Jess Writes Here: My (Not So) New Year's Resolutions

New Years Eve, December 31, 2012

2013, have you really come and gone just like that? How is it possible that in just a week it'll be a year since Travis left for SE Asia and Anna and I headed to Ohio to be with family for two weeks? How did the year fly by beginning with us having a tiny baby and now we enter a new year with a walking, ~~talking~~ babbling, gets into everything, toddler? I guess that's just what happens when you become a parent. The years really do just fly by, and nothing like they ever did before that little bundle of joy came along. Seriously, time flew before she came but now that she's been with us for over a year it literally feels like I blinked and 2013 is over.

I try not to participate in new years resolutions. Not that I don't think they're great but they're just not for me. I'm not a big picture sorta gal. Big goals and aspirations scare me, they're just too...big. I'd rather look back to 2013 and see where God carried me, and maybe those moments will take me into 2014 with hopes and dreams I will more likely achieve.

1. I didn't write enough. Anna's baby journal, my personal journal, this blog. Writing just wasn't a priority like it had been in previous years. I can probably chalk it up to being a full-time mom and having more important things to do than sit in my little corner and put pen to paper (if you're one of those awesome parents who can still find time, I envy you). I will say I missed it though. Every time I'd open Anna's journal, my journal, or this blog and see the last date I had posted an entry a piece of me grieved knowing I had missed out on writing memories I may soon forget. Therefore, it's simple really, I hope to write more in 2014. Easy enough with a toddler around now, right?

2. I didn't read enough. I don't think I read one fiction book. My heart just broke a little as I wrote that. B.A. (before Anna) I would read almost every night as a way to calm me to sleep. Now I can barely get through two sentences before I'm reading the back of my eyelids. Don't get me wrong, I still read, on the occasional evening that I can make it through a few pages. These books I'm reading though are all about parenting and your child. All the books I've read have been very helpful but I sure miss the suspense, the love, and the excitement a good fiction can only bring. I also didn't read enough of the Word which I miss so much. So my goal for 2014 is to read more fiction and the Bible since I already read everything I need to know about parenting in 2013. Ha, yeah, right.

3. I didn't eat good enough. Ok, isn't this (along with working out) everyones new year's resolution? I can't say this will be a resolution of mine this year, however. Only because I love food, my diet isn't absolutely horrible, and I take a multivitamin that makes me feel better about not eating enough greens.

4. Our YMCA membership has been one of my best friends. We see each other at least three times a week. And I won't deny the fact that I go for the free childcare. I get an hour to do whatever I want. I can take a class, run on the treadmill, swim a few laps, or sit in the sauna. I don't have huge aspirations for my new friendship, just that we'd continue doing what we've been doing, those 3 hours a week are saving my life. Thank you, Y, thank you.

5. Date nights have never been so good (and coveted). What do you do when your parents aren't around to watch the babe? You enlist in good friends and interns. Yep, we had our interns who admitted to not changing a diaper before watch our precious little Anna. We were that desperate. And they have proven to be two of Anna's favorite playdates, not to mention brilliant at putting her to sleep. I'm praying that 2014 sees many more dates because God knows we still need just us time especially living in the ministry and being new parents.

Again, these aren't necessarily goals as much as they are memories of the last year that I hope I can do better with in the year to come. New resolutions and I just do not mix well. They're too big and when I don't accomplish them I'm just too hard on myself. I'd rather just not try than try and fail. So my small goals (since I don't like big goals) for 2014 are to write, read, eat, workout, and love just a little bit more than I already do. Not too difficult, right?