On the Move

Yes, yes. She's on the move... We're on the move.

And off she goes...

Sometimes she has to go backward in order to end up going forward. Know what I'm sayin'?
And sometimes, she gets stuck under a chair. And that's ok, too. It gives her a chance to rest and to inspect all the crevices of the hardwood floor (which she loves to do by the way).
She is such a picture. As I watched her move around yesterday, I was amazed. Her little life is quite the representation of how we learn and grow. I realize that every parent probably thinks this...because it's the first time we can actually watch "ourselves" grow from a different angle. It really is a gift from God.

I kept thinking about her crawling yesterday. How she just goes all over the floor...backwards. She happily just cruised around, rubbing little worn out spots into the knees of her pj's, scoopin' up a few Howie hairs along the way. She had no problem with going backward. And even though in my adult mind, it seems funny to go backward first, it really seemed to make sense to me yesterday.

Because, in fact, going backward will actually turn into going forward. And going forward will turn into standing and standing will turn into walking. Walking to running. You get the picture.

As I've been taking inventory, I was realizing it's kind of like crawling backward. Sometimes before you move ahead, you need to take some time to look back. I seem to do this a lot when I'm going through some sort of transition. I can already feel the transition for the New Year brewing. I always get this way around this time of year. Takin' a good look at my last 11 months. The good, the bad, the ugly. Where have I grown? What have I learned? What could use some improvement and what flat out needs to change? Then, I give thanks...for all of it. Celebratin' the good times and the hard times. For all that makes us love, overcome, and succeed. And then after Thanksgiving, it's full blown nesting. Let's get ready for that new baby come Christmas. And at Christmas, we celebrate, too. New birth, new life...and presents. I love presents.

And after Christmas, comes...New Year's (more presents!).

I'm not necessarily a big New Years Resolution person. More like a Bucket List person. I tend to drive myself crazy when I force myself into some kind of organized program. But, when I make a list of things I'd like to do that year, it gives my year a whole new meaning. It gives me expectation and a tangible way of watching my dreams come true. You've got to be faithful in believin' for a little, that way when it comes true, it gives you the faith to believe for a lot. That's how I like to live anyway.

So, as I've been taking my inventory this month, I've also been makin' my 2011 Bucket List. It's lookin' mighty fine so far. Lots to look forward to. Maybe when I get finished, I'll share some of it with you... :)

(corresponding song: Falling for You by Colbie Caillat)