Happy New Year, everybody!

I know, I'm a little late getting this greeting out.  You know, I just struggle with New Year's every year.  It's a little weird, I suppose.

The holidays this year were rough.  I had laryngitis, a sinus infection, a chest cold, & a generally cranky disposition which stubbornly refused to allow me to go to the doctor until January 1st when our health insurance benefits renewed.  One course of antibiotics later I'm feeling better but I'm still having a lot of trouble with my voice.  On Christmas Eve all I could do was whisper & even that wasn't comfortable (my brother kept saying, "It's a Christmas miracle!" ha.ha.).  I've come a long way since then but I still squeak, squawk, & cannot sing a note.  On nights when I don't get 8-9 hours of sleep I feel like a Mack truck has hit me.  Thankfully we were on vacation the week between Christmas & New Year's & didn't really have big plans.  We went to bed when we wanted, got up without an alarm & just enjoyed the time off as best as we could with me hicking, hacking, squeaking, & squawking!

On New Year's Eve I didn't even stay up until midnight.  I feel asleep & then was awoken by neighbors shooting off fireworks at about five til midnight.  I woke up long enough to give Mike a squeeze, a Happy New Year! & then I went right back to sleep.

I've never been a big fan of New Year's.  I'm not usually a pessimistic person, but even when I was a kid I struggled with New Year's being a time to reflect on all the things that were NOT accomplished, the goals NOT reached, the time LOST.  I was a real Debbie Downer.  And if I'm not careful, I fall into that trap year after year.  This year I did fairly well, not really fussing over resolutions or being overly sensitive about the time going by...after all January 1st is just another day on the calendar.  But I did have a small panic attack on Monday, January 2nd.  Mike & I were trying to make the most of our last vacay day.  I was picking up the house since I had neglected most chores over our time off & my illness.  I just had this cold wave come over me while I was sorting laundry...2012 could be the year that my job goes away, that my precious G's move on from this world, that other major health issues in my family could flare, that Mike & I somehow fall apart...it's a whole new year of whatever bad could happen.
I know this is NOT how I'm supposed to be thinking.  I am so grateful Mike was there & that he had all the wise, godly things to say to me - the Lord is in control, He always works for our good, He always strengthens us for the circumstances He gives us, God can be trusted - even with those that we love.
And so since my little meltdown I've been trying to refocus my mind on some of the positive, wonderful things that 2012 can bring.  And I've been praying for the Lord to direct my goal setting.  After all, it's so not about me & what I want to accomplish.

I'm so clever I've come up with 12 for 2012!
*I've been praying about a focus word.  A word that will help me in my spiritual growth.  This year for me the Lord has made it clear that I need to focus on obedience.  I more than a little bit addicted to my own comfort & I have been more than willing to allow my fears to keep from from obeying.  It's going to be an interesting year.
*Last year I started reading my Bible through following the chronological schedule.  It's been interesting & given me a different perspective on Bible history.  I'm loving it & this year I want to finish it - get the whole thing read!
*This year's holiday scene was a little hectic & harried.  Last minute shopping, gift wrapping, illness, the whole gamut of little stresses.  So Mike & I decided that we wanted to have Christmas all wrapped up by December 1st.  Every gift selected, purchased, & wrapped.  I think we can do it.  We also want to incorporate more handmade gifts & more etsy purchased gifts.
*Last Friday night we had my sister's family & a couple of friends over for dinner & fun.  It had been a very long time since we had opened our home up for hospitality.  It.was.so.fun.  I feel like we need to do this on a regular basis.  My little brain is already spinning with ideas for who to invite, menus to fix, & activities to take part in.  I'm hoping that we can do this at least monthly.
*Since we so enjoyed our accidental tomato plants this past summer, I really want to put in a small garden this year.  It's going to take some sweet talking on my part to get Mike fully on board but I think we can handle tomatoes, green beans, & zucchini at least.
*I need to strengthen my sewing skills.  Years ago I started this quilt.  I work on it little by little & yet I still don't have the top pieced.  And it's a pattern from a book of 'weekend quilts' HA!  Anyway, I want to finish that bad boy this year.
*I want to expand my reading horizons.  I'm a big reader; I don't think there is any better way to fall asleep than to drift off while reading a book.  So I usually read a little bit every day.  But I get in ruts of fiction.  I do love a good story.  But I'm thinking it could be very beneficial for me to take some time reading some nonfiction.  I am curious about many things & you're never too old to learn something new, right?
*I would like to continue making changes in our diet so that we are consuming fewer processed foods.  I need to get back into the habit of making more things myself - like granola bars for example.  Also, I would like to learn more about soaking grains.  Any of my readers know about the process?  Any of you do it on a regular basis?  It's one of those things I'm curious about...
*Of course we have financial goals.  We are almost out of the debt black hole.  Once we are in the clear there we need to make some concrete goals for saving.  We also need to be intentional with our spending & track the money as it flies out of our account.
*And of course there are some fitness goals I'd like to reach.  I've found some extra weight since we got married (it's a normal thing to do but I am not sure I like being so normal!).  Also, I'm not training for the Indy Mini this year so I'm going to have to be very dedicated to working out.  I am thinking over several tactics to keep my hiney in gear.  I'm thinking that will be another post where you all can leave me tips for how you keep yourself in gear!  And it's not just going to be accomplished with exercise.  I seriously need to tame my sweet tooth & my inner snacker.  They have become vicious monsters.
*I would like to have a little less tv/computer/iphone time.  All that screen time tends to make me a bit inattentive to the people around me.  Mike & I are not big tv watchers but the computer & definitely the iphones get a little too much love.  Instead of the screen time I'd like to have more play time, more sleep, more conversation...doesn't that sound great?
*And of course I'd like to blog more regularly.  It seems that most of the time I have something I want to say or something I want to post so that I can remember it.  This is a wonderful life the Lord has given me & I so want to document His goodness to me.  And the funny stuff.  Because there always seems to be some funny stuff :-)

So there you have it!  My short, concise list of 12 goals for 2012!

If you made it all the way through this long, pictureless, rambling post - bless.your.heart.