I truly enjoy the winter holiday season. And it has nothing to do with Christmas and birthday presents, although those are admittedly fantastic. What really knocks me back and fills me with awe is the attitude that seems to permeate the months of November through January. Appreciation, gratitude, love, kindness, hope, nostalgia, excitement, wonder, and peace are so present in my life and my family during this time. The day after Thanksgiving officially marks the beginning of the Christmas/New Year season for us (I have forbidden myself from listening to Christmas music until Thanksgiving has gotten its due limelight) and every year I am amazed at how good my family and friends make me feel. I know that I am a blessed person, and remembering this at the end of the year shows me how rich my life is.
It also inspires me for what lies ahead, and I must say that for many reasons, 2013 is probably going to be the best year of my life. I have a fiance that is loving, funny, trustworthy, strong where I am weak, and understands me. If that weren't enough, the dude can cook and has green eyeballs. Any girl that wants more than that is chasing a unicorn fart. On September 28, 2013, I get to marry that guy and have a partner and companion for the rest of my life. (Note: You may be wondering about the date. Our original wedding date was August 31, but we changed it to accommodate a football game. The McCann-Franklin wedding and a home game in the SEC is way too much awesomeness for one weekend in Aggieland). That alone makes 2013 an incredible year for me.
Aside from that, 2013 will also be the year that I graduate with a Master of Science degree and, Lord willing, will begin the career that I have wanted since I was 14 years old and opened a book about forensic investigations. My birthday last week marked the 12th year that I have been slowly but surely working towards this goal, and this week I finished polishing my resume and writing a cover letter that I was actually really proud of for a job that makes my heart swell to think about. Keith and I will live in Laredo as he accepted a job offer for his dream job at a law firm in Laredo, and I have learned that a brand new, state-of-the-art DPS crime lab is underway in Laredo to be open for business in September 2013. September? Isn't something happening then? Oh, yes, I will be getting married and moving to Laredo and will have a MS degree in forensic science hoping to work in Drug Chemistry/Controlled Substances. Just as an impressively new crime lab opens in a city that largely seizes and investigates controlled substances. As with my future husband, I feel like this is meant to be and proof that God loves me (further proof that God loves me: Crunchwrap Supremes). While I have a long way to go, finishing the cover letter felt really good and made me feel like I am actively doing things to help myself.
I also enjoy this time of year because it is fun to set new goals and challenges for the next 12 months, and while I don't meet every resolution I set for myself, New Year's is a very inspirational time for me to figure out how I can better myself and my relationships. I keep trying to examine myself and see where I need improvement, and the two main flaws I am trying to focus on right now are to stop interrupting people and to be a better listener (not too far removed from one another, I'll admit). I should have mastered these two qualities in middle school, but I think it will be good for my relationships to work on this part of my life. My other resolutions for 2013 are mostly about eating better, exercising, and winning back the affections of an outside kitten who my neighbor's son stole from my porch and raised in their garage. I have not yet decided if forgiving said neighbor's son is on my resolution list or not. Rome wasn't built in a day.
