I hate to be sitting in front of my computer while my family is all at home, but I haven’t blogged in a while and I wanted to “get ‘er done” on Christmas Day itself. I want to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year, and, as they often say across the pond, many happy returns.

This has been quite a year for me. Some of the big events include captaining the Quiz Bowl team that won the Nebraska State Championship, reading the entire Harry Potter series for the first time in just under two months, graduating from Elkhorn High School, getting my novel (“The Bully Buster”) published, moving to the customer service department at my job at Hy-Vee, beginning my life as a student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and “winning” NaNoWriMo for the first time ever.

There have been quite a few ups and downs this year, but I am thankful and blessed to say that the good times have far outweighed the bad ones. I have received many great opportunities, I am surrounded by loving and supportive friends and family members whom I cherish, and most importantly, I’m serving a God who loves me despite my many failings and setbacks. ‘Tis the season to remember that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, and that’s why we celebrate this Christmas season. I know it’s easy to forget that during the hustle and bustle of daily life, especially during the holiday season, but I know that remembering what God did for us and thanking Him for it brings Him delight.

So as Judy Garland sang in “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (one of my all-time favorites), be happy that “faithful friends who are dear to us will be near to us once more.” Take comfort in your loved ones here on Earth and in heaven, and have a very merry Christmas.