December 31-Happy New Year

December 31

Happy New Year

2007 is coming to a quick end. WOW! What a difference a year can make in the lives of your children. Our family grew by one this year with the birth of our 3rd son, Samuel David. It has been such a blessing to have the gift of a baby in the house again. Matthew is in his last year of elementary school. He seems to be finding some good friends this year and finding his place amongst his peers; an answered prayer being that this is something I have been worried about in the past. He began playing the drums this year, his primary sport focus in soccer and his grades are average although I KNOW he could do better. Lucas is in his second and last year of PreK. What a funny kid! Sometimes when I laugh at the funny things he has said I wonder if I should actually be worried. He doesn't display quite the compassion that Matthew does, but is very helpful around the house and has a huge imagination. He was able to play soccer for the first time this year and was estatic that daddy was his coach. Chad and I have been riding the pregnancy/newborn roller coaster. He does his thing and I do mine and then we are both so tired (well, me mostly) to have any husband and wife time together other than stare blankly at the TV screen. I miss my husband and although I am loving having a baby around again I don't like the consequence of the effect it seems to have on my marriage.

So, with the New Year upon us of course I had to come up with my GOALS for the New Year. They may seem long, maybe a bit too thought out and organized, but I like things to be focused and specific. So here it is...

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

2008 Theme:

To establish and maintain a balance between the God who created me, the husband who swept me off my feet and the children who have melted my heart.

Priority Statement:

To be the wife my husband deserves and the mother my children need.

I will continue to strengthen my relationship with God

1. Spend as much, if not more, time WITH God in addition to DOING FOR God
2. Honor the Sabbath as a family
3. We will tithe both salary and commission in 2008
4. Continue with Bible Studies
5. Find some solitude once a day for self study and journaling
6. Make Saturday Morning accountability group a priority

I will make family, friends and taking care of myself a priority

Husband

1. Once a month dates with Chad

2. Overnight get away with Chad

3. Welcome him home every night in the driveway with a hug and kiss

4. Do something to surprise/bless him every week

Children

1. Continue to reinforce the importance of God and faith (bible reading, scripture memorization, WR4K, Sunday School, camp, mission projects)

2. Teach more responsibility. Get kids more involved with household chores.

3. Demand respect be given to everyone

4. Enforce “no screen” days and hours in the home

5. Don’t over schedule the kids. No more than one activity at a time (in addition to church and school) during the school year. No more than two activities at a time (in addition to church) in the summer

6. Come up with some team building projects for Matthew and Lucas to do together

Family/Friends

1. Send cards for birthday’s, anniversaries, thank you’s and thinking of you’s

2. Accomplish Samuel’s 1^st year scrapbook

3. Accomplish Matthew’s K-3^rd scrapbook pages

4. Have once a month weekend meal with different friends/family

5. Have lunch/dinner with Kathy once a month

6. Re-establish more regular playgroup meetings

7. Have a girls only overnight somewhere

Self

1. Make time for a daily time of solitude (see above)

2. Observe 31^st Day as a day to re-evaluate family plan and have a ME day

I will set up an effective plan to manage my home and focus my mission

Home

1. Reorganize and set up desk as an effective place to manage home and mission projects

2. Schedule NOTHING during the day on Mondays. (exception: special functions for the kids at school)

3. Choose one other day of the week (according to schedule) to be an “At Home” work day and one day as an “Errand day” as needed.

4. Break home into weekly zones and accomplish 1-2 projects in that zone each week. (Week One: Kids Rooms; Week Two: Kitchen; Week Three: Bedroom; Week Four: Living/Dining/Bathroom; Week Five: Area of most need)

5. Menu plan and make shopping lists accordingly and keep a running list of other home items needed to cut down on extra trips to store and frivolous item.

6. Use salary pay checks for bills. Commission pay checks are for savings and special projects only…not to supplement the month due to overspending.

7. Adopt a new “Green” habit every month

Mission

To teach children/youth about God’s love for them and the awesome gift He gave us in His son Jesus Christ.

To live my life as an example and response to God’s grace

To reach out to those in greater need than myself

1. To prioritize my commitments to the Church that reflect my mission for 2008 while honoring my commitments to my family I can plan and plan and hope and hope for anything my little heart desires I suppose. But, like the Proverb stated above, it's the Lord who will determine my steps. So, as long as I stay flexible and keep my ears and eyes open to what GOD wants, I'm sure that this New Year will be full of blessings. I'm looking foward to watching my kids grow, learn and enjoy life from their individual perspectives this next year.