REFLECTING AND RESOLVING

Alright, here it comes, reflections and resolutions ...let's do this.

I'm feeling hopeful already because we've almost made it through this week. It was really cold this week, like REALLY cold, for the first time since winter fell upon us, and it was also the first full week back at work after the holidays. Plus, we were committed to sleep training Logan. All that, and I survived. 2016 is looking pretty good already. 

I used to roll my eyes a little at resolutions but in the past few years i have felt their value in assessing, meditating, celebrating and hoping. Also, it is great fun to look back at them (like mine from last year..!) to make time and progress. 

These past six months, after having my second child, I've been sharply aware of how short life is. I feel it like a huge spotlight upon my life, in a way that puts me into this trance where I'm seeing the past, present and future all at once: I see how temporary my children's stages are, I see how hard it might have been for my parents when I was a kid, but also really fun. I see my parents' marriage right now and how they must remember so much about the past but how they must keep moving forward, I see how our girls will be out of the house much sooner than we think it will happen, I see how our friends and family will grow old and sometimes very sick, and how there will be heartbreak. I see how joyful and perfect certain small moments are. 

Maybe this is the spirit in which I reflect and write my resolutions. As a joyous shout for the past and the future. 

Looking back:

1. In 2015, I turned 32 and with that, my 30's didn't seem like such a big deal anymore. As in, it didn't seem intimidating or "so old"; it just seemed like a place to be. I feel glad for my wizen age.

2. The highlight of the year meeting our second daughter, Logan. The joy I feel about having gotten to know her over the past six months is bottomless. 

3. We had to evacuate to VA beach during my maternity leave because of flooring issues. This was annoying but it also turned into an wonderful 2.5 weeks that I got to spend with my mother-in-law, and now VA beach feels like another home.

4. We have been planning and prepping heathy meals for the past two years but after the second kid, I was resolved to ramp it up even more with preparing and pre-packaging every meal, and that's exactly what we did. It has been a life saver and time giver during the busy work weeks.

5. I wanted to read more this past year, and I did! The Overdrive app and audiobooks helped immensely with this, and I'm a happier girl for it.

6. I've been trying to get a handle on my hair, meaning I want to minimize effort in dealing with it and maximize its potential. I've been playing with baking soda shampoo, vinegar conditioning, no shampoo, silk pillowcases, and other variations. I'm liking the extra time this buys me every morning.

7. There is nothing like adding another baby to the mix to light the fire under you to organize and simplify. I've made several cleanses and organization efforts that I am happy with this past year, and plan to keep this up in the next year. It's not just a one time effort, it is continuous!

8. It has been huge for me to learn this past year that I am totally ok (and maybe even prefer? For the time being) the fact that my job and my hobby can be separate things. It has been extremely encouraging to embrace this.

9. This past year I made a conscious effort to always appreciate the present and I've seen the fruits of that. I can't help but feel in my gut that this awareness is answer to pleas for wisdom.

10. Related to the last point, I feel more practiced and skilled at living one day at a time. Sometimes, this feels like a magic power. Other times, it feels like a life vest. 

Looking ahead: 

1. Simplify and organize even more: I have this Tupperware cabinet that must be conquered.

2. First fruits: My friend mentioned this in a recent conversation and the words stuck with me. This might be the theme for this next year in order to make sure I am prioritizing properly. First fruits means I spend the very first few minutes of my day thanking God and saying prayers, first fruits means I give my kids my full attention when I'm with them, first fruits means I am very kind and loving to my husband whenever I speak to him.

3. Career: I want to be more visible in my job and hope to advance.

4. Write more. Always, write more.

5. Get a piano. I've been dreaming about this for years, and I want to make a real push for it this year. 

6. Keep reading. I am committed to reading as many books as I can in my free time, and this year I'm going to try to read-aloud some big books with Sloane: Alice in the Wonderland and The Jungle Book are in the list. 

7. Snatch 125 pounds. I don't even know if this is doable by the end of this year, considering how little sleep I've been getting and how little I've been able to work out, but I'll put it on here. 

Also, these aren't necessarily goals, but I have to make this mean green machine salad, I mean, how could I not?

I'll leave you here with a photo from this past weekend: look at these two cubs! Logan in a chair! Sloane enraptured! 

And that Christmas tree should probably come down sometime this weekend...