January 1

Ever since the idea to do this came to me, I've been chomping at the proverbial bit to get started. And of course, the dawning of the new year seemed as good a time as any for me to fully embrace my blatant adoration of cliches and dive in. (Or at least a logical springboard, if nothing else.)

And then today came. I took a few photos. I looked around. I waited. I listened. And honestly, I didn't see much.

Until a few minutes ago. As I rounded the bend between my dining room and kitchen, intent on rejoining Adam for our evening session of the awesomeness that is watching David Hasselhoff rock his vanilla fro in Knight Rider, I saw this.

And I stopped for a moment to look at it. Sure, it's just a black sign that reads 'Hope'. But I think it's more than that.

What do we have if we don't have hope? I pass this sign multiple times each day --it sits on my kitchen counter (though I confess I cheated and moved it a little to get a better picture)-- but I never really see it. And that's an important thing to remember as 2013 starts: regardless of where we are, how we feel, how desperate times seem, hope is always there amid the junk on our kitchen counters. Even if we don't see it.