2013

For years now, I've set goals (not resolutions) every January 1st. I've had ranging levels of "success". Ultimately I would say every year has been successful because I've achieved some of what I want too that I wouldn't have if I hadn't written it done and set the goals. But something feels different this year. I feel motivated to be the person, the wife, the mom, I want for my kids- instead of just wanting to be her.

I've been re-watching some really motivating talks I watched/listened to this summer from The Willow Creek Leadership Summit and I have a "plan". I'm going to try and live life this year focused on 3 things: 1) to grow in my relationship with God, 2) to love my husband and kids better, and 3) to simplify my home and life. I say try, because I think there will be a learning curve and I know myself, I'll forget what I'm aiming at and have to re-calibrate occasionally throughout the year. I also say try because I know what God has done with my 'plans' before and since my biggest priority this year is to grow my relationship with Him...I know I need to be open to Him shaking things up!

I'm going to pair my 2013 focuses with Bill Hybels 6x6 idea, only changing it to 4x4. (He chooses the 6 most important things that he needs to focus on for the next 6 weeks and the pours everything into those priorities, letting others go or delegating, etc). And I want to coordinate this with my church's 2013 calendar. This is something new this year where all members received a calendar with prayer requests for each month. I'm so excited to see what God does when our whole body is praying in unison!!

2013 Focus Statement:
To grow in my relationship with God, love my husband and kids better, and simplify my home and life.

To grow with God:

• I want to pursue God daily, alone and with my children. Weekly with women and my church. 
• In order to do this I need regular and sacred quiet times. I will make this happen, by getting up early, staying up late, letting other things go, whatever it takes. This is my top priority in 2013.  
• Read my Bible regularly, aiming for 5+ days/week with no specific goal (like read the whole thing in a year). Although I'd love to read the whole thing this year, I haven't had much success with that since kids entered the picture and don't want to let 'falling behind' keep me from any reading at all.
• Continue prioritizing the Monday night women's studies at AC3.
• I want to incorporate God into my daily routines with kids. Praying before meals, etc. 
• Read the 'spiritual' books I've collected but have never gotten to, prioritize these before "for fun" reading. (See my list here)

To love my husband and kids better:

• I need to make sure I'm taking care of my physical and emotional needs. I think I easily fall into the trap of taking care of everyone else first and then having nothing left over for myself. Then I snap or break or breakdown, and that's not good for anyone! This is more like my traditional 'lists' of goals for a new year. 
• Get my haircut more than twice this year! I'm aiming for once a season with the ultimate goal of taking care of my hair enough to donate to Locks of Love again. I just need a couple more inches before I have the minimum 10 inches. 
• Regularly take time for myself: massages, pedicures, etc. My insurance will pay for 10 massages a year...why have I not been taking advantage of this??! I'd like to get my toes done at least once a season too. Starting with green in March before Baby arrives!
• Lose the baby weight! Baby is due mid-March, if I'm cleared to workout by the end of April I'm planning on a 5K in the summer and a 10K in the fall. Lose weight has been a goal of mine for at least the last 5-ish years. This year has to be different, I have to be a healthy mom to set an example for my kids and feel healthy for myself. 
• Start by walking on the treadmill at least 3 times/week for at least 10 minutes through rest of pregnancy. This seems reasonable and achievable. 
• Schedule 1 day/month to stay home alone to clean or be crafty or even just read. Arrange child care, trade child care, ship the husband and toddler off to the in-laws, whatever it takes! 
• Write more. Blog more frequently- quit waiting for 'inspiration' or the perfect topic. This really helps me clear my head and process things. 
• Get a tattoo...maybe two. The first one will be a Griffin...the second one is still waiting to be named. 
• Plan and execute two 'girls only' weekends. One pre-baby, one post-baby. (Post baby one will have to be with baby in tow, but that's okay. No husband or toddler though!)
• Read the marriage/parenting books sitting on my shelf. (See list here)

To simplify my home and life:

• Decorate house with pictures and art! We've lived here 6 years already and Pumpkin Pie is two years old, it's time to get some pictures on the walls! (And I have pinterest to thank for inspiration!)
• Simplify. Get rid of stuff we don't need/use. De-clutter.
• Finish (start) organizing and scanning Grandma's pictures. Mail to Carolyn.
• Make shutterfly (or something similar) books...before I fall even further behind with two kids!
• Craft more- finish projects I've been holding onto, or scrap them. (See list here)

Other:

• Visit Grandma Ruth- introduce new baby.
• Read the books I own but have never read...at least one shelf of the three. At the end of 2013, donate any books I know I'll never get to (the ones that have been on this list for years and years).  If I haven't read them at this point, chances are they're never going to be high enough on my priority list and I should just quit storing them. (See list here)