From November To November

My internal clock is a little off and not just because today is the day we change our timing thanks to Day Light Savings.  Most people make reflections and evaluations and resolutions about their lives in January or December, as one year ends and another begins.  For me, though, that always seems to happen in November, the month focused on a singular moment of being thankful.

That build up to the Thankful meal, makes me look back over my year and see what I am or should be thankful for.  The actual Thanksgiving meal is for me a thankful moment too.  I am certain that any one who has ever joined us for our very insane family event, would not see me being thankful.  It is loud and chaotic and busy and long.  There is ridiculous amounts of foods and drinks and joy.  My thankful moment is there though.  There is always a moment when I separate myself from all that is happening, from all the motion and loudness and people, and stop.

In that moment, I can see it all.  It's like being there but watching instead of participating and that is when I have those prayer moments, those I am thankful for each and every one of you and all that has taken us from the last gathering to this one.

But back to November as a whole.  This is my month of reflection.  It's intensely personal. It helps me form the picture of what comes next.  It helps me see where I need to grow and change and correct.

Sometimes just the sheer volume of what has happened in a single years time is awesome.  This year, from November to November has really been something.  So today, a laundry list of my year.

• we gave up Little One
• I wrote a 50,000 word short novel
• I was in a car wreck that destroyed our 12 passenger van
• I bought a new 12 passenger van
• Chicklet moved in
• Little Mr. became a teenager
• select baseball with Littlest Mr. and The Mr. coaching, one season complete, another begun
• football--a full season, every practice, every game, NO ambulance or concussion
• wrestling began, was finished and has begun again
• Chicklet moved out
• Little T came
• Little T went home
• we agreed to adopt Mr. Monkey and began the transition
• we bought another car
• we landscaped our yard
• we spent Christmas and New Years at Disney (5 of us--thank you again Chicklet for watching the house and the dog)
• The Mr. and I went to Vegas
• I went to Mankato, twice
• The Peeps and I made a million great memories
• sigh, I turned 40 and the same wonderful Peeps from above "decorated" my yard and van for me
• we decided to change churches
• I'm again writing another 50,000 word novel
• Packers won the Superbowl, some great party!
• Brewers went to the playoffs, amazing memories with the family
• we had 3 kids in 3 schools, including  a middle school 
• Little Miss graduated preschool/Head Start/4K and started Kindergarten
• Chicklet and I had a girls weekend in Chicago
• the 3 kids had their first flights
• The Mr.'s job changed completely, giving him new responsibilities
• we attended 2 charity gala's with a 3rd black tie pending in a week
• I became a blond and then a very very dark brunet!
• I land marked my body, twice
• we bought new furniture
• we painted almost the whole inside of the house--(Thank you to The Drummer)
• we moved the kids rooms around too many times to count
• we killed another lap top
• we switched to iPhone and have become corrupted to the was of Apple
• I have blogged daily for 2 months and one week running
• 
  

I'm sure there is more than that, but it's enough to give even me pause, and it's my own life.  It makes me realize that in those moments when I think I'm not doing enough or not living enough, there it is, a list on paper.

When do you stop to evaluate and reflect?  Is it the traditional New Years time?  Your birthday?  I'm curious, when?