Tis the Season

Late December.
I actually wanted to turn the heat on this week.
Finally.
I didn't see a mosquito today.
The American goldfinch arrived this week... Christmas week.
Everything is almost right.
I no longer hear geese over my home during the Autumn... there's always tomorrow's hope.
Lord, thank you for the many blessings you pour lavishly over us.
I'm sorry for how we mess things up, especially when we don't want to think differently.
I love you.
Jim

End of one chapter, beginning anew

With the close of 2012, I find myself reflecting an a rather spectacular year. Though the list is incomplete at this point, some of my highlights include:

Breakfast with Julius

• Starting an E-Harmony profile last January to get up enough courage to officially "date"again
• Getting a house full of roommates, including Julius
• Going to my first NSTA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana
• Actually asking ladies out on a date in March
• Meeting Susie last May for our first date
• Becoming Department Chairperson of science department and constant interviewing of candidates for open positions
• Joining a team of high school students to South Africa for two weeks of trekking 
• Sending off Julius and new wife to start life in Waco
• Saying goodbye to my Uncle Mike
• Backpacking with students above Lake City, Colorado, and peaking Uncompahgre 
• Getting to know my godly "person", Susie; I even purchased and have started using jogging shoes... sheesh.
• Starting a very, very challenging school year with huge amounts of changes and challenges at work
• Proposing to Susie on a chilled, moonlit, Nebraska November night after meeting most of her family over Thanksgiving
• Turning 51 and still having some fight in me
• Not seeing flocks of geese migrate overhead this year... makes me sad and concerned.