Nourish beginnings, let us nourish beginnings. Not all things are blest, but the seeds of all things are blest. The blessing is in the seed. ~ M. Rukeyser

Perhaps I’m a wee bit overly sentimental. Ha – okay, I am ridiculously sentimental! It’s almost a problem! Almost. …  Okay, sometimes it’s a problem but that is NOT why we are gathered here today so shhhh! Enough about that already!

I love routine. I enjoy rituals and ceremony. I adore celebrations. I treasure traditions.

Truthfully many of these things are hard to keep track of in the quickly moving, often changing, somewhat chaotic lifestyle we lead. So when I get the joy of truly honoring a family custom – I embrace it fully.

One thing that we’ve been able to maintain over the years is the giving of a Christmas ornament each holiday to document something about the season of life of the receiver. It’s kind of a celebration of the year completed – with a kiss of promise for the New Year.

Here is a quick snapshot of our family at this moment:

Our own little Drummer Boy 🙂

MASON: (only the hands down, absolutely most adorable little child ever in the history of the world – just sayin’!) At 13 and a 1/2 months he really loves three things: Dancing (and man oh man can he shake that booty!), Banging on things to make music and sound, and Sticking his hand into your mouth – I don’t mean fingers – his entire fist as far as he can. (Personally I’m convinced at this point we have a future Dancing Dentist who Drums on the side growing up!) So because I could not find ornaments of leotards or dental instruments, I went with a drum. Exciting I know. 🙂

JORDAN: having just graduated from the University of Florida (go GATORS) and because we have practically every UF ornament known to man already on our tree, we went a different route. Having finished college and completed a grueling internship, we celebrated his achievements and his future symbolically with a ‘key.’  He has the tools – now it’s off to see what he creates. And by the way, we are very excited to announce he works full time for the BLINK foundation (you’ll hear more about this soon!) as operations manager and also plans to be traveling with Marcus a lot in the coming months.

“One shoe can change your life!” ~ Cinderella (and every woman who loves shoes!!)

MADDISON: what a crazy busy and happy year for my beautiful daughter. She is entering a time when she will be investing in her own future by continuing her education and focusing a bit more on herself and her goals – creating the life she wants. She received a solitary, glittery, stiletto shoe to hold on to the concept that, as Cinderella said, “One shoe really can change your life.” (As can one moment, one choice, one tough decision.) So stay busy doing what you know to do – that will lead you to your destiny.

MARCUS: wow. What can possibly be said about the man who finished his Master’s from Columbia (with a 4.0 – just in case you missed that the other 5000 times I’ve mentioned it!) and designed an absolutely ground breaking and vital new tool for health care pros (to be announced shortly!). This was a year of academics and leads to a year involving a great deal of writing and sharing what he has discovered. His ornament is, to me, both a “feather in his cap” as well as an old fashioned pen and ink symbol. We are going to keep it up in his office all year. Yes it’s a bit on the “glitzy” side – but come on! What else did you possible expect from me – the bling queen?? 🙂

As for mine… well that’s a story for another day!

I hope that you have found time – or make time – to celebrate your achievements and plot the course for your future… We can’t always see around the corner or the “big picture”… but like we said: do what you know to do today… the rest will fall into place.

Much love and wishing you all the happiest of New Years!

Welcome 2013!!