NEW YEAR FAVES

 

Here we are at Friday...the first one of January! 

I'm sharing FIVE of my fave blessings with other bloggers who look for the good things in the week.  We link up over at Susanne's site.  

Ocean Oasis

• SAFE TRAVELS:  Dave and I left mid-morning last Friday for our getaway to Boston/First Night.  The Mass Pike was heavy with traffic as usual and we arrived at our hotel in the late afternoon after stopping for a quick lunch half way across the state. After unpacking and relaxing for a bit in the hotel, we made our way to a restaurant for dinner and a cocktail,   and had a relaxing evening back at our hotel suite. I'm thankful for a safe trip to and from Boston. (going back to NY on Monday was easy. The mass pike was virtually empty and we were home by 2 pm!) 

one of the oldest cemeteries in MA

Dave in his hometown

• SATURDAY:  I am thankful for last Saturday.  After a leisurely breakfast in the hotel dining room, we drove down to Plymouth County to Dave's hometown to visit his parents.  We had a brief visit with them at Thanksgiving (they tire quickly) so we were happy to have the day with them.  I won't go into all the details here but they are aging and it shows. My father in law will be 90 in May. We had some lunch with them that their daily helper provided and after a time of talking, we noticed that they were beginning to tire, so we  went on a long walk throughout their neighborhood and around that part of Dave's hometown to give them  some alone time. Dave and I walked for 3 miles and then it started to rain so we went back to the house where  I was able to help my mother in law with something on her iPad.  Around dinner time, we left and went over to the local diner for a delicious dinner.  I'm so thankful we spent the day with my in-laws and still had the evening to ourselves back up in Boston. 

International Flags at City Hall Plaza

a fave ice sculpture to represent the swan boats
City Hall Plaza

Frog Pond at Boston Commons

downtown Boston Selfie
31 December 

Newbury Street!
We loved how Cartier's was decorated!

New Sculpture in Boston Commons
The Embrace
(in honor of Dr MLK, Jr). 

• FIRST NIGHT BOSTON!   This was the highlight of our week, obviously.  Dave was born and raised on the south shore and I fell in love with Boston during my week long Spring Break  trip there in 1988. I stayed with an aunt and uncle who lived on the north shore and my good friend R went with me.  I have loved this city ever since and was thrilled when our oldest daughter chose a college just to the north of the City proper. This was our 2nd time going to First Night in Boston and the first time as empty nesters. We had a blast!  For some reason we missed a lot of the ice sculptures but we did see five and out of those, the 2 pictured above were my faves. We took the T in from our hotel and then walked everywhere, only taking the T back at night to eat a very late dinner. We attended a folk/country guitar duo group at City Hall Plaza; saw the Aquarium ice sculpture (seals), walked all over Boston Commons and the Public Gardens; did some window shopping and got coffee at an excellent  coffee shop on Newbury Street; walked up and down Beacon St admiring Christmas lights and decorations; went to the first 15 minutes of the  Figure Skating Club show on Frog Pond and then had to walk fast up Boylston street to get to Old South Church for a Pipes and Pops concert.  That was our fave part of the night.  It was spectacular. I have pictures on FB I think of the inside of the church.  It's one of the oldest in the  city and one we had never been inside of.  I'm so thankful we had a safe, fun First Night. (and the weather was low 30s and SUNNY!!  a huge plus!) 

image courtesy of shutterst*ck

• BOOKS!  I'm so thankful for books I can borrow from our town library.  The only books I usually buy are Bible study type books like for small groups/book club. I used to buy all kinds of hiking guides but I have so many that I've stopped that. I love books and reading is one of the things I do daily, especially in the evenings after dinner in the colder months. I'm not a fan of television although I do watch Hulu or Netflix movies and sometimes movies via Prime. But books are free from the library so I always have 2-3 on my bedside shelf. I' m thankful for cozy winter evenings at home to spend reading. 

• SPECIAL MESSAGE:  Everyone in my immediate family all have this Bible app on our phones. I like it because anyone who is in your contacts, who also has the app, can join in on devotionals and you can comment and read each other's thoughts, questions, prayer requests, etc. You can also, of course, do your own devotionals and not invite anyone to read it with you.  I do one every few months with my cousin and this past week, my oldest daughter and I have been doing a prayer centered one for New Year's. She left me a message one day this week that really touched my heart and  was actually an answer to prayer that I've prayed regarding her ever since she was young. I won't go into what the message  said out of respect for her privacy, but it made me smile and say "Thank You, God".  I'm thankful to see good fruit from this oldest girl of mine.......reaping what I've sown into her over hte years.  God is good. 

That's all I have for this first week of January.

I hope you all had a wonderful start to the New Year.  My next post will be centered around the "Word of the Year" that God has put on my heart to meditate on and embrace.