Why Hello, 2016!

2015 was an interesting year.  It had the best of times and the worst of times.  We had a most terrible May, which honestly felt like enough to call the whole year a wash.  But then we had that dreamy summer, which was really pretty incredible.  Between their visits here and our visits there, I saw my parents 5 times this year, and seeing your mom always makes things better.  Clark was a race running fiend (see his blog for more details).  Ella started Kindergarten and learned to read.  Julia read 46,574 pages (I kid you not!), and generally rocked the end of 1st and start of 2nd grades. I think all that wonderfulness makes up for May.


And how did I do?  Well, let's take a look at last year's resolutions, shall we?

• Read Jesus the Christ.

Once again, I did not read Jesus the Christ.   It's a beast of a book.  And once again, I'm resolving that this will be the year I do it.  I've decided that Sunday morning is the perfect time to read a chapter.  And if I read one chapter each week, I'll be done before the end of the year.  I am a woman with a plan, and I've already read the first 2 chapters (because chapter 1 is the introduction).  Just you watch, 2016, I'll finish this book.

• Finish my 30 by 30 challenge. 

Once again, I did not finish my 30 by 30 challenge.   I still have those last 4.  I guess we'll continue to put that on the resolutions list.  Maybe this is the year...

• Go to the temple more.

I am so very happy to say that this actually happened!  I have been to the temple a LOT more than I went in 2014.  Between youth trips and going with friends and going while we were in Utah and a few actual, real deal dates with my husband to the temple, I think I made it at least 7 times, if not more.  It's not every month, but this is way more than I have been since we moved from Utah.  Win.

• Keep learning Portuguese.

Check!  Duolingo is now a part of my daily routine, and it tells me I am now 50% fluent in Portuguese.  I think it must be the 50% that involves reading and writing, because I really can't SPEAK Portuguese, but we are getting there.  I understand a whole lotta stuff.  Win.

• Blog more.

Not win.  Obviously.  New year, same goal.

• Be more present with my kids.  Stop thinking about what we are going to do, and start enjoying what we are doing.

It's hard to measure if I did this or not.  I probably did sometimes, but I'm sure there was plenty of distraction in there.  Thinking back on the Summer of Dreams, I think being present is what made it so dreamy.  So there is that.  I'm calling it a win.

• Give more.  Be quick to observe needs in others, and meet those needs if I'm able.

Again, this is hard to measure.  And, to be quite honest, this is a constant battle I have.  I am always striving to be the type of person who sees others' needs and just meets them, without a thought.  But I overthink everything, and tend to talk myself out of acting on promptings.  And I often don't see the need in the first place, which is kind of selfish of me.  I think this will be a lifelong struggle for me, but it's one worth fighting.  It's one way I can be more like the Savior, and oh, I want to be more like Him.

So, once again, I'm rolling over some goals.  Read Jesus the Christ.  Finish 30 by 30.  Blog more.  But I am also adding some new ones:

• Walk 500 miles.
• Read 12,000 pages.
• Start my book blog (stay tuned, this one is VERY exciting)
• Visit Chicago when it's not the dead of winter.  How we live here and have never been in the city in warm weather is beyond me....I'm not even talking "summer," just NOT WINTER. 

Here's to the new year!