To all you late-night crazy people, have a great time doing the New Year's countdown tonight! As for me, I will do my best to stay up until 10 pm.
Today I've been thinking about the past year and what lies ahead for 2015. It's been a crazy year, as usual it's gone by too fast, and we've made some great memories! Here are a few 2014 moments worth noting...
- March 3 - Mr. E celebrated his first birthday
- Apr 23 - 1 Year "Blogiversary"
- May 10 - Ran my first half marathon for Mother's Day
- May 19 - Celebrated 2 years of marriage
- June 21 - Ran our first race together as a family of 3
- August 9 - Survived my first year of being a stay-at-home mom
- Sept 27 - Placed 3rd in my age group at the Wild Hog Half
- Sept 30 - Then we found out we're expecting Baby #2
- Nov 20 - Met our midwife and had our first appointment.
- Dec 28 - Made our first airplane trip with a toddler
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| I'm trying to remember what green grass looks like. Hope summer comes early this year :) |
To follow-up on last year's 2014 resolutions post, here are a few reflections from this year:
Reflections from 2014
1. God's timing isn't my timing.
That is the main take-away that our TTC journey left me with. What I have planned for my life and what God has planned don't always line up, but His plan is always perfect. This year He has been teaching me many lessons in patience, seeking His direction first, and trusting that He knows exactly what I need. |
| I don't always understand His ways, but you can't beat God's timing! |
2. Half marathons are just as fun.
It must have been my stubbornness that kept me from running a half marathon until this year. Six full marathons into my running adventures and I finally ran my first half marathon this spring! It was less stressful to train for, the medals are still pretty, and the race is just as fun as the full (and recovery is much faster!). I'm okay with running a half here and there, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up on the 26.2 now :) |
| Half marathons are fun. We like fun! |
3. Pray first.
I have a track record of making a decision first and then praying about it after the fact.This year God has been showing me that everything works out and I am less stressed when I ask for His guidance before I say yes to a commitment or make a decision. Pray first, then act!4. Toddlers are fun little monsters.
Since E entered toddlerhood, there has been a lot more attitude in our house and a lot more mess. I am really enjoying having a toddler because we can be active together (especially in the warm months) and he has so much personality! I love going for walks with him when he actually wants to hold my hand. Watching him explore the world and attempt his first conversations has been absolutely priceless.5. Less is more.
This concept contradicts our consumer culture, but it's the truth - giving is more fun than getting. After reading the books Enough by Will Davis Jr. and The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn, we have been looking at ways of living on less and giving more to bless others in the name of Jesus Christ. I want to continue this process into the new year (and the rest of our lives) of determining what we really "need" and how we can help those who are in need.
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Resolutions for 2015
1. Pray specifically for our marriage and children.
One of my resolutions for 2014 was to be a "prayer warrior" and I am happy to say that I have grown more disciplined in my prayer life! For the coming year, I want to focus on being consistent in praying over our marriage and our children. Hannah's Intentional Prayer Series is a great prayer resource that walks you through specific prayers each month.2. Keep up a running and strength training routine.
Throughout this pregnancy, I have been running a little less and strength training a little more compared to my first. Personally, I've found it works great for me! My goal is to continue running 4 days a week and strength training 2 days a week. After Baby #2 arrives, I'm taking my time to recover and then will be on the lookout for marathon #7! Any full marathon suggestions in the Midwest?3. Set clear boundaries for our family.
As we continue to settle into this new hometown of ours, Leo and I are being intentional about not being involved in too many activities away from home. This culture puts such a value on "busy-ness" yet all it leads to is less time with family and a stressful, joyless life. No thank you! We are praying about what activities we choose to be involved in and being assertive in the decisions we make. |
| Our first flight as a family of 3! |
4. Spend more time practicing piano.
Our new church-home gave us a piano this summer and now I'm playing on the worship team once a month. I prayed a lot about being able to learn all of these hymns and piano is coming back to me pretty quickly! Leo's grandma told me she would practice piano for 6 hours a day, split into three 2-hour sessions, when she was younger - like waking up early just to play piano! The only things I wake up early to do are my devotional time and running :) Maybe someday I will be that dedicated to piano... okay, probably not. Let's just shoot for practicing 30 minutes a day, if E and the new baby let me!
5. Schedule a regular date night with Leo.
Since E was born, our "date nights" have been scarce and sporadic. Whether we plan an "at-home date" after E's bedtime or actually get a babysitter for the evening, we really need to intentionally make time to be together. Hopefully we can get a date night plan rolling before Baby #2 arrives!
What are your plans for New Year's Eve?
Do you write down resolutions for each year?
Do you write down resolutions for each year?
I'm linking up with Jessica & Jill at the Fit Dish for the first time! Join the weekly Fit Dish link-up on Tuesdays! Also linking up with Fitness Friday.
