Out with the old, In with the new

I guess things would be pretty boring if they were always the same? This New Year, I hope that things will improve and be even better than the last. It's amazing how much faster the years seem to be going. Each year goes by faster than the last.

We've been going to Aunt Linda & Uncle Rusty's house for a New Year's celebration for many years now. They've had New Year's parties for as long as I can remember. For years, you'd see the same faces, and many of them seem to be unchanged, but the youngest ones seem to change so much from year to year. (I still can't get over how much Kyle has grown!) This year, there were a few faces that we missed, but that's not to say that we weren't thinking of them.

A few minutes before midnight, we all headed up to the park to "ring" in the New Year. Dennis and I got the kids' coats on and we headed up to the park. We sat in the parking spot waiting for the others as we watched Uncle Rusty put the rope on to the bell. We remembered how, for many years, my brother (Ted) would put the rope on. Ted hasn't been there for 2 or 3 years, since he's moved out of Weissport. His life has changed quite a bit, but I'm sure we'll be seeing him putting the rope on in years to come.

As we waited for everyone else, Corey was still strapped in his car seat, telling us that he wanted to lay in his bed and cover up. He was tired. Collin, on the other hand, couldn't wait to ring the bell.

It wasn't long before everyone was there. Uncle Leon was watching the time, and when the clock struck 12, Uncle Rusty rang the bell. Collin was first in line, so he rang it too. (He needed help, because if he would've had the rope by himself, it would've pulled him up!) Once Corey heard how loud the bell was, he backed away. The rest of the kids were running around and throwing snowballs, while some of the younger ones stood in line for their turn to ring the bell.

After everyone had their turn, we all got back into our cars and some of us headed home, while others headed back to Aunt Linda and Uncle Rusty's house. Dennis (and Corey) wanted to go home, so that's what we did.

Another year gone, but not to be forgotten, and we'll wonder what this new year has in store for us, and what a blessing it will be to see everyone again the next time we ring the bell.