Auld Lang Syne

Is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. Auld Lang Syne might be loosely translated as "for (the sake of) old times".

Another year has come and gone. That is really hard to believe. It seems like just yesterday that I was sitting in a snow filled, empty parking lot at 4am in the morning. Kissing my husband goodbye. He was getting into the truck of a complete stranger, leaving much to my disappointment on New Years Eve 2011 to go to a new job in North Dakota. I hated that moment with every muscle in my body, with every sentiment in my mind. 

Holidays have always been a big deal in my life. My parents always made a major fuss (not complaining, I loved every minute of it). Every Halloween, Valentines, and St Patricks day I had a small  present sitting at my spot on the table. Birthdays were like a personal royal holiday, and Christmas was always magical. New Years was never any different. We would celebrate until midnight, eating junk and playing games. Never a year can I remember that my parents left us to go to some Fancy party. They always stayed home with us to celebrate the moment that this year became last. Even as I grew up, moved out, got married, every new years we celebrated that moment of change together, even if just through the phone. 

Right then, at that moment as I watched my husband drive away I felt so incredibly alone. My parents were 3500 miles away, and my husband was traveling 600 miles away to work. It would be just me and the girls that New Years. I knew then that this new job would never work. I knew that I could not stand to be so far away from my husband, I couldn't even imagine the other Holidays, birthdays, and precious moments in between that he would miss with working fourteen days, 600 miles away. It was a miserable moment, and honestly the worst New Year I have experienced so far. 

That was 11 months, and 27 days ago. Never in a million years was I prepared for what happened next. (Million years, common term I use for this experience)(Inside joke).

How is it possible for in one year to achieve this:

Sell your home in "the sinking real estate market" for your asking price.
Sell an entire herd of horses and dogs.
Sell 90% of your belongings, just let go of all those personal things that you have spent your life working for...they are after all just material things.
Sell your vehicles, be car free and free of car loans.
Say goodbye to your friends and family (incredibly hard to do by the way).
Load what is left of your belongings (those things you couldn't part with) into a 12 X 12 storage shed, knowing you may never see those things again.
Go to the airport, with 2 children 2 dogs, and your clothes on your back, relocating 3500 miles away.

Meanwhile, some 3500 miles your husband has already relocated to an island in the caribbean, and he has:

Bought a car, paying cash.
Found a place for you to live, with an Ocean view.
Is working his way up a company ladder faster than you can say "shit".

WOW! What a year, we have seen things, done things, and realized several of our "bucket list" goals in the year 2012. I mean really WE SOLD OUR HOUSE!!! Do you realize how long we were trying to do that!!!! ( Nine Years, for those who didn't know) All of these were not Goals we set on Dec 31, 2011. Actually I highly recommend throwing caution to the wind, hang your heart out on the line, and ask for what you really want. I did, and I got it. Not exactly how I imagined it, not where and when I expected it..but I got it all this year. Really I did. I even lost weight! :)

So, put your pens down. Don't do it, do not write those New Years resolutions. I didn't I prayed for change, and then I worked my butt off to get it. May your glass be half full this year, my your memories be bright, your lessons be great, and those moments, the little ones that seem so insignificant...treasure them, they usually don't happen twice.

Happy New Year....this year who knows what the winds might bring, but what ever they are I am going to embrace them. They will take you where you never imagined you could go.

GOOD LUCK