Happy New Year!

Gosh, these last few weeks have been difficult. Jonathan has been away on business a lot; he was home for ten days and then left again on January 1st to go to Tallasee, Alabama for work. It's been emotionally draining on me, and I have newfound respect for single mothers. I am lucky to have a support system (my parents) to help me, but many women, alone with babies, do not, and I really have to give them a round of applause, because I don't think I could do this completely alone.

Lucie is just starting to realize that Daddy is away and he comes back but when he is away, she misses him. She's begun babbling, "Dee Dee Dee Dee" whenever she gets mad at me, and I take it as if she's saying, "Daddy wouldn't make me take a nap," or "Daddy wouldn't make me sleep in my crib." I don't want to be a debbie downer here in this post, so I'm going to write about the wonderful things this new year will bring to our family... in no particular order:

1) A Great Job for Jonathan - Jonathan really enjoys the training and work he is doing in Tallasee, and I am sure that will continue once he moves to work at the Orangeburg, SC facility.

2) Family Togetherness - We're all going to be together, Jonathan, Lucie and myself, in West Columbia, South Carolina.

3) Warmer Weather - South Carolina is so much warmer than New York, which is frigid this time of year.

4) More $$ - The cost of living in South Carolina is so much less, we will be able to thrive and not just scrape by to survive.

5) More space - The apartment we have rented is laid out more efficiently than our home, and it's a little bigger in living quarters, although there is less storage (no basement). Lucie will have room to walk and run around and play, like every child should.

6) Exploration - We are moving to an area neither of us is familiar with, so we will have to explore to find new things... New grocery store, new restaurants, new friends...

Mostly, I will just be grateful when my Jon, Lucie, and I can all be together in one place.

So here's to the new year, new adventures, safe travels, and family time filled with love!