Selamat Tahun Baru

In keeping with tradition, I stopped blogging to enjoy my vacation, which was everything a good vacation should be--good friends, good family, good food, and good times.

A few highlights:
My flight from Chicago to Indianapolis was delayed long enough that I could driven the distance home twice during my layover, but I was proud of myself for being very patient after 36 hours of traveling. I only felt like crying once.

I actually grinned when I walked out of my house on my way to the dentist and saw that I would have to wipe fresh snow off the car. I got over that pretty quickly.

I visited family in Grand Rapids to celebrate the New Year and got interested in family history documents, which prompted me to take a different way home and take pictures of an old barn that might have been built by my ancestors.

Those pictures were taken with my new camera with lots of snazzy features whose battery charger I proceeded to leave in Indianapolis.

I did NOT put a dent in my father's car when I failed to get up our icy, inclined driveway and drifted dangerously close to a big rock. Instead, I asked for help from Dad. Good things come to those who surrender.

I went sledding with two little boys down the slope in our front yard that is really not so big. Going down is much easier and much more fun.

I caught the bouquet at a friend's wedding. Go ahead and laugh.

I got to play handbells at our church's Christmas Eve service.

I ran into one of my high school English teachers and networked. A little weird.

I watched the Colts lose. Twice. I left the country so they would start winning again.

And so I'm back, thankful for a good holiday and excited (if overwhelmed) to start school again.

And what does "Selamat Tahun Baru" mean?
Happy New Year!