Happy New Year!

Well, being the "boring" folks that we are, I only seem to realize that it's New Year's because Brian's off of work tomorrow and Juliana's day care is closed. I am still planning on going to bed at a normal time, and I made sure that we don't have to get any grocery essentials tomorrow because I'm not sure what the New Year's Day hours are like.

I want to take time to reflect on this year and take time to look forward to what 2014 has to offer, yet, it seems like I can't find the time in order to ponder these reflections!

As much as I love the holidays spent with family, I also love the energy and organizational burst I get upon returning home. We've already packed up our Christmas stuff, and I've started tackling our next house project of finishing the lower basement with a vengeance. It is bittersweet as we aren't sure if we will still be in this house after my graduation and hopeful new employment somewhere, but I am so excited to FINALLY get a beautiful, clean, bright laundry room, and we have realized that Juliana needs some extra play space for all of her toys (or maybe I'll take it over as a craft room?)

The only thing I'm dragging my feet on is school work... I'm attending a conference next week and I'm definitely making the required poster last minute, oops. Instead of considering it procrastination, I'll consider it an effort to allow myself to get as much done as possible in order to have more things to share on the poster!

I don't have any New Year's resolutions... I thought about making a goal to research a new culture every month, reading one book from that culture, making one authentic dinner, memorizing the geography, etc, but I didn't have time to do sufficient research on the subject. I just realized that if I were someplace and met someone of a different culture, I wanted to be able to communicate and reach common ground with them on something, instead of being the typical self-absorbed American. I wouldn't want to be the one who severely misunderstands geography, like the parents in My Big Fat Greek Wedding who say they knew a secretary from Greece, but then it turns out that she was Guatemalan... Maybe I can start that this summer after I'm finished with school?

Ultimately, I know I need to focus on myself more. I need to figure out what makes me happy and pursue it, in all things. I know Brian gets frustrated if I'm not happy but can't figure out why. I know that my introverted self needs lots of quiet, alone, and reflecting time (which doesn't always happen with our busy little girl). I know there are things I want to prioritize in my life (like exercise, or cooking, or crafting), but I have been pushing it back and off because I feel that it's a "distraction" from getting school work done, when in reality, it might make my school work better. And, as always, I want to try to live in the moment more. I think especially now that I'm a mom, focusing on the "schedule", trying to anticipate melt downs, trying to think of the next activity, trying to think about everything, trying to prioritize everyone but myself, I need to remember to breathe. I need to remember to watch and observe. I need to remember that we are all doing amazingly well, and although every passing moment is fleeting, and the back of my mind always worries about retaining the memories of the present, I need to focus on living, being thankful, being grateful, and being happy.

So, to all my friends and family, I wish you a very happy New Year with new beginnings and possibilities. I miss the quality time I get with each of you, but am hopeful that I learn how to prioritize it better (even though I falsely believe this will be "easy" to do once school is over).