A Better Me in 2015

I know, it's clique but I really do want to accomplish some self-improvement over the next year. 2014 was a good year. It wasn't great...I guess you can call it mediocre. I don't want to look back on 2015 and feel the same way. I always make a list of New Year's Resolutions and looking back, I have rarely kept them...I don't think I truly ever made a complete effort either. So, when I was looking back on the resolutions I made for 2015, I realized that my list was superficial. I sat down and thought about the improvements I would really like to make. I thought about where I wanted to be mentally, physically and spiritually in one year. This is what I ended up with:

1. Meditate daily
2. Exercise at least twice a week
3. Get dressed daily (this may seem like a no-brainer to some but as a stay at home mom who sometimes doesn't leave the house for an entire week, getting dressed was not at the top of my list of priorities)
4. Eat healthy; limit sugars (I have a huge sweet tooth)
5. Stick to a routine (daily and cleaning)
6. Spend at least one hour daily playing with the boys (the way the want) with no distractions
7. Invest in myself
8. Put out positive energy

In the past, I would attempt to make changes and when I thought I would fail, I would just stop. I'm hoping that this year will be different. I realize that these changes won't happen overnight but I also understand that just because I mess up one day, one week or even one month, that doesn't make my resolution/goal a failure. I have an entire year to make changes. I just need to get up and do it.

Do any of you make resolutions/goals? Does it take awhile for your changes to become habits?

2013 Recap...

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?

Moving thousands of miles away from home was definitely new. This is the longest (and furthest) I have ever been away from Kansas.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I think I did, in a way. I only had one and I think I improved a bit as a person by not as much as I could have.
You can read more about my 2013 resolutions here.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My sister gave birth to her first son in February and I had Asher in April!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

We have been very blessed this year but Will lost his (maternal) grandmother. They weren't very close though.

5. Did you visit anywhere exciting?

Germany, of course! Although, I will admit that we haven't seen too much but that will change (I hope) next year.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?

I would like to have more motivation, more dedication. I definitely lacked both in 2013.

7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

April 21st - Giving birth to Asher in a German hospital without an epidural. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I think making it through a (relatively short) deployment with two kids under two and a dog was a pretty big achievement. I mean, everyone survived so that's a plus. 

9. What was your biggest mistake?

My biggest mistake of the year has been not taking advantage of being in Europe. I plan to change that though.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Thankfully, no.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My iPhone 5c...and cloth diapers.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

 
My boys (all four of them, if you include Artemus). They have adjusted to moving, deployments, homecomings and a, at times, cranky momma.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Hmm...I don't think anyone's behavior had me appalled and/or depressed this year. 

14. Where did most of your money go in 2013?

Bills, little people (aka kids), food and gas.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Asher! And everything that goes along with having a little baby (although he was eight pounds at birth).

16. What song will always remind you of 2013?

Pompeii - Bastille
Drunk in Love - Beyonce
Roar - Katy Perry

17. Compared to this time last year, you are:

1. Not pregnant

2. Not in Texas

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

I wish I would have focused on myself more. I tend to put myself aside a lot and this is something that needs to change.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

I wish I would have worried less. I gave myself so much anxiety that I shut down quite a bit.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

I spent Christmas at home with my boys, and I loved it.

21. Did you fall in love in 2013?

I didn't fall in love but I think I grew in love, if that makes sense.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

The Mindy Project

Orange is the New Black

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Nope, hate is a very strong word and a very strong feeling. I don't think I feel that way towards anyone.

24. What was the best book you read?

 

I hate to admit this but I did not read an actual novel this year (only books about parenting). I did buy The Lowlands. So maybe that will be the best book I read in 2014.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I didn't have any musical discoveries this year. I rarely even listened to music, well, besides our Frank Ocean cd that played all year in our car.

26. What did you want and get?

I wanted a healthy baby and I got that (and he's pretty awesome too).

27. What did you want and not get?

A stand mixer...but there's always next year

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Oh man. I don't even know. It was spent at home and I was super pregnant (I gVe birth to Asher a week and a half after my birthday). I turned 28 (aka old).

29. What’s one thing that would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If I went out exploring more and took pictures. 

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?

I literally spent most of my time in leggings and big shirts. It was a really unfashionable year for me. 

