This year has been a difficult one. It's hard to believe that we've made it this far. My two youngest children have moved into their own places for better or for worse. They have faced many struggles that have left us all feeling saddened and stressed. The most disturbing was my daughter's diagnosis of lupus. It has left her pushing through each day hoping and praying for remission. After over three months, there is no end in sight. After numerous doctors and too many tests to count, they are now changing her meds hoping that these will now work. All the while, she is taking care of a very active one-year-old all alone.

I don't know why God has chosen to dump on us this year. I keep asking, but he's not answering me. Or if he is, I'm just not seeing it. I talk to others who are having a year even worse than ours and try to tell myself that things could be worse. Sometimes when you're struggling, it's hard to notice the difficulties of those around us. And yet, there are still blessings to be found.

This year we've had the pleasure of seeing our grandson, little Brayden, grow and develop. Starting as a docile infant, he has grown into an active toddler with a personality all his own. For all the tears of this year, he has been the one shining star in our lives.

So here's to the New Year to come! May it be filled with more positives than negatives.

May God bless us all!!