If you would have told me, even four years ago, that I would be spending New Year’s Eve in a new home in a new neighborhood in Boston, MA, with my new husband and his 13- and 16-year-olds playing video games on multiple devices just feet away from where I type now, I would have given you a bit of a raised eyebrow.

And by “bit”, I mean that I would have rolled my eyes and asked if you got a good deal on the crack you were smoking.

I mean, come on.

Some of it sounds like what I had in mind, sure.

Husband? Yep, I always intended to have one of those.

Kids? Yep, I always intended to have them.

A home? Sure, you need somewhere to put all those people, right?

But the way it all actually happened continues to be a surprise, even after weeks and months of life together. Really. It’s easy to get used to the new… until I open my eyes in the middle of the night and hear someone snoring just inches away (and a room or two away), and watch the shadows dancing across our bedroom wall, created by the moon shining through our backyard trees.

My backyard? My trees? My wall? My snoring mate (and guys)?

Wow.

I like that — I don’t want to get used to it quite yet.

I want to be surprised by joy and thankfulness every day for as long as I can sustain it.

Is it perfect? No. I’m not sure what perfect would look like, but it sounds awfully dull.

Is it trouble-free? No. And I never stood a chance of a life like that, flawed as I am.

Is it predictable? In some ways, yest, and in other ways, not a chance. You know… just like life.

Is it all ironed-out? Not a chance. We’ve still got more things to figure out in the months ahead.

But I am so thrilled it’s what I have.

As we celebrate the beginning of a new year, I find myself thinking what I always think on this occasion: New Year’s Eve is an over-hyped, faux-holiday that leads to anxiety about “doing something”, painfully high heels, horribly expensive dinner reservations, hours of awkward footage from Times Square of the latest Ryan-Seacrestian-hoster-of-things, and big expectations that no evening can match.

Forget it.

I’m happy to stay at home with my guys, and welcome the calendar change with Chinese takeout and junk food and video games and laughing. Which is pretty much the same stuff we do every other Saturday night, too.

I’m so thankful.

Happy New Year, and love to all.