deservingly go to Barack Obama, the other toasts were made to an entirely different generation—our kids.

As I look back on 2008, I'm overwhelmed with emotion. It was certainly filled with some of the most significant moments of my life. Becoming a mother and delivering my daughter into the world changed who I am and who I want to be. It changed my perspective on life, and how I spend my time. While my life is certainly less glamorous and tidy, it is more full of smiles, joys, and spontaneity. And, really, becoming a mother helped me reconnect with all of the myriad ways I once found happiness. Things that perhaps had been buried in the monotony of becoming an adult. Singing, dancing, laughing, giggling, wearing a funny duck hat just to make her laugh... I guess 2008 was the Year of the Child for me. Having my own- and reconnecting with my inner child, too.