blue moons and recollections.

First of all... Happy New Year! Welcome 2010. Peace out 2009. Finally. Normally I don't make it a habit to wish my life away (well, at least not since I became an adult and realized how fast time flies) but I didn't much care for this past year and I'm looking forward to some change. Bienvenido 2010... he estoy esperandote.

Tonight while watching the last 5 minutes before the flashy ball on a stick in NYC descend I learned that it is the night of a blue moon. True story. Apparently, for those who aren't already in the know, a blue moon is when there is a full moon twice in the same month. It only happens once every 19 years. Who knew? Ryan Seacrest... that's who. So that is where the saying "Once in a blue moon" came from. Never thought I'd have an education lesson during a NYE celebration. Guess there is a first for everything.

So, that got me thinking about 19 years ago. Nineteen years ago I was 12. I'm sure I stayed up for the NYE celebration but I don't remember it. What I do remember about being 12 is that I was in middle school, with a bad perm and big hair, braces, and glasses. Awww - kward. I was shy and self-conscious. All too aware of my inadequacies and imperfections compared with seemingly perfect and put together girls around me. Not much has changed. The bad perm and big hair have been substituted by random unruly offshoots of gray. My braces are gone and contacts replace glasses, most of the time. I'm still shy and self-conscious at times and still catch myself comparing all my worst qualities to all the great ones of those who surround me. I've gotten better and more realistic but some habits can be hard to break. I'm sure no one else suffers from this malady. :)

As for 10 years ago... the beginning of this past decade... well, I was on my mission. I had been in the field for two months and as far as the world was concerned.. it was the end. Computers were set to crash, Y2K, yada yada yada. Guess everyone got their panties in a wad for nothing. I stood in my bed against the large window in my apartment's front room (we all slept in the living room.. it was like a slumber party every night). I watched the fireworks go off, consequently setting off car alarms and dog howls. I listened to people cheering and banging pots and pans (homemade noisemakers). I oohed and awwed cheesily into some hand held recording device. I thought about my family and what the celebration was like at home. I thought about the changes I needed to make to be a better missionary. I was a little homesick but mostly grateful for the opportunity to be in such a beautiful country, surrounded by some of the most amazing people, serving and teaching. I miss those days. It is one of my most cherished experiences and I'm eternally grateful to have had the opportunity.

A lot has happened in the past 10 years, mostly good.. scratch that... mostly great. I have been richly and abundantly blessed. I count you as part of that blessing. I'm looking forward to what this new year and new decade has to offer. My goal...To be excellent.

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=ca2684d4a0a0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Thank you for helping me in that journey.

Happy New Year.