Happy 2007!

Fireworks are going off all over our neighborhood and it's still a couple hours before midnight! These people love their fireworks. They lit up the skies on Christmas Eve too, something I was totally unprepared for. Tonight will surely be spectacular, and I can watch from the comfort of my bedroom, which is on the second story and has glass doors leading out to a balcony. Over the doors is a triangular shaped window whose point reaches to the ceiling, providing a nice view of the southern part of the city. People are shooting off fireworks all over the place and I've heard there is also a nice show taking place at the city center. Clara is in bed... I wonder if the ruckus will wake her up or she'll sleep like a baby through it all?

I think all of our New Year's celebrations have been different. There have always been fireworks.... a few years ago we added the black-eyed peas..... and we like to play games on New Years Eve and Day. But other than that, I can't think of any other traditions that we keep for this holiday. I don't usually worry too much about New Years Resolutions. It didn't seem like something worth getting all worked up about when everyone I knew forgot all about them a month later.

Clara has finally felt better today, after coming down with a bad viral illness the day after Christmas. It sent us to the Dr. twice and the E.R. once. I'm not one to rush to the doctor over every runny nose and cough, but this time it was clear we needed some expert advice and good medicine. Thankfully, our Croatian doctor was very nice and also knowledgable. What a relief to see Clara feeling better and to get that first foreign doctor visit out of the way. It is no fun to have a sick child, but it is even worse to take that child to a strange doctor in a strange place.

From my quote collection book:

Keep your heart free from hate,
Your mind free from worry,
Live simply,
Expect little,
Give much,
Trust God,
Fill your life with love,
Forget self,
Think of others,
Do as you would be done by,
Thank God for all your blessings,
Do all you can for people with
no thought of personal gain.

~Unknown

May God richly bless you in the coming year,
and always.....