Christmas 2018 - A Blog is Born

Yesterday, I decided to start a blog. I have no idea why but it may have been because I had arrived early to Christmas mass, still a habit that stems from the memory of large Christmas mass crowds of years past, and had ample time to park, enter, sit and think. Being Christmas, and being ready for the onslaught of family expected at my house in the afternoon, I had time to think about all the things I am grateful for. I often write emails to people in my head that (probably fortunately) never get sent and I started to feel that my thoughts were like an email to myself. Or, maybe a blog post. And it suddenly popped into my head that I would start a blog. A blog would be a way to publish my thoughts but, unlike an email, edit or delete if necessary. A blog would be a chance to tell myself (and anyone else who may care to read) about all the things I am grateful for. I often think about how grateful I am to have received an education that has allowed me to make a couple of career changes leading finally to where I needed to be all along - a high school library teacher. Along that vein I am grateful to have had parents that supported this education even when I picked a college that may have been a little more liberal than they would have preferred but that helped shape me to be the person I am today. It was the right choice and I am grateful that they allowed me to make it. So this blog will include thoughts about being grateful for many different things. It may include thoughts about family, friends, pets, books, quilting or travel and often it will include musings about my interactions with my high school students who never cease to amaze me and continually remind me of how grateful I am for everyone and everything in my life that has led me to this point. For now I am grateful that Christmas 2018 was a wonderful day filled with good food and time with family. Though it was too busy to take pictures during the day here are a couple from the night before. Christmas Eve is always a peaceful night for me.