Once a year I sit down to think about the last year, and make my goals for the next. This past year was a roller coaster. We kicked off the year with the birth of our third son. This was a particularly special moment for my family, as he was the first "Burg" born in our homeland in what was likely around 2000 years.

But this year took a different turn as we approached summer. It began with the news that three of our boys were missing. Over the weeks that followed, I understood for the first time what it meant to be part of this great nation. Strangers gathered together in prayer and acts of kindness. As a nation, we collectively held our breath and hoped for the best. 

But our nightmare became a reality. The bodies were found. And then the war began. For the first time in our lives, my family found ourselves running for bomb shelters as rockets flew overhead. For week after week, we kept our ears tuned to the sound of the sirens as we shared our collective anxiety, fears, pride, dreams and the pain of loss. The cost in human lives and suffering was unbearable. And as we pick up the pieces, I'm not sure we've really moved forward or set ourselves up to prevent further tragedy a few years down the line. 

This past year was not an easy one. 

Here's to a new start. Here's to always appreciating the little things, and never letting the big things weigh us down. Here's to a sweet, healthy and happy new year.