We have a lizard.

He’s really a gecko.

His name is Spotty and Santa brought him to Audrey on Christmas day.

And if I am being honest we don’t know whether it’s a he or she, that won’t reveal itself until later down the road when Spotty gets older. But he feels like a he so we are referring to him as such.

We’ve been worried about our little gecko for some time now. He wasn’t eating those live crickets that Audrey has lovingly been covering in calcium powder and throwing into his home.

I was worried that maybe Santa didn’t realize he brought us a sick little gecko and in my head began planning how I would let Audrey know of his passing.

Then last Tuesday night happened.

It was during our evening floury of activity, half-naked children running in and out of bathrooms preparing for nightly baths; me attempting to find missing socks and unload the dishwasher; Audrey trying hard to get Spotty to eat.

Audrey’s scream pierced through the chaos.

“He’s eating guys, he’s eating. It was the coolest thing like ever!!!”

The four of us gathered round his little tank to watch him lick his lips, the ultimate sign of satisfaction.

We were mesmerized.

“Aud let’s feed him another” I suggested.

She obliged and we held our breath watching to see if Spotty would take another treat.

He stalked his prey and in a matter of seconds pounced and another of our cricket friends bit the dust.

Nose pressed against glass we all squealed with delight, in awe of life unfolding in front of us.

These are the moments you cannot fathom will delight you as a parent when you plan to become one.

Sheer joy derived from watching a gecko eat a cricket.

I am happy to report Spotty continues to eat very well…

As we set out to tackle 2015, the girls and I sat down over the weekend to talk about individual goals for the new year. It’s an interesting conversation when you’re plotting life  with a 10, almost 8 and 4-year-old.

As usual they teach me more than I teach them, so with their help we’ve come up with quite a few goals for our new year.

Mine will include running 4 half marathons, picking up 4 new sports/physical activities and most importantly walking away from work for a full 2 weeks this summer to spend time with the girls on St. Simons Island.

Sidney has decided she wants to “dedicate herself to her riding”.

Audrey is stepping out of her comfort zone and is willing to “try new foods” and Ellie thinks she should watch more Winks and “learn how to dance better”.

We discussed the need to form goals for our little family as well and landed on a doozy – the four of us will spend time exploring our faith and finding a spiritual house to call home.

Each of my girls have strong feelings about their relationship with God but they also feel strongly that what we are doing each sunday doesn’t feel like “it should”. Some may disagree, but I believe they have every right to participate and decide on the path our family should take.

So here we head into the new year full of promises and plans.

Glad these little ladies are on this journey with me.

Life is exquisite.

Part pain, part joy; all parts worthwhile.

When I look back on the year that was, I become even more convinced that life is so much more than the moments that we think will define us.

It’s not about what hits us.  It’s about how we react to the ebbs and flows of this journey.

This year has been an incredible gift.

Moments that have brought me to my knees in weakness.

And others that have made me soar on wings like eagles.

There is more to come; chapters left unwritten.

Moments of joy to be had.

I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us.

I’m hopeful it’s a new year filled with reminders that this one life is ours to live.

My four year old has a way with words.

When I asked her to tell me the story of Jesus’ birth she came up with the following.

Priceless

https://fbcdn-video-c-a.akamaihd.net/hvideo-ak-xpa1/v/t42.1790-2/10837468_10152634568416429_1693460611_n.mp4?rl=351&vabr=195&oh=68920d2150826fe8ca423f2e79e823ec&oe=54906C40&__gda__=1418752523_c96ab5763621eda8d2ca538ef1acdf6c

Part 1

A girl lands at a small midwestern university hundreds of miles from home.

On move in day she meets another girl who has also traveled far to make this campus her home.

The two girls bond during multiple trips to Meijer where they purchase Ramen noodles, candles galore and the occasional random dorm room necessity like a chair that flips to a single bed.

They meet two other girls their first semester. They marvel at how they all have chosen this place.

The four of them become a team.

The next four years are spent commiserating over papers due, boyfriends gained and lost, dreams for the future.

They pick different majors.

Some join sororities or play sports.

But the four of them remain a crew.

They travel to Florida for spring breaks and make the journey across the water where Europe will temporarily pull them apart (some for longer than others).

They always come back to each other.

They move in to a house their senior year and vow that nothing;

no one ever will take them away from each other.

They graduate.

Part 2

Their wings take them in different directions, move them down different paths.

One gets married and moves to DC.

Two others start their lives in Boston.

And the fourth heads to Rochester to carve her own way.

They gather every four months or so in one of those cities to navigate the waters of adulthood together.

There are more weddings.

They move cities and they begin to build their families.

Their friendship is the constant.

There are fights. Moments of anger with each other.

They endure the growing pains of life.

As always they come back together.

They turn 30.

Part 3

Life gets real.

There are miscarriages.

There is a marital crisis.

A parent dies.

The friendship becomes more-they are a family.

And now their babies are the visual reminders of their friendship.

The children are “cousins” the other mom’s are the “aunts”.

There is a divorce.

New life changes.

Another parent dies.

They cling to each other like life rafts.

They are fiercely protective of one another and the love they share.

And now as they sit, staring down the hallway of 40, they plan for 40th birthday trips to Key West where spouses and children aren’t welcome.

Not because those men and those babies aren’t important or central.

No, it’s because this friendship deserves a singular moment where the women can honor the role they have played in each others lives.

And that one girl.

The girl who traveled to that small midwestern university with no idea where the path would take her.

She now wonders if these girls,

these women,

who have seen her through more seasons of life then she could have ever imagined,

if that maybe they aren’t her great love story.

These ladies just might be the love of her life.

She can’t wait for their next chapter together.