A New Day...and A Look Back

Since all 2007 left me were dashed hopes for seeing Celine Dion's A New Day show in Vegas, 2008 looked bleak. That is! Until I proposed a new Ware family tradition. Our first, I might add. Watching the sun rise on New Year's Day. Since Adam and I are not nightowls, this is a great tradition for us. We woke up at the usual 6 am, drove down the empty tree-lined streets of Irvine and parked in a lot next to a big empty wilderness (with lots of million dollar homes nestled in the interior and a big gate blocking us from entry except by foot.)

I gathered the baseball blanket around my shoulders and we ascended up the paved path. At the top of the path we decided the best view would be atop the non-paved hill. We busted out some early-morning attitude and walked all over the bare land. Bare land does not come around often here, (and if it does you'll be cited for walking on it - which we would have been if The Irvine Co. were awake at that hour) so I took in all the sagebrush smell I could.

We talked about the Iowa caucuses (what is that word? caucus?) and who we want to vote for (we still don't know). And why does Iowa get to decide which way the election goes so early on anyway? (Maybe because they are more decisive than the rest of the country.) I wished I had spent more time the night before looking for the thermos so we could have started the New Year out right with some of Aunt Karen's hot chocolate. But as I said before, not a nightowl, and when 11 pm comes around no thermos stands in the way of my sleep.

We left a little before the sun actually came above the hill in front of us because Adam had to go to work, and I had to get home for some lounging. I spent some of that lounge time looking back through my journal and discovered - surprise - 2007 was a really great year! I didn't remember half the things I had written, and that is precisely why I keep a journal. Because I can't remember anything that happens past last week.

So without further ado, I bring you What Happened to the Wares 2007:

January. We are in our 6 (hundredth it feels like) month living in Vista, CA. We watched An Inconvenient Truth and caught wind of this new phrase whipping around the swiftly melting glaciers of the earth: Go Green. We are inspired (more on that later) but then get a second car (in July) just to make sure we're both emitting equal amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That's what carbon neutral means, right?

Well it's not July yet and Adam is still biking 10 miles to work and 10 miles home from work. In January. And it's cold. But not that cold. But colder than I thought because also in January I joined the San Diego Bike Club one frigid morning on a 17 (I think - but didn't write it down so I'm really not sure) mile ride around La Jolla (including up Face Melter mountain). Someone in the club asked if I was coming back next week. Do you THINK I'm coming back? Do you SEE how red my face is right now? I can't feel my hands and NO I'm not coming back.

Also in January, Haven, my niece, is born to my sister Heather. The girl is cute. And she's almost one!

February. Nothing much here. Work is stressful, I'm teaching the Laurels in Young Womens. My cousin Carrie visits and we enjoy Hollywood and Santa Monica together with our husbands. We both married great guys.

March. I spend my birthday in Utah because Haven is being blessed in Logan and I can't think of another child who I'd rather be overshadowed by on my birthday than Haven.

I join the company softball team while Adam ensues studying for the CPA exam.

April. Adam and I celebrate our one year anniversary in Del Mar. I experience my first official ward offense and decide to just get over it. My brother Roger and his bustling little family visit and Adam and I have the privilege of tending two bustliest of the bunch and decide to postpone having a family till after death.

May. After several thousand attempts at getting all the right documents to travel to a foreign country with my married name on them (retarded idea), Adam and I go to Brazil. We have some very hospitable friends there who dropped everything to hang out with us. My favorite part was a town called Paraty where we stayed in a little cottage straight out of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and ate the most amazing fruit, cheese, bread - everything - breakfasts.

June. We start apartment shopping in Irvine because Adam now has two choices because of the depressing state of the housing market (he works for a homebuilder): one - get laid off; two - move to Irvine. He likes the company, so we move to Irvine and pay a lot more for rent.

July. I go to Girl's Camp with the Young Women in a remote desert by Ridgecrest. I can't believe we drove that far. But it is worth it because we rafted and swam in a river the whole time! So fun. Ok July is when we officially moved, and I quit my job as a copywriter for an Internet marketing company. I don't think I will have a boss quite like that one again - a former rocker with an affinity for the F-word - very entertaining.

We visit Lake Powell with Adam's family and since I am jobless, I take a break and keep on traveling.

August. Went to North Carolina to see my sister Heather and that adorable Haven again. My parents also come and we have the BEST time. I ate collard greens, sweet patata pie and something else I can't remember at the moment. Back in California I am interviewing and crossing my fingers for a PR job.

September. I try to get my Calif. driver's license with my married name on it (changing your name is so retarded!) My cousin Carrie announces her pregnancy and I get the PERFECT PR job in the world. It is still perfect, I love it to death.

October. California lights up with all sorts of fires and I am extremely alarmed and pack my bags, certain I am facing my death. We catch the next plane out of the smoke to head to Colorado to try our luck at getting World Series tickets. No such luck, but it is ok because watching it at home was just as fun (and slightly less? depressing because the Rockies lost horribly.)

November. I have just cut my hair shorter than ever before and my little brother Owen gets a sweet mission call to India. My family comes to Irvine for Thanksgiving and Owen goes thru the temple for the first time.

December. I'm overdue for a break after making a turkey that weighs twice as much as me. I am sad that it doesn't snow here. And then we go to Denver and I am very happy because the snow does not stop.

And now - tadahhh - January 2008. You know what this means. New Year's Resolutions. I never make them but this year I will make four. Ready?

1. Go Green - Babysteps Version. Since we aren't getting rid of our second car just yet, I have decided to buy canvas grocery bags and ask my apartment complex why they don't offer recycling. It's the least I can do for this earth.

2. Read 3 Hard Classics. So far I know I want to read War and Peace. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

3. Daily Scripture Study with Adam. We did well last year with the D & C because our Stake demanded it and gave us a bookmark to help. This year we don't have any Stake guidance, so we made our own bookmark and will be studying one or two topics per week. If you want the bookmark, tell me so in the comments and I'll send it to you.

4. Remember Birthdays (and do something about it). I am already behind because my dad's b-day is on Friday and I haven't sent anything. Dang it.

Happy New Year everyone.