Almost Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year! Well, almost... I can't wait. As good as 2007 has been, I feel optimistic for 2008. I know it won't be as exciting as 2007, or at least I sure hope it won't be, but I know I'll see God's goodness in different ways. This morning was one of those mornings when I got excited about my mothering all over again. The sun was shining into the spare bedroom, and I waved clean, fresh sheets around Seth's head as he played on the floor. Nickel Creek played on the cd player, and Seth clapped his hands and smiled. After I remade the guest bed, I picked him up, and we waltzed to "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton." Ok, I waltzed. He grinned, and laughed and bounced on my shoulder. One day, the days of baby waltzing will be over. I hope to remember them well.

But I know you're dying to hear about this weekend. Since you're all enthralled by my life, yes, I know you are. You're still reading this. What does that say about you? Hmmm. =) I shall give some background. David has been out of college for 8 years, and I've been out for 6. During college, he became part of a special group of friends known affectionately as the Gang.

The curtain opens on his senior year... David, Chris, and Jason lived in what was known as the Little Brown House. It was not aesthetically pleasing. Except for Chris' puzzle of Dogs Playing Poker that he had framed in the living room, I think there were no other wall adornments. The kitchen, I remember, had an old, plastic topped table from the '50s, and a dusty kitchen curtain with geese on it. I shudder to think how many tenants that curtain had seen. For for all its lack of charm, it was very charming to those that were privileged to be a part of it's perpetual open house. You see, for those of us living in the dorms, this house provided one of the few ways to hang in out in large groups with members of the opposite sex. Gotta love Baptist colleges with their extremely limited open house rules...

People flowed in and out of the house that year. Us girls would go there occasionally to cook, since we couldn't in the dorm, knowing full well that we would have to share what we cooked with whoever happened to be there at the time. They had an extra fridge in their old garage, and it was usually filled with cheap Walmart soda. Chris had every kitchen gadget known to man. David remembers deep frying chuck wagon hamburgers and then eating them with a side of fries. I don't know why either of them haven't yet succumbed to heart disease.

I became a tentative member of the Gang after meeting David. Before we were more than friends, I would go over like everyone else, to play spades, eat brownies, and watch the X Files. I was truly cemented into the Gang after David and I married. Now, I consider myself a proud member. Wendy and Jon, both charter members, married each other last year.

And in this fraternity, we all still take some measure of comfort from the camaraderie of friendship of long association. I know this because most of us have made the effort to try and get together for New Years for the past several years. David flew up especially for New Years more than once, taking time off from his job in Birmingham. This weekend, a little early, but close enough to New Years, we had Jason and Amanda from Texas, and Perry and Amanda coming from Pennsylvania. Those of us who have been far away still try to come, and we often succeed. That says something.

I am thankful for a group of friends that conjures up happy college memories. I realize that in this day and age, lots of us look back on our college friendships and activities with some level of shame. We were a bunch of geeks, but we never did anything together that our mamas couldn't have participated in. And we had a blast.

We did what we've always done this weekend. We played spades and other games, ate too much food, though it was slightly lower fat than it has been, and we talked and talked. Jason and Amanda and Amanda and Perry stayed here. And we tripped over each other in this tiny house, and we utilized the porch since the weather was springlike. Thank the Lord for that porch. And I learned again that it only matters that you open your home and give what you have, not that it be something big and fancy that can actually hold 11 adults comfortably. I don't think these guys would be comfortable if I owned a McMansion anyway. =) God bless 'em.

But now on to more important things... baby updates. Seth has achieved a level of limited mobility, and no, he doesn't need something from the Scooter Store. He is rolling and squirming now. No crawling, but he can get where he wants to go, though it may take him awhile. He is also very excited about clapping, has just started bouncing and clapping when we sing to him or play him music, and he's discovered the buttons on the computer. He can imitate us and say things that sound a lot like "Daddy," "Hey," and "Mommy." Two weeks ago, he was saying "baby" all the time, and it was clear as a bell. I don't think he knew what he was referring to, but I'm not going to quibble over that. He likes to sit on the dryer and feel it vibrate when I push the big button. Can you tell? =) And he also likes the sound of the multivitamins rattling that David has been saying that he'll take for over a year now but hasn't yet. Ahem.

I hope you have a wonderful New Year! We'll be ringing it in on our own with sparkling cider in our goblets and a baby in bed. =) What more can you ask for? Enjoy!