A Fresh Start

There are few things I like more than the idea of a fresh start. I love seeing the calendar turn to a new month and now, a new year. Although I suppose the idea of a fresh start is really an illusion. Technically we can choose to have a fresh start any minute of any day. But along with the rest of the world, there's something different about a new year and thinking through what I'd like to do differently.

2015 was defined by two things: Ira and moving.

Ira didn't start taking a bottle until about 9 months, so obviously we were quite attached to each other until then. I have spent SO much time with that boy, which I'm happy about, but also glad that 2016 won't be so defined by having a baby hanging on me all the time.

The fast and unexpected move during the summer changed the course of, well, everything. It changed everything I thought about the year and there was a lot of rerouting of expectations.

Since it seems (very) unlikely that 2016 will involve any babies or moves, I feel some freedom to think through what I'd like to do this year. I've narrowed it down to these...

- Travel: This is coming together nicely...currently I have 3 trips planned. One with my sister. One with Devin. And one with our family. It's exciting to me to look ahead at the year and have plans to travel internationally, spend time in a state/city I've never been to, and see a couple weeks of summer blocked off for some family lake time. I know things change throughout the year, but it's at least nice to have things penciled in on the calendar.

- Take a class: Sometimes I feel like motherhood is making me stupid. The ways I communicate and use my brain aren't always very stimulating. I'm tossing around several ideas for a class. The areas of theology or food are most interesting to me. Maybe a series of cooking classes? Maybe a history class? This is about as far as my plans are formulated in this area.

- Fresh air: The other day I told Devin that when I'm older I want to be one of those women I see faithfully walking around the neighborhood daily. Then it dawned on me I should just start that now. I think it's so healthy to get outdoors everyday and breathe fresh air and clear one's head. So I'm going to try to do that. Even if it's literally 3 minutes to the end of the block and back, I'd like to try to take a quick walk everyday. Exceptions are if I'm sick or the kids are sick and Devin's not home or something.

Of course I have several house projects and other goals for throughout the year, but I don't want to try to plan out every thing, so this seems like a good start! Happy 2016!