mess of me

spark

life goals

I am finally getting around to fleshing out what my life goals for 2010 are. Most of these are things at which I am currently a pathetic slacker, and this will be the year it changes.

I must exercise. Regularly. I am not going to have a 25-year-old’s body forever. I preach at my patients all day (and night) long about how they have to start taking care of their bodies, which I don’t. Hypocrisy at its best.

I must read my Bible. I must become comfortable with sharing my testimony, and defending my faith. Bottom line. And that will come from being more knowledgeable about God’s word and works.

I will start my master’s program.  Is it selfish to want to start my grad degree when Joe is still working on his bachelor’s? I am still deciding. His new career isn’t really dependent on his education though. Hmmm.

Family.  I will have more patience and less frustration. I will have more appreciation and less complaints. We will have another baby. (Actually that might be a life goal for 2011).

I want to be a chaplain. I had one of these lightbulb moments (actually it was one of those ‘you are an idiot, why haven’t you thought of this before?’ ideas).  I have been looking for my niche ministry instead of following Joe into one like I usually do. And then it came to me: so many of my church family are patients at the hospital where I happen to have a job I love. Why am I not visiting these people? And then further, my goal is not just to visit and pray with them, but also to be an advocate for them. I can explain test results, or refer the best doctors, and speak with staff on their behalf if needed. I am especially excited about this goal.

I want to bake and crochet. There are times I don’t feel too feminine and/or maternal with Joe staying home,  cooking all the meals, keeping the house picked up and busing the kids everywhere. So I have resolved to make cake and brownies every week and crochet a scarf for possibly every person I know.

We want to expand Innovatory. I am so excited about how God is blessing this business of ours, I could pee my pants. And I hope it will continue to grow, and that we can be smart-minded business owners.

I want to write. I have talked about this before here. Again, I don’t know what I want to write about. I feel like there are so many novels and story lines out there, whatever I write would not be heard by many.  I am still waiting for an original idea to come to me. More on this later….

I want to get out of debt. This will obviously be a goal for many years to come. But with Joe’s new income, it seems to be more attainable now.

I want to improve my communication and relationships. I am an introvert. I am not good at creating friendships out of nothing. Joseph can walk up to a complete stranger and feel totally at ease. He will become best friends with this person and preach a message of salvation in about 7 minutes. I am completely the opposite. I want to be more forward, instead of depending on the other person to lead the conversation.

So in all of these things, I ask that you help keep me accountable. Don’t let me slip. And when I do, please be kind.

change

speak

one year

Dear Brooklyn Grace,

Today, you are one year old. It’s amazing. You are so full of personality, you blow me away daily.

I love your idiosyncrasies, like when you refuse to wear a sock on your right foot.

I appreciate that you enjoy following me around the kitchen, shutting the pantry and closet doors that I inadvertently leave open.

I love that your first word was “uh-oh,” just like your big brother.

Your bottom lip stills crinkles when you cry. And for this reason, sometimes, I will let you cry a split second longer than necessary so I can see it.

When you examine something or someone new, your flume is particularly prominent.

No child has ever had such adorable two bottom teeth.

Before you were born, I thought that we would have no more kids. But now that you’re here, and since you have affected me so deeply, I would have a dozen kids if your father would let me. Plus we already have the minivan, we might as well fill it up.

When you lean your head in close to my face for a kiss, I melt.

new year day

new years eve

merry christmas

11 months