In brief, we have been very busy, but the wonderful kind, that is taken up with family and friends. A small amount of family crises that always accompany the holidays, but on the whole, great. Miss Mia, as well as Hubby & I have been showered with love and gifts, and hopefully returned the favor tenfold!
Hubby's parents are currently here with us celebrating the New Year & finishing up our last Christmas. We had a great New Years Eve that included Hubby getting off work early, a ridiculous amount of fabulous appetizers for dinner. Garlic/Chili Shrimp, stuffed jalepenos, brie & red pepper jelly! Oh, it was fabulous!
Even though Christmas is my favorite time of year, New Years is a close second. I think it is because its a clean slate. I love that this is the time when everyone tries so earnestly to do right. I have been perusing my favorite blogs, and I love how Kelly wrapped up her year and how she made resolutions for 2010.
FIVE THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR IN 2009:
1. I am so thankful for Miss Mia! Words cannot express the joy, fear, love, consternation, that this little girl brings me! I understand her so well, and yet still surprised by her quirks and new remarks. This very week, she has began to repeat everything! In this past year, I finally got a little girl with curls! She has taken up walking, talking, running, jumping, climbing, yelling, singing, dancing..I love that she is so fabulously girly and yet will play in her tutu and pearls with trains & trucks.
2. Hubby has been so supportive, as always. This year has been a great exception, as we have entered into uncharted waters. He is constantly the one person that I know will help me keep things in perspective, always offers a humorous suggestion, and listens endlessly while I drone on about school and the historiography of the Early Republic. (There is a spot in heaven for this boy on that note alone!)
3. Family & Friends My family and friends have been so dear to us this year. I have always been close to my family, but with a few unexpected turns, they are closer to me now than ever before. The same goes for friends. My dearest friends have never been dearer and I so look forward to any time that I get to spend with them, whether in person or over the phone.
4. Church Family- One of the biggest decisions this year was our changing of churches. The process, the decision was quite horrific. I will spare the details, but the result was beyond anything I could have imagined. We are now blessed with a fabulous church with some of the best leadership I have ever encountered. I no longer have to worry about the intentions of these most honorable of men & we have made so many great new friendships. We are so lucky to have found this church!
5. Creative outlets- I know this sounds silly, but I am so thankful for all the blogs, fun websites that foster creativity, better devotion, community, and sometimes most importantly those beautiful hours of procrastination that I need so badly! I have made some great friends over this blog. Who would have thought? (Just shows how many ladies love a great baragin!)
FIVE THINGS I WANT TO IMPROVE IN 2010:
1. Better wife & mother- While I have been the busiest that I have ever been, I still want to improve as a wife and mother. I want to not take out my stress on the two people who love me most.
2. Less stress with school- this goes hand-in-hand with the first improvement, but I know that if I just do the work the best I can, there is nothing more than I can do. I am trying so hard to not stress about school and to keep myself healthy..this will be my greatest struggle, I know
3. Reach out more to new friends- Since we have moved to a new and much bigger church, we have so many new friends. I really want to reach out more to these new people and develop these friendships more. I feel that with all our schedules and the business of our lives, Hubby and I could have done so much more in fostering these new relationships. I plan to remedy this in the following months.
4. Improve the health of myself and the family- I have mentioned before that I have been training for 5Ks and the like. That training continues, and I am one race down. Also, I am almost down 20 lbs since September, and 40 since January! I want this to continue for not only me but for Hubby and Miss Mia too. I have some very exciting ideas in mind!
5. Not feel guilty for "me" time- I think that as women and especially mothers, we feel so guilty for giving ourselves any time to ourselves. I will go months, umm 6 to be exact, without getting my hair cut because I feel it is too extravagant. I don't want to find a sitter, don't want to spend our family money, etc. I am really trying to not make myself feel so guilty for a few moments a week or a month that are just for me...I think this will cut down on some of the stress.
FIVE WAYS I WANT TO GIVE AND HELP OTHERS THIS YEAR:
1. Get more involved with the women's ministry at our chruch. I have always helped with the food pantry at church and it is not something that I plan on changing, but I would like to get involved specifically with more women in need.
2. Participate in a Craft Hope project. I love what Jade and other have done! Pick a group in need and have crafty people come together to show some love and compassion. I follow the projects each time, but have yet to make anything for one. I want to change this and maybe even get a few of my other crafty friends in on the projects too. Get Ready!
3. More random acts of kindess. My dad is the absolute best at this. He always talks to strangers, some funny sort of conversation starter, helps with doors or getting someone up steps. I feel I inherited much of this from him. I constantly get people, usually over 80 = ) coming up to me and telling me they feel they are supposed to hug me. (Seriously, this happens almost once a month!) But I want to do more. Whether its a card of kindess, dropping by with cookies for a friend, helping someone up steps, I want my eyes to be open to helping others more and not being too preoccupied with my own life to notice.
4. More coupon classes. While this may sound trivial, I get so many requests that it is hard to keep up. Hubby and I have been talking about me making pseudo-business cards with a link to a site set up to help. I am still working, so please don't give up on me, on a special link with the information from my class on my blog. Hubby is my tech support and he has been CRAZY busy at work..thus changes will come..but it may be a bit yet.
5. Giving- My parents and I have discussed doing more for others than for ourselves. We have everything we need, we just don't have everything we WANT. The day when we have everything we want, will not be in this lifetime. I have really wanted to start focusing our money on one more CD or shirt that no one will wear on those who are less fortunate. My family has always held various Boys' Homes in their hearts. Hubby and I sponsor a child through Save a Child, which I highly recommend. But I would like to do more. For mothers day this year, instead of a bottle of perfume (my mother's perfect gift), maybe give the money we'd use for that and give a donation in her name to the Boys Home or some other charitable organization.
FIVE SPECIFIC GOALS I WANT TO ATTAIN IN 2010:
1. Pass Comprehensive Exams
2. Complete a sprint triathlon
3. Finish book manuscript
4. Get another fellowship (need money when researching!)
5. Take a vacation with just Miss Mia & Hubby--not a vacation that incorporates visiting other family (that's all well and good, please don't get me wrong!) but one that is just for us!
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