- Make family devotional time a regular habit.
- Increase Matt's studio to a point that it independently provides our necessary income.
- Become more sustainable (a.k.a. living green, holistically, etc.)
- Create opportunities for our kids that lead them to success.
- Learn what *works* for our family, and build upon that.
All of these, of course, have several smaller goals that need to be met to be successful.
So, the first 2 are pretty self-explanatory. Let me address the latter 3.
Become more sustainable.
Matt & I crave the simple life. I often ask him if we can be Amish. Apparently, that's a tad more extreme than he's willing to go. (Still loves playing his electric guitar.) A better balance for us is building a productive garden. We've experimented in our garden over the last few years, but this year it's going to be a pretty big deal. Now, we're just waiting for the snow to melt.
However, the garden isn't enough. I'm becoming domestic. I'm teaching myself to knit and sew. Not just as a hobby. I want to make clothing that my family will WANT to wear. This is also going to help me unplug. I spend a lot of time behind my computer, multi-tasking. I need to set aside time daily to DO something productive (b/c I don't know how to sit still), and yet also be unplugged. Knitting is very relaxing for me, and as I get better at sewing I'm finding it to also be a relaxing journey for my mind.
Gardening, knitting, sewing....there's more.
We're getting green. We're making slow, simple changes around the house. We recently went paperless in the kitchen--no paper towels. We compost & recycle. I'm always trying to find new uses for old stuff. I'm reading & learning how to make my own cleansers, hair & facial products, and becoming a more efficient cook.
Create opportunities for our kids that leads them to success.
We have lots of little goals for each of the kids. We want O to read before kindergarten. We want E to be out of diapers before the end of 2010. Mostly, though, we want them take advantage of opportunities that lead them to success. This is a daily habit. We want them to see they have the opportunity to make good choices. We want them to recognize it, seize it, and grow from it. "It" could be a lot of things.
So, how do you create opportunity? For example, LONG before E was ready to potty train I purchased her big-girl panties. She knew for months they were there, waiting for her. Every so often she asked to wear them, we let her, and an accident would happen. Back in the drawer (after cleaning) they would go. Then, a month ago--she was ready to kick training into full gear. She's tackled it full-on, and now wants to go to bed without a diaper. She had the opportunity & took it. Another example--I try to keep tabs on the kiddos' conversations. When I hear things going downhill--I tell them they have the opportunity to make a good choice. It gets quiet, and every so often they choose well. Other times, a little mommy mediation is required. Oh yes, and sometimes some separation. :) They are, after all, siblings. The point is, I make them aware of what is going on, so that they can recognize opportunity.
We're also seeking out opportunities--schools, classes, etc. However, it will be essential to determine what and WHEN. Everything has a time and a place.
Learn what *works* for our family, and build upon that.
Over the course of the last couple years I've learned sincerely that what is standard, or good for the majority, or even just what happens to work for another family--DOES NOT necessarily work for us. In fact, it may even make us miserable, because we're trying to live up to something (or someone) that really has no understanding of our family. Furthermore, God made our family unique, and I'm confident He has a plan for us that may not look anything like the plan he has for yours.
This has been a huge realization in our finances. We kept trying to do things the Ramsey way (for example), or some other financial guru's way. Guess what? They have no idea all the details of our finances & situation, and they DON'T have all the answers. We were getting so frustrated, and now we've created a system that works for us. We still listen and learn from others--there are definite pearls of wisdom out there, but you need a lot of pearls to make a necklace. I really like where we are at--even though it's not perfect. We make tweaks along the way.
I remind myself of this goal daily. I'm a perfectionist, and I'm quick to judge myself and compare myself to others. That's not what God wants from me, I'm sure. I have to remind myself that what worked for her--may not work for me, and may not be what God wants for me.
For example, I recently read about another mom blogger who used baking soda to wash her hair. Being that I'm striving to live more naturally--I wanted to try. I followed her directions EXACTLY. It didn't work. My hair was gross. I gave up, frustrated. A few months later I came back to the idea. I thought maybe I needed to try a different approach--it worked fantastically! Now, I'm using baking soda instead of shampoo on an almost daily basis. We're saving a ton, and it's better for the environment on many levels.
This year is very exciting. I feel more like our time and energy is focused, purposeful. Rather than being controlled, and a slave to our circumstances--we're managing our lives. Please note, I did not say controlling our lives. Yep, that realization came too--we're not in control (very hard for a control freak to say that). We can, however, manage.
