Happy New Year! Welcome, 2016!

Wow. 2016. I am old, y'all. And, I'm more ok with that than I thought I would be at this age. However, being "this age" is not as bad as some would have you believe. Knowing what you want, what you like and whom you love is so much more important than what other people think about you. Goodbye 20s, I don't miss you. Shoot, goodbye 30s, I don't miss you either.

There's a lot of talk at this time of year about goals, resolutions, priorities, mottoes, and having a WORD for the year. I don't think there is anything magical, per se, about turning the page on the calendar, but I AM all about turning over a new leaf, or finding new ways to stay on top of one recently overturned. I don't have a word for the year, although someone suggested 'Moderation'. I am opting more for the motto of "Stop the Glorification of Busy." We all do it. We admire people that get a ton accomplished every day. We do. I know that for years, I've found part of my self esteem in being THAT MOM, the one that does it all. That's all fine and dandy except that no one can do it all. Especially not well, and even more so, not forever. So, this year, I'm stepping back. I"m quitting the dog and pony show and working on things that are in line with my priorities. My family. My home. My friends. My church. My neighborhood.
In direct defiance of having it all and doing it all, I'm doing less this year. And I'm going to do a better job since I won't be spread so thin. I'll have time to laugh at my silly children's antics. I'll have time to spend with my hunky dunky husband. I'll have time to linger over a tasty dinner with friends without having to rush off to the next activity. Part of this will happen naturally as the boys get bigger and more independent, part because my nephew and my mother have both moved out this year, and part because my job requires less and less of me (except during holidays and summer break). But most of this will happen because I'm learning to say NO to unnecessary crazy. I'm learning to say, "That isn't in line with my priorities right now."
Here's what IS making the cut this year:

~Daily Devotions: This is something I've struggled with for years. 10 minutes in the morning make the whole day go better because I've started with the important thing first.
~Health: Losing weight through portion control and exercise. Lost 7 pounds just before Thanksgiving and kept it off through the holidays. Looking to lose 25-ish more pounds.
~Homeschooling: Having a set schedule again is making school happen more often and with better results.
~Budgeting: Again, an area I've struggled with for years, even though I manage the money. Dan's months in Iowa are helping us find hot spot issues and address them. I'm loving the Dave Ramsey "Every Dollar" app on my new-to-me iPhone.
~Socializing: I am seeking to spend a morning at least once a month (preferably once every 1-2 weeks) in the company of other women to lift each other up and bear one another's burdens.
~Mental Health: I am working to remove "SHOULD" from my vocabulary, since I use it to bludgeon myself over the head with guilt when I'm asked to participate in something that doesn't align with my priorities or talents. So, goodbye SHOULD, I don't need you anymore.
~Marriage: Last on the list, but certainly not in my heart. Dan's absence these past 6 months have really done much to remind me of how much we enjoy one another and what a vast hole has been in our lives since he's been away. So, I'm looking for ways to spend time together, even across the miles (so thankful for today's technology) and putting things together for us to do as a couple once he's home again.
That's it.
Other things like reading, letter writing, blogging, cooking from scratch and the like remain high on my personal to do list, but aren't being put on the list of goals for the year. If they happen, awesome. If not, that's fine, too.
If you need me, I'll be working out, visiting with friends, or face-timing the hubster. I love my life!