Would hate to break tradition....

Jason and I have been together since we were 16 -- amazing I know, you don't actually meet a lot of high school sweethearts that "made it".  Being together since we were 16 means we've had about 26 New Year's eve's together.  We have stayed awake for only a few of them.

One was in Vermont in 1986.  We were staying in this decrepit bed and breakfast of a friend of his dad's.  The teenage kids were having a party (strangely, Jason and I were technically also teenage kids as we were 18, but we felt so much older because we were in college - 1st semester and not high school, so there was a distinction in maturity, at least in our minds).  I was sick. The bathroom was down the hall.  Our room had two single beds that we put together.  Even with putting them together and both of us having all our clothes on, the thread bear blankets were not enough to keep us warm.  Vermont gets really really cold.  Periodically, I would make my way through the dark hallway to the dark bathroom and throw up.  I would have to climb over making-out teenagers and two girls lamenting over some other girl being a slut and how some boy just didn't know a good thing when he had it.  Jason and I decided we couldn't handle it any more and decided to leave.  But his car wouldn't start (because it was that freakin' cold).  By the time we got back to our room the teen agers had stolen our two pillows and our thread bare blankets.  So we huddled together, miserable and rang in the New Year.  His car started the next morning....thank GAWD.

The only other one I remember was 1999.  My brother and his then girlfriend (who is not his lovely wife of today, and I'm so happy about that because his lovely wife of today is wonderful), Jason's sister and her husband and Jason and I went to a fancy party at a fancy country club, dressed up and partied like it was 1999 in a we're-in-our-early-30's-have a-six-month-old-and-are-sleep-deprived-and-have-never-been-drinker-partiers kinda way.  It was fun, loved being with family, stayed awake to drink champagne with my sweetie.  Very nice experience, not sure I'd do it every year (actually pretty sure I wouldn't do it every year, since it was the only year we did it).

In those 26 years we may have stayed up another time or two and watched the ball drop.

Other then that....it's Z's at the Zimmer's.

Yesterday Jake had two back to back basketball games (won one, lost one).  They only had five players so those poor boys didn't get a break.  He came home, took a bath and passed out.  Isaac desperately wanted us all to stay up and out of the four of us, he's the one who could do it.  But since Jake's basketball tournament continues today we made him go to sleep.  Jason promised him he would set his alarm and wake him up to see the ball drop.  Isaac, didn't trust him so he set his own alarm.

I vaguely remember Isaac coming in, waking Jason up, watching the ball drop, some people yelling outside and getting a sloppy nine year old boy kiss on my cheek and a whispered, "happy New Year mommy", then it was back to Z-land for me.

Best New Year's ever.

Being home with my family, one who loves me, one who I cherish.
I am blessed!

May everyone have a blessed, restful and happy 2012!