Welcome 2014!

There's nothing I love more than an a new calendar... the non-digital kind. Tearing off the plastic used to wrap it in production, I eagerly open the first page. The aroma of fresh ink and new paper swirl around me; the clean, untarnished pages stare back at me, beckoning me to fill them with appointments, birthdays, tasks and celebrations. It's the start of a new year; a clean slate. The past is behind us, and looming before us are 365 days yet to be written. Anything is possible in those days, and that thought, is both terrifying and exhilarating. 

For my family, 2014 is full of endless possibilities, dreams, and celebrations. Having faced the end of 2012, and most of 2013 in a period of trial and transition, we look forward to what we hope will be a year of normalcy, with little change, a lot of intentional dreaming, rebuilding, and... purposeful celebration. 

There's that word again... celebration. 

A few years back I took on the challenge to acknowledge the random holidays - both known and "little known" in the calendar year. The challenge came at a time when, ironically, we we were struggling to find a reason to celebrate anything. But the intentional focus on the random holidays proved to be just what we needed to get us through what was, at least for the first 9 months, a difficult year. 

This year I felt a longing to take up that challenge again. Not because we are struggling to find reason to celebrate life this year, but more because of the celebrating we've already been doing through the holidays (by far our best Christmas in several years), and the hope, joy and enthusiasm we're feeling for life as 2014 begins. I love being intentional about acknowledging the random holidays, because it provides a great outlet for my creativity. But more so because of how it inspires my family to fully engage in life, find fun and meaning in little things, and make every day special. It's a great learning tool for our every-growing monkey, an inspired way to turn a blah-Tuesday into a party, and a wonderful way to bring our family together and truly celebrate life. 

So if you're looking for a creative way to bring your family together in 2014, won't you join us in our "Celebrate Life Challenge"? Join with us in intentionally celebrating the random holidays this year!

Want a great tool to help you learn more about the random holidays? Visit PunchBowl's website for their daily "reasons to celebrate." I've put a widget for it on my blog (note the side bar to the left). They also have a Facebook page!