40 years: check!

Check!!
What an achievement: making it through 40 years in this crazy, c*ckeyed world?!!
What else is there to say but:
- 41, nice to see you, let's kick ass this year 2012!
December 29:th is The Day for starting a new year in life. Always is and no exception this year.


Me, myself and I will take on this year head on, in this notion (now, THAT'S a promise):
"I'll show myself the way I am and I'll stand up for it 100%".

How else to spend the 24 hours that are my birthday? Hanging with loved ones.

Chilling.

Unpacking and putting together the sofa.

The top watch dog, watching out.

The evening of December 28:th happens only hours before the time I was born - 41 years ago.

41

It's nothing but a number, they say, but of course it's everything but a number! It's experience, impossible to buy. It's an altered view.

OK, so seeing those numbers 4. 1. I don't quite recognize myself. But: what did I learn this passed year?

I learned a lot.

Let's see:

- It's a challenge meeting myself in and down deep. It's a hard task working on those buried emotions and qualities that need working, need facing and bringing them up.

- Working as a leader, there's no choice - that facing of fears will be done. People will call your "bluffs" that you didn't even know you carried.

- It takes energy being in a way that is against your nature. When your nature is open and giving and you must close up a bit, it takes a whole lot more of you, than "just being a way that seems right, good and comfortable".

- Focusing on family and fun times will save your soul.

- Getting more sleep will refill you in an unthinkable way.

- The fact that you teach people how to treat you - as the dear Dr Phil says - is very true.

- The years pass scaringly quick. To aim to have a Favorite Day each and every day, is the way to go.

- Letting music guide you to good emotions, is wise.

- Letting you be inspired by those that inspire you - no matter what others think - is a good thing.

- Standing up for you, is a good thing.

- Lighting a fire, a candle and snuggling with a glass of wine, a movie and a husband, is my idea of a perfect evening.

- Jogging is all good.

- Playing games with my boy, is all good.

- Raising a firstborn son (under pressure), turned out all good and seeing that son being a charming and perfect gentleman to his girlfriend, made me feel like I am a good mother.

-Life is only, ever and always here and now. There is nothing else.

In this pic it's still December 28:th. The new couch is in place.

December 29:th! My birthday gifts were pillows this year and boy do I love them!

A calm day after opening gifts, drinking hot cocoa with whipped cream.

My parents came to visit.

They're inspecting the pillows...

While The Boy keeps playing his Wii-game :-)

Trying to get all of us in a pic...

Nothing like family!!

My dad helps out in the kitchen.

One of their three dogs.

The Boy shows granddad his school photo.

And floor ball photo!

The day after, my father and I visited some relatives that has passed on.

A special kind of tranquility and time to think about time, life and what matters.

My father got us help to find my great grandparents' grave.

Here they lay. My paternal great grandparents.

My paternal grandparents.

I and daddy figured we might capture this happy moment, being in now and then, all at once!

Before their take off, back, we went to my mom at their hotel for a last photo shoot.

Another of their dogs, looking very cute!

Those are happy campers indeed.

Solid spring signs in our garden.

And in the comfort and security of our own home, this one awaited me.

ALL is so very good.

Head on, is what I said, head on it is!

And with that I hope that head on will mean a calmer and lighter year. I want to feel free and jolly, not only in my spare time. I aim for that!

2012 will be a good year. A very good year, I can feel it!