Resolutions...

The new year usually brings about talk of resolving lives and making big changes--and those goals usually are never met and often abandoned within the month of January.  I've never made an actual "New Year's Resolution."  I'm not one to fall into the trend when I know the outcome is unlikely.  

But this year will be one of big changes for us.  It holds many adjustments but also the opportunity for absolute greatness!  So I'm going to try to resolve some possible obstacles of that greatness.  Hopefully this will not be a form of "New Year's Resolutions" but rather a series of "Life Resolutions."

1.  Be more self-controlled, particularly financially.  We lost my paycheck and gained the expenses of having a child all around the same time.  My problem--I'm a big shopper and a big gifter.  I have to learn to tell myself no and stick with it.  New financial habits so that we can enjoy what we have even more.

2.  Being healthy.  I don't necessarily wish to lose a certain amount of weight or go completely nuts about eating healthily.  I want to just make healthier choices:  taking a walk every day, eating less junk (mainly, decreasing the size of my sweet tooth!), cooking more meals with healthy options, resting as regularly as I can, etc.

3.  Getting a routine set up.  This is an overdue accomplishment that I need to get a hold on asap--for mine and Bella's sakes.  We've had so much happen between visitors, surgeries, and holidays that a schedule just hasn't been one of my top things to work on.  But that's got to happen soon so that we both know what to expect out of the day.

4.  Spending more quality time as a couple and family.  We have such the bad habit of the TV always being on--we even sadly eat in front of it every meal...shameful, I know.  We need to start eating together at the table.  Turn the TV off at night and actually talk.  Spend less time on our phones and the computer (I recognize the irony as I'm typing this...) and more time making memories together.

5.  Keep the house clean.  This has never been something that I'm very good at.  I've gotten much better, but it's still not something I enjoy doing--I like the end result, but get too lazy to really work at it.  Hunter's main love language is acts of service and he loves the house to be clean.  I'm pretty good at picking up, but I need to focus more on deep cleaning.

6.  Complain less about Hunter's job and instead be supportive.  This past year and a half has been crazy for him out there.  He's been working soooo much--weekends and no vacation--with these shut downs.  It's been driving me absolutely crazy.  But I know it's driving him crazy too.  And instead of encouraging and supporting him, I have tended to lean more toward the negative, whiney side.  I am so grateful that he has an amazing job that provides for our family and allows me to stay at home with our daughter.  I am also incredibly grateful that he has a career that he enjoys (most of the time!) and in which he excels.  And I need to let him know that more often than I do.  

7.  Taking more pictures and video--with my camera, not my phone.  I want us to have family photos and videos of our kids growing up.  In order for that to happen, I need to get busy!

8.  On that note, I need to work on Arabella's baby book!  I am going to scrapbook it through the first year--nothing super extravagant; just the major highlights.  I have some pages done, but I really need to get with it before she becomes mobile!

9.  Be more frugal and less wasteful.  Do I really need to buy this?  What can I make with the ingredients I already have?  What can I rid the house of--donations and/or trash?  

10.  Get more involved with Jesus--through prayer, church, study.  Regain focus and stay hungry for Him.

love, angie