I love new beginnings.

So long as you exist, nothing is final, and the possibilities are endless.

I know, I’m also one of those annoying morning people who loves Mondays. But to be fair, there is always something to celebrate in life and New Year’s is a fun time to just live and enjoy it.

Yes, I also do that silly “reflecting on the year” thing because it’s important to remember your accomplishments and give yourself some credit if you want to keep growing and achieving.

This year I gave birth to my 5th child at home. She is truly the baby of the family and so full of wonder. My eldest entered her teens and took her ACT because she’s a true overachiever and determined to graduate high school in 2024 regardless of how much the rest of us try to slow her down.

My middle girl got glasses and looks like the cutest mini librarian on the planet. My eldest boy is finally learning how to really listen and absorb information – which makes homeschooling a real treat, and my youngest boy is the charmer. His love of music, movement, and protecting others are some of my favorite joys.

My stepson just turned 18 and is creating his own full-length comic book — which is better than most of the mainstream insanity I’ve seen in ages.

My husband has gone full-blown health nut, which means I don’t have to be the bad guy all the time for making the kids eat carrots and apples instead of chips and cookies.

And of course, in between all the living, I’ve been writing. Writing about news, happiness, loss, politics, truth, and just life in general.

This year I had my 1,000th piece of professional writing published and had another record year. in 2023 I had over 650 articles, essays, books, and other pieces of writing published (altogether – if only I could write 650 books haha).

Some days are hard. When you write for a living you can’t call in sick. You write through everything. I’m literally typing this from a hotel room while we’re on vacation visiting my in-laws.

But I’m one of the lucky ones, and I know that. Not everyone can do what I do. And I appreciate every opportunity, even when I’m tired. Even when I hate writing and wonder why I didn’t just go to veterinary school or join the circus.

Writing is my life. It is a part of my family, my traditions, my existence. All I ever wanted to do was write books, but fate has a great sense of humor, just like the Gods.

I look at 2024 with open eyes and see so many wonderful things for everyone. There will be hardships as well, but I believe everyone can have a Happy New Year.

2023 started out rough. I had lost one of my biggest writing gigs near the end of 2022 and wasn’t sure how this year would go. As fate would have it things turned around well. I snagged a job working for my local paper in addition to finding the right fit with RSBN and the IJR. Best of all, my work has been recognized by top officials, including President Donald Trump.

Love him or hate him, how many writers can say that? Honestly!

As the year became more lucrative, so did my writing and my ability to give back to my community and aid those in need.

I was also able to help my 93-year-old great-uncle publish his story his way. That was truly one of the biggest highlights of this year. Just helping an old man smile and remember his late wife.

I could go on and on about all the magic of life behind each sentence I produced this year, but how many people even read all the text anymore? haha

The true headline for this post could be “News Years Ramblings,” but either way, I’m wishing all of you the best of times in 2024.