31. What kept you sane?

Haha, sane?!?! I don't think anything kept me sane this year. That will be one of the things I work on.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Man, this year I didn't really fancy anyone.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

I ignore/avoid politics as much as possible. It helps that I never watch the news and being in Germany is like living in a bubble.  

34. Who do you miss the most?

My family. This is the longest I've gone without seeing my mom. Yeah, I know I'm an adult but that doesn't make it any easier especially when I think about the fact that she's hasn't had the opportunity to meet Asher in person.

35. Who was the best new person you met?

I met two good friends here in Germany. It makes things a lot better when you have someone in a similar situation to talk to.

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013?

If there's anything I've learned from 2013, it's that I am not the person I want to be. I need to grow as a person, as a mother and especially as a wife.

37. What are your new years resolutions for 2014?

You can read about those here.

I found this survey on Ok, Dani. If you have time, check her recap out!

2014, whoop whoop!

Source

There are only two things I want for 2014: less and more.

Okay, I know those two things are the exact opposite of each other but just bare with me for a bit. 

I want less clutter, less struggle, less distractions, less worry. I want more enjoyment, more smiles, more quality time, more experiences, more motivation. I want to look back on 2014 and see all the things I did, not regret the things I didn't do. I want this year's motto to be "quality not quantity".

Frohes neues Jahr!

Happy New Year! 

I Know What I Want To Be When I Grow Up...

Over the last few weeks, I've done a lot of soul searching. Reflecting.
Trying to figure out who I am when I'm not Will's wife and Liam's mommy.

There are things that I want to have figured out before Liam is in school and before we decide to have another child (although my baby fever has been out of control lately). I have always had the desire to work with women (I even majored in Women's Studies while in college) but I wasn't exactly sure how to go about finding a career that would work for our lives. As I started looking into portable careers, working in the medical field started to seem more and more appealing to me. I began to get excited at the thought of working as a nurse in a maternity ward (or birthing center) until I thought about the downside of a job like that. Then it clicked with me.

I want to be a Lactation Consultant! Breastfeeding has become a huge part of my life and it is something that I feel very passionate about. Since making this life altering discovery, I have been researching the pathways I can take to make this a reality. One of the things I will need to do in order to becoming a certified l.c. is log hours assisting nursing moms. I was wondering how I would be able to achieve this until I ran across an ad for a Breastfeeding Peer Consultant at our local health department. I decided to apply and guess what?! I got the job!! I am beyond excited for this opportunity and to be able to do something I enjoy. Everything seems to be falling into place and I feel great! Oh, and Liam and Will are great as well.

Setting Goals

If you read my posts about depression, you may have read that I went to see a counselor. I have never been in counseling/therapy before and have only had one session so far so I can't really say too much about it. I did enjoy speaking with my counselor and it didn't even seem like we were talking for an entire hour (which is weird for me since I tend to be reserved around people I don't know). During our session, we set four goals for me to accomplish before our next session:

1) Find a hobby that doesn't involve Will or Liam
I definitely want to get into running and would love to find a running group that would be willing to run in the evening. I just really suck at running and wouldn't want to slow anyone down (although I have seen that it is good to run with experienced runners since they will motivate you). I also wouldn't mind finding a crafting group. I have sooo many Pinterest projects that I need to work on and my home management binder isn't going to make itself.

2) Look into part-time employment
Part-time employment will give me a chance to get out of the house (as well as give Liam a chance to play with other kids at daycare) and have some adult interaction and conversations. I have been looking for something that will fit our schedule and my strengths for a little while now. I want to enjoy what I do so I am being picky. Even if I don't find anything soon, I still have my National Guard base  (I'll actually be there for most of the month of August).

3) Look into the nursing field
During my time at Kansas State University, I majored in Public Relations and Women's Studies, however, I'm not sure if those fields are right for my life now. After having Liam, I have started to consider getting into the medical field. I would love to work as a RN in a maternity ward or even as a Lactation Consultant. Although there are many medical related options, the area I live in is very limited when it comes to programs and schools.

4) Visit local churches
Church has always been a weird area for me. I grew up in a very strict Pentecostal church that was extremely restrictive. Since then, I have strayed from churches. I would like for this to change. I would definitely want Liam to grow up with a great church community that is accepting and loving.

I think these goals are going to be very helpful in creating a happy and healthy home life for our family.

What about you guys? Do you have a hobby that doesn't include your family? Do you have any goals that will make your home life happier/easier?