It's so hard to believe that 2013 is already coming to a close! Just one more day! So many changes have happened in our lives this year. Matt commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army, Jackson turned one, we finally got to live together as a family again, we moved to Oklahoma for Matt's officer schooling, then we moved to Tennessee where we'll hopefully be settled for at least 3 years, and we found out Jackson will be a big brother. It seems like such a long year when remembering all we've been through. We've come out stronger than before and I am so thankful for where our family is and the direction we're heading. It hasn't all been cupcakes and daisies, but we have worked through all the changes together and are committed to putting our family first with each decision we make.
So last year the bolded sections were my resolutions. The regular print behind each resolution is how I feel I did towards these goals.
1. Show more mercy. Think of others as better than myself. Do not judge others. Overall, I think I did fairly well. I made this commitment thinking specifically of those I would meet in the Army. It has been difficult when I see postings from other spouses on the facebook pages I'm a member of for the Army Posts we've lived at. I try to keep my mouth shut (especially via facebook) but I have trouble not being judgmental. I have to remember that not everyone has had the privileges or education I've had so I have to lower my expectations. I have been able to meet some wonderful friends through the military and for that I am thankful.
2. Read at least 1 new book a month- at least 12 new books in the year. I say "new" because I tend to re-read certain books every year (the entire Chronicles of Narnia, several if not all of the Ender's Game series, more recently The Hunger Games trilogy... which I read three times last year!). I need to read at least one new book a month before diving into my favorites. I have downloaded more than 12 books onto my Kindle that I have not yet read so that should help me stay on top of my reading list this year. Looking back over my posts, it looks like I only read 10 new books. I began a bunch more that are still on my nightstand or on my Kindle waiting to be finished. But I got sucked back into some other books that just needed to be re-read. In the past two months I've re-read 8 of my favorite books. So... I think overall I did pretty well towards this resolution seeing as how in the year I moved states twice, kept up with a toddler, and had two pregnancies (lots of fatigue) to work through.
3. Regular exercise for health. I am not worrying about weight, but I know I am not very fit right now. I hope to run and stretch regularly (at least 3x a week). Hopefully getting baby on a schedule will help. If I can get him to go to bed earlier or take longer naps then I can fit in fitness during those times. This all but didn't happen. We weren't members of a gym in OK and we aren't here in TN, though we plan to get a membership once Daniel is born. I hope to get back to the size I was pre-pregnancy this time (about 10 lbs. less than I was pre-preggo with Jackson) far quicker than it took my recovery with Jackson. I don't think I'll ever be a runner, but I hope to walk with the boys 2-3 times a week and go to the gym regularly as long as Daniel does ok in the childcare.
4. Learn to cook/bake. Sound familiar? I am pleased to say that I feel like I accomplished this resolution! I still have a lot to learn, but I have tried so many new recipes this year and all of them have turned out correctly. Only one of them we didn't like, but it was just the flavoring and not my preparation. I enjoy cooking dinner and am hoping to improve my baking skills next year. I am not a very good baker, unfortunately. Including simple things like cookies!
5. Let it be. Let things go. I do not have control over most of my life and I may as well embrace it. Take each day as it comes and give thanks. A work in progress, just like always. I have learned to be much more flexible, which is a necessity for being a military spouse.
6. Daily schedule for Jack- including sleeping in his own crib. I have an idea of how I want his day-to-day to go. Now that he's old enough to do some learning activities I am excited to incorporate those. I want to get him on a regular sleep and nap schedule which will certainly help. Getting him on a solid food schedule will help when it comes time to wean him too. Jack has had a rough schedule for awhile. He has had consistent naps for most of the year and we've worked on him sleeping in his own bed for most of the year. I would say this went about as well as it could with all the changes we went through. I have learned so much from parenting Jackson that I plan to incorporate into Daniel's schedule even as an infant.
7. Learn to sew. I got a brand new sewing machine for Christmas! I am so excited. I need to learn to at least hem as most of my pants/skirts are too long. I want to take learning slow. Maybe perfect the hem this year. Move on to bigger and better patterns next year. Nope. Didn't happen. Didn't even unpack my sewing machine in OK. I didn't have a good place to set it up. I know where I want to put the machine here in TN, but I need a table for it first. It will be in our bedroom so that the kids can't get into my projects. I do still want to learn to sew as it seems fun and I can re-make so many of Jackson's old clothes and my old clothes to seem "new" by adding little details or buttons etc.
8. No more "youngest child syndrome". I have a serious issue with entitlement. I hope to "grow up" in 2013. Moving in with my parents hasn't helped this syndrome. Hopefully I can maintain my independence while living at home and climb out of my childish ways. Yes, it's really that bad! Overall, success. I have had to learn to be much more independent as a military spouse. Matt had such varying schedules with his training in OK. I have had to manage our finances and the house. Now that we have steady income again it is much easier to be self sufficient and not expectant of our parents to "help us out".
9. Send cards on time for birthdays. I am horrible about sending things on time for birthdays. I always remember birthdays and that they are coming up... but presents are usually at least one week late. I hope to send out cards on time for birthdays this year and presents for my nephews and nieces too. I sent out cards for most of our immediate relatives this year. Not all the males received cards because they don't generally care about those kinds of things as much. A couple cards/ presents were a little late, but not as late as previous years! So I'm definitely getting better!
10. Embrace the present. Tying into number 5. Just embrace the now. Do not live for the future. I am constantly planning ahead (as in years ahead: in 2013 this will happen and then in 2014 this won't happen and then in 2015 this will happen... etc etc etc) and I just need to enjoy my life now. I have an amazing husband who I cannot currently live with. I have the best son and each stage is better than the last so far. I have gracious parents who are allowing Jack and I to live with them. Yeah, I need to enjoy the now because it's pretty stinking amazing. Slowly getting better. I am very tired nowadays and that doesn't give me a lot of time for future planning! Having had a miscarriage this year it definitely taught me to just take each day as it comes. I am so thankful we were able to get pregnant again so quickly after the miscarriage. I am thankful each day I have with Daniel. This will probably always be a struggle of mine since I am a planner. I like making lists and my day planner must be constantly updated. But I am still working on being in the moment.
I am pleased with how 2013 went. It was a wonderful year of happiness and growth for myself individually and for my family.
Hopefully my new 2014 post will be up on New Years Day or shortly after. Again, since we're taking each day as it comes, who knows what will be the next couple days! Meanwhile, happy 2013. Cheers to the New Year.
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