Happy New Year! (Better Late Than Never!)

I have been trying to decide how I would write my first post of 2010 - would it be one of great thanks: "I am thankful to be alive to see another year", or "I am
thankful that another year of being cancer free has passed" or "I am thankful that 2009 was a very good year - I ran a marathon, traveled to Europe to see friends and family, celebrated weddings, births, and my very own 42nd birthday" OR would my post be one of nostalgia, recalling my younger days and how every new year only meant a party and a few crazy weeks at work. Would it be one of new beginnings, new resolutions since I now know I can keep them?

I have landed on a combo of all of the above - first my resolution for 2010: I will start to swim at the gym with the hope of being able to one day complete a true
triathlon. Today I bought my own goggles - the suit and bathing cap I already had although I did also purchase a new cap - one with the flag of the good ol' USA on it. I bought it because it reminded me of the Beijing Olympics and Dara Torres, one of my personal heroes. Dara showed the world that women over 40 can be strong and beautiful - even with short hair! Tomorrow I hit the pool. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Two: my thanks. I am very thankful to be alive to see another year, to have spent a wonderful holiday season with friends and family: Christmas Eve at the Pisani's, Christmas Day with my family and Christmas evening with Greg's. I must have been a very good girl in 2009 for Santa brought me many nice things! We got to see my Dad and Linda for a quick lunch as they traveled south to see my sister in WV. New Year's Eve brought us to Cape May where we spent a long weekend with Jess, Denise and Joel, James and Lauren at the Miss Cape May, a lovely old home on New Jersey Avenue - 1 block from the beach. We had a wonderful time hanging out, eating, drinking wine, having our own dance parties in the evening, eating, shopping, running in the morning along the beach, oh - did I mention eating?

Three: my memories. NYE has new significance to me. I now pause and take the time to recollect my experiences of the past year, to see what I have learned from all that life has to throw at me good and bad. I silently thank everyone who has touched my life and vow to do the same publicly more often. I remember those we lost and say a prayer that they are in places filled with love, light and laughter.

So 2010, I am ready for another year, another 360 days (since I am writing this on January 5th) of new mornings, new experiences, and new challenges; 2010 - bring it!!!