Missing...

Right now, missing is the theme of the moment...

1. I am missing having my writing time.
2. I am missing my purplest friend cause our schedules just clash.
3. I am missing having been here for sweet LM with all that she's been going through.
4. I am missing a piece of my heart for my cousin who lost the love of her life.
5. I am missing a piece of my heart for my aunt who lived a fabulous life and has gone home to heaven. 
6. I am missing a piece of my heart for sweet LM who lost her mom, suddenly.
7. I am missing my mom, but told her that it was okay if she couldn't come.
8. I am missing my brothers' intact families and mourning that loss.
9. I am missing my sweet college boy who may not come home this summer and that's okay cause I'm supposed to grow him up and out.
10. I am missing afternoons with Teen Boy cause I'm working.
11. I am missing feeling on top of the world or at least my household chores.
12. I am missing sleep.
13. I am missing me and my sunny personality.

I am thankful though.  For my husband.  My children.  My parents and my in-laws.  I am thankful for dear friends that are just there when you need them to make you coffee and let you cry.  I am thankful for my job, my work kids, my work family.  I am thankful for my health, and those around me in good health.  I am thankful that I have faith.  I am thankful for friends that care for your children when you can't.  And friends that spend the day with you at a farmers market and playing games. 

I felt compelled to be thankful for as many things as I complained about.  Interestingly enough, that list was also easier to compile. 

So God has a sense of humor... I've known this for a long time, but each time it is revealed to me, it makes me want to share.  Someone (else) I know lost someone.  It is painful for them because even though their relationship wasn't easy, it was important to my someone and her someones and their someones.  There is a third party in their life.  She, too, has a tough relationship with the person I know.  That third party goes through life seemingly unhappy with her life (which of course you know quite quickly when you meet them).  So Lord, why call home the important person and not the third party person?  That third party doesn't have all of those important relationships?  I have returned to this ugly thought several times in the last week.  I know, I can be awful.  As I said, though, God has a sense of humor.  I get to hang out with the third party.  Me.  The one wishing her dead.  Loud and clear, Lord, I hear your message and will learn to do YOUR will, not mine.  But I will do it laughing.  Irony, huh.

Resolution #2

Start the year out right... put EVERYTHING on a calendar.  If you use an electronic one, I cannot help you, but it probably moves most repeating stuff like birthdays over.  However, school years change and many districts already have a calendar up for next year.

I print out pages from printfree.com, hole-punch them and put them in a sturdy folder (with those metal thingys that I cannot think of the name of) so that I can have someplace to keep invitations, hand-outs from meetings or my notes about things I need to do.  In fact, I love this folder/calendar so much that I actually bought a purse that would be wide enough to carry it when it is on its side!  How's that for reasons why you need to buy a purse?  The other thing about the print free pages is I can keep more than a year in the folder, both past and future, so I can look back on things or be prepared for the whole school year in August.  I also have a calendar that hangs on the wall (that I bought and now need to find) so I can put quick things on until I find my calendar, or things we're counting down to, or BIG REMINDERS like of birthdays and such. 

At the beginning of the year, I am overwhelmed by the list of changes I want to make so I was having a hard time choosing where to start.  Then I almost double-booked myself for this weekend... seriously almost bought hockey tickets to be with two kids when the third is in the All-City Honor band and has a CONCERT at the EXACT SAME TIME!  Sometimes I am such a loser.  But on the upside, now I will sit down and put all birthdays, commitments, etc on the calendar this week. 

Happy Wednesday

Resolution #1

Lists.  I like them.  Some do not care for them.  I do like to make lists and write down things I've done and cross it off.  I did that with a resolution or two last year.  And I'm okay with that.  I digress...

Lists.  Personal goals.  Household goals.  Goals for children or spouses (if you dare... I do not).  Week one has been about compiling some lists.  For example, there are several areas around our home that need improvement.  A hole in the wall here, new pictures to hang there, small things that need to be accomplished.  Some folks might consider this a "honey do" list.  In my house, that doesn't go over so well so I phrase it as my goals that I guess my dad will help me with when he comes.  Generally, when Hero Daddy has some time and has heard my "goals", he will lend a hand IF it seems as if it is his idea.  22 years of marriage (almost) and I've learned a thing or two.

Now, I apologize for not getting to this sooner, so take your time and compile your lists over the next week along with resolution #2.  Which will be coming soon to a blog near you.  LOL.  I crack myself up!  What happened was, I wanted to start the year with words of wisdom about my journey.  So I wrote a blog and then saved it so I could revisit and improve upon it.  In reality, I worked at a swim meet the last two days, played mahjong with the ladies and ran errands, went to a full-day professional development session (now certified in CPR, first aid and AED, again.  Things have been simplified in CPR, are the same in first aid and an AED really will talk you through the entire process.), worked a half-day learning more about my job and moved College Boy back to school.  Then I reread what I wrote earlier today and decided it was just fine the way it was.  Which meant then I was nearly a week behind.  But the new year started on a Tuesday, so Tuesday may be the first day of the week this year!

Happy list making!

Welcome to 2013!

Once again, I am just one mom.  I am so blessed to be married to Hero Daddy for the last 21 years and have three wonderful sons, College Boy, Teen Boy and the Little Red Headed Boy (LRHB).  I look around my life and I would like to make ALOT of changes, but I am realistic in my older age to know that I cannot wake up tomorrow an entirely new person, svelte and super healthy with a clean, well-organized home and delightful little hobbies.  HA!  Again, HA! 

Last year I decided to make one change at a time.  In fact, I decided to make 52 resolutions over 52 weeks.  I've spent the last week celebrating that goal, the changes I've made, and contemplating what I'd like to continue to work on.  I cataloged the resolutions for last year in a spreadsheet (sometimes I get like that) and scored how I felt I did in accomplishing those goals.  My total score could have been 156.  I scored at 102 or 65%.  That sounds so lousy so I'll stick to the statistic I like:  only 8% of Americans stick to their resolutions the entire year and I did.  Each week I chose a new resolution and I tried to accomplish it.  Some really stuck like eating breakfast.  Some didn't like getting the mail... why is that so hard?  I remembered great moments as I went back through my journey and although I never chose some items as a resolution, I accomplished them.

I read more than 52 books, from many types of genres, authors, storytellers.  I gained new friends, my blogger girls Glennon, Kelle, Jessica and Mrs. Hartman, to name a few.  I am walking closer with my God.  I think I live in the moment more and appreciate the "present" as a GIFT... why else would I have done this:  http://52weeks52resolutions1mom.blogspot.com/2012/12/515152-not-yet.html.  Sure some of my resolutions were lame, but my house is definitely cleaner for it.  I worked out through the summer, which is 8 months more than last year.  I spent time with best friends near and far; does it get much better than that?  I've experienced mother pain like I had never before and grew.  There have been losses, but others lost more; some years are like that.  I took on paid jobs:  last winter and spring loving two sweeties as my own while their mommy worked; this fall at my son's school in jobs I'd never tried before.  I discovered I like blogging and that writing goals does truly help one to achieve them.  Look at our Lenten walk if you need an example.

I am going to continue this journey, 52 weeks, 52 resolutions, 1 mom trying to become the best she can be.  Happy 2013!

No blogging, just reading...

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber

I thought I'd read all of her books (except for her Angel series), however I found this funny tale about the holidays and a matchmaker that I hadn't read.  I am returning the rest of the Christmas themed books (made a list to get them next November), but I really enjoyed reading one last tale by one of my favorite authors.  Add it to your book list for next December if you enjoy cute, brainless, happy ending tales!

New Year's Day Read

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

I started the year off reading a truly inspirational book by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow (remember I read two of his books last year).  Randy rode his bike daily while fighting cancer and on 53 long bike rides he spoke with Jeffrey Zaslow who put the book together for him.  He could have done it himself, but it would have taken precious time from his family.  The book is The Last Lecture and this is my second attempt at reading it.  Last time I read on the book jacket that he was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon and that this was his last lecture.  For some reason, I was drawn to checking it out again from the library and I read it in a single afternoon (the family got leftovers for New Year's dinner... oh well!).  It is an easy read; powerful yet simple and oh so real.  I saw my son in this man.  And I am making him read it now.  This is the kind of book I could see myself rereading every year to center myself.   Here is a New York Times article about Randy Pausch:  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/26/us/26pausch.html?_r=0.

Things to Read...

Just a few things while I compile a real blog message.

First, LRHB and Teen Boy have both resolved to read 26 books this coming year. 

Also, here I am as a guest blogger:  http://sinkingspringsreadingpromises.blogspot.com/2012/12/movie-book-club-update.html

Next, I found this to be totally entertaining:  http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/shouts/2012/11/goodnight-nanny-cam.html

Finally, I found this to be totally affirming:  http://sinkingspringsreadingpromises.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-value-of-daily-reading.html

Happy New Year!