Out of my way, Worry Wart!

Happy New Year, everyone! This wasn't exactly a New Year's Resolution. It was more of a New Year's Realization. On the last day of 2008, I was sitting in my parent's cozy basement, eating goodies, watching my nieces and nephews bounce around, and admiring my big sister. She's 34, pregnant with her 6th child (everyone gasp here - yes, my family is trying to repopulate the planet), and happy as can be. Her husband is an AMAZING man and a terrific father. He is brilliant, but he can never seem to sit tight in a specific area of employment. Their married life, therefore, has brought many moves, changes, and unknowns. I sat looking at her on New Year's Eve, glowing and round from the little baby growing inside, and thought "How is she not more stressed out?" I realized a few things as I sat there. 1) I cannot remember a single time that my sister has called me and complained about her husband or their situation. She simply refuses to get stressed out. It sounds old-fashioned, but she just tells herself that she knows her husband will work hard and take care of their family financially. 2) She's a doer. Man, she's always doing something!! She gets involved with her community, goes to intellectual reading and discussion groups, and tries to stay fit. I think if she sat around all the time she might have more time to worry. 3) She's not worried about what people think. When her husband got a new job here in Utah, she and her family packed up their belongings and left their million dollar home in Arizona. They moved into a three bedroom condo here in Utah. They originally planned on staying in the tiny condo for only a few months, but it has been more than a year now. Others in her situation might be worried about what the neighbors, or friends and family members might think of their situation - 6 kids crammed under that little roof. But she loves it! She embraces the simplicity of their new life and chooses not to care what people care or say. So I guess my New Year's Realization is that I need to be HAPPY and stop complaining. I need to take advantage of beautiful opportunities for growth and learning all around me. I need to stop caring what other people think and JUST LIVE.

Happy New Year, everyone!!!

Much love,

Ashley