Like most people around the country, I've been reflecting on last year and looking ahead at 2013. I made a list of goals for 2012, and while I didn't meet all of them, I shot toward most of them, and it was exciting and satisfying to look back on what I set out to accomplish throughout the year. I am a list maker. I love lists. I like to add stuff to my lists so that I can check the stuff off.
One of the things I did not do in 2012 is run a marathon. At least not physically. On this side of 2012, I feel like I ran a marathon. A lot happened in our family in 2012, and right now I'm feeling particularly worn out by all of the activity, good and bad.
In 2013, I think my number one resolution is to walk instead of run. I am tired of running all of the time. There has to be a way to slow down. I am so good at busy, so good at "entering a busy season," that stopping or just braking for a minute seems impossible. Of course, I am already defeating myself in this area, since next Monday I will start classes toward my master's. hahahahaha
I'd like to make a list of things not to accomplish in 2013. Like, don't accomplish anything. Be content. Take care of yourself. Breathe once in a while. BUT, since that's anti-'merican, here's my list of things to do in 2013:
- Maintain sanity
- Pray and give thanks daily for this life
- Remember the promises given by God in the Bible and remind my family about them regularly
- Continue preparing healthy meals for my family
- Complete the assigned coursework for my MFA, turn in work I can be proud of, and write toward a book-length manuscript of essays
- Go out with my husband once every two weeks
- Play with my kids; do something special with Elvis and Lydia alone once a quarter
- Expand the garden
- Go on vacation, anywhere
- Continue to chisel away at debt
- Blog every other week
BW and I will celebrate ten years of marriage this year. We are aiming to be out of debt by early 2014 so that we can quickly get back into debt by going to Italy. ;) We're both great spenders and lousy savers. This is an area we'll need to really hone in on if we want to make it happen.
I left off physical exercise although I do hope to still do some of that some of the time. Typically exercise and writing take turns in my life - if I'm exercising I'm not writing and if I'm writing I'm not exercising.
I have a feeling that the MFA will knock me down and bully me with its reading list and writing requirements. I tend to be prolific but on my own time, not on a schedule, so we'll see how that goes. No time. No time. No time. Where's my live-in maid? Where's my butler?
I should add "keep up with the house" to this list, but come on. Something's gotta give here. Gratefully, my husband recognizes my general suckage at household chores and granted permission to hire someone to do the deep cleaning for me once a month or so. This is a huge relief because when Saturday comes, there are few things I feel worse about than cleaning all day instead of spending time with the kids after I've spent all week working.
I should also add "keep up with the laundry" to the list. That's one thing you just can't neglect, especially with five people living in the house. Brandon is a huge help in this area, too, unlike some husbands, who delegate all household chores to their spouses because that's "women's work." Brandon is a champion chore-sharer.
As much as I hate baskets of laundry sitting around the house, laundry has about eight too many steps. First you have to collect it from the multiple hampers and carry it down to the basement. Then you have to sort it. Then you have to wash it. Then you have to wash it again because it sat too long in the washer after you forgot to switch loads. Then you have to dry it. Then you have to turn the dryer on fluff cycle because everything sat too long and got all wrinkly. Then you have to fold it. Then you have to sort it into appropriate stacks for each family member. Then you have to move it to the appropriate bedroom and nag the children about putting their clothes away. Then you have to throw your arms up into the air and huff and puff about how they haven't put their clothes away or they've jammed them in and messed them all up. Then you have to pull everything out of the drawers and refold it and put it all back in the appropriate drawers. And then, after all of that hard work, they pull them out, wear them, and put them back into the hamper.
Know what I could handle? Wash. Dry. Fold. That's it. Someone else can deal with the rest.
What are you resolving to do, or not to do, in 2013?
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