The end of a year

We are currently in North Dakota visiting family. The plan is/was for us to return on the 1st but it is blizzardy out and that isn't expected to change tomorrow so we will have to see what happens. I'm hoping I DON'T have an "exciting" story to report.

Both of our Christmases were great (expect pictures when we get back and have access to our camera cord) and we were able to spend lots of time relaxing and visiting family but Lucy and I haven't been home more than 12 hours since the 13th of December and I am ready to be in my own bed. Luckily Lucy think any space between Craig and I is her own bed so that makes things easier.

Like probably everyone else in the world, I've been thinking about the last year lately. It certainly was not what I expected. Some of the big events of the year, like buying a house and my mom getting sick, were not at all expected. Even the things I knew to expect, like Lucy's arrival, were still such big changes that I could not comprehend how they would really affect my life. This year really has been a roller coaster and I won't lie - I'm tired. But through it all, I can see God's hand guiding my life and leading me through. There are certainly things I could change if I had a magic wand, but I know He knows what he is doing, so I'll just keep going and see what the next year brings.

I don't have a big list of resolutions but there are things I would like this next year to hold. Seeing my family's reactions to my mom's illness has really reinforced what I want our family's priorities to be and I do think Craig and I are on the right track, we just need to stay there so my main resolution for the year is: to be intentional.

I want to be intention in how we live and not let time just pass me by. More than any other year, I think I am scared of what this year brings. I'm excited too, but also scared. I keep having to stop and hand those fears to God to deal with because I don't want to waste my time worrying about the future. Instead, I want to use my time this year to:

-grow closer to the Lord

-grow closer to Craig

-grow closer as a family

-work with Craig to train Lucy up "in the way she should go"

-turn our house into a home

I could get more specific about how to do all those, sharing ideas about daily devotionals and scheduling more date nights, a list of home improvement projects I want to accomplish and diet changes I want to make sure we are consistent about. I'm a planner so part of me really want to create an elaborate list of all the things I'm going to accomplish but I'm stopping myself. I do think there is a time for that but right now, where I am, where our family is, we don't need that.

We need to be flexible, but as long as I fix my eyes on the Lord and remember those 5 goals in our plans, even if they are a shorter term than my type-A personality would like, I think we will end up were we need to be at the end of the next year.