words to live by
04FebIt has been so long that I have posted that for a split second I was worried that I had forgotten my password. This needs to change, I say. So many things have happened in the past few months that I don’t even know where to start. Enjoyed the fall season. Ran a 10 mile race as a super hero! The holiday’s came and went. Charlie had his appendix taken out. Will started preschool. Joel started a new job. Claire has turned 9 years old. We welcomed a neice into the world and found out I will become an Aunt again in June. We are well into the winter season, with spring fast approaching. And, many little memories have been made each and every day along the way. Memories that will always stay with me. It’s amazing how fast life can go. I really don’t know why it has taken me so long to write this post………because I love posting my goals for the new year. I have ran many miles on the treadmill thinking about this post and thinking I would start it as soon as I jumped off the treadmill. Instead, I got distracted with numerous things each time I sat down at the computer. Nonetheless, I am here…….now…….typing away……….so, I am just going with it.
I read over my goals for 2010 again. And, I think I did pretty well with them. Although I may have accomplished most, that doesn’t mean I just check them off and forget about them. Many are goals I always keep on my list so that I continue to work at them. I love to be challenged and want to grow as a person. To become a better person. A few significant things and conversations have sparked me to really think about the new year ahead and how I want this year to be wonderful!!! I realize that it will be challenging at times, and that it will have its fair share of ups and downs. Instead of writing down a few goals, I thought I would find a word or theme for this year. It hasn’t been easy finding this word. I have changed my mind many times. It has been difficult to narrow it down to just one, so I chose 2. I plan on posting these words inside my kitchen cabinets… tape them to my bathroom mirror….you get it. So, the words I have picked for the year 2011 are quite simple and almost boring when you just see them written. The words are “give” and ”present”. Give and be present in my friendships. Give and be more present to my kids and Mr. Joel. Give and be more present in my community, church and school. Give and be more present both spiritually and emotionally. I came up with these words after attending 2 funerals in 2010. Both hit me very hard in very different, yet similair ways.
The first funeral was for my dear friend’s seven year old daughter, Annie. Annie has taught me so many things, even though I hardly new her . She has taught me to truly appreciate my life and blessings………most especially my kids………..because it can be taken away from me in a blink of an eye. She has inspired me to want to be more present in my life and appreciate the way it is and to not get too caught up in things that really don’t matter. She has helped me to be “ok” with a messy house, dirty dishes in the sink, gross bathrooms, piles of laundry, having cereal for dinner for the third night in a row, etc. Because of Annie, she has me yearning to learn to be a person that is more “present”. I don’t want to have any regrets.
The second funeral was for another wonderful friend’s dad, John. Attending his funeral left me uplifted and, again, inspired. He was a man that gave so much of himself in so many ways. As a husband, father, friend, etc. He gave of himself to his community in countless ways. He truly left this world a better place. I often use the excuse that “oh, my life is just so busy that I don’t have time to give back”. After a good, conversation with a dear friend, we are now holding each other and our families accountable to start helping out our community more. My kids are so excited for this committment, and I can’t wait to show them all the ways we can make the world a better place. Isn’t that what living is all about anyways??? I want to be that person that will drop everything and help a person in need…..no matter what. I want to make a difference in people’s lives and to inspire others to do the same.
I decided to jot down a few new goals for this year. What the hay, right??
As far as “goals” go for this year, I have a few new ones to add to my ongoing list:
Attend some sort of retreat or workshop to help me look deeper into who I am and how I want to grow as a person
Take a family vacation this year and make some fun memories
Find one or 2 places to volunteer at on a regular basis
Find a new job/challenge within my nursing career
Include yoga/pilates or some other sport into my existing workouts
Take a class to learn something new. A few that come to mind: sewing, violin, cooking, dance
To make my post complete, here are a few random pictures to share from the past few months:
