#2014makeitwork

on new year's day, after watching the parade and a hasty lunch, tovi and i threw the kids and the dog into the car and we drove up to the bay area. we're here to visit family and tovi will be scouting a few soccer games before i head back home with the kids and he spends the week at a conference in sacramento. whew! just like 2013, the new year is already promising to be a busy one for our family.

we thought we had expertly timed our road trip for naptime, ensuring us a couple of hours of grown-up talk in the car. well, the best laid plans etc, and obviously the kids didn't sleep. but they were fairly quiet, and we got to talk and dream and plan a little bit of our year anyhow.

i've loved setting goals over the past year. it's kept me on track and growing, as a person and as a mom. especially in these years of raising young kids, i think it's easy for some things to stay the same; easy to get caught up in survival mode. there aren't very many natural rhythms for pause and reflection, and new year's has been a welcome time for that.

so a few goals and resolutions for the coming year:

+ get up before the kids get up. this had been my regular practice before london was born, but i've slipped away from it. london is charming and delightful... and not a very good night sleeper. lately, i've been caught rolling over, stuffing the pillow over my head, and pretending that i can't hear her over the monitor. this is not the mom i want to be, and it doesn't set me up for a good day. my best days start when i am the first person up. it's been a good reminder that more sleep does not always equal a better mommy.

+ drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. i mean, seriously. time to grow up and get hydrated. sometimes i make it to the end of the day and think, "oh my gosh! no water! i forgot to drink water!" my sister-in-law gave me a fruit-infusing water bottle of christmas, so that will help!

+ a place for everything and everything in it's place. our house has seen a lot of transition this year. it's my goal that by the end of january, london's room will be her own (it was previously our guest room/home office), and that we will continue to figure out what we really need to have and how to organize it best in a small space.

+ travel. tovi and i love to travel. weekend trips, day trips, international... we love it all. we began planning for a few family trips and also a grown-ups-only trip this summer. aaaaah....

+ discipleship and encouragement. there are a few women that were brought into my life this fall that i have a particular heart to disciple and encourage. i am so thankful for this opportunity to speak some love and encouragement to these wonderful friends.

i know that 2014 will hold surprises; 2013 certainly did, but God is good and faithful, and i can't wait to see how He molds us this year.