A season of Hope

  Some people call Christmas a season of hope.

                I think January is.

When I see 3 times the number of joggers in my neighborhood, donation vans overflowing and organizational products flying off the shelves at Walmart I think to myself, "What could be more hopeful than a whole month of believing that this year is the year you will get thin, get organized, get motivated, get ______"  

I think Halmark gave us Valentines day as a consolation prize - to get our minds off of the utter failure

.. unless you are single, you single people get to live it up on St. Patrick's Day and Mardi Gras,

             I guess.



Instead of a New Years resolution, I always evaluate my life on my birthday and this year I'm made some startling discoveries.

1.) In October I started yelling at my kids.  I don't know how I managed to be a mother so long without really yelling at them but I'm losing my voice and I need to find a better way of getting their attention. Parenting fail.

2.) I'm a pretty terrible cook.  This has just dawned on me.  A good cook has a menu, a plan, a stocked pantry, a recipe and a repertoire.  I have tacos and GF dinner waffles.  Since we are embarking on a super strict diet this year to hopefully address some of our food issues I think it's time I try to make something yummy.

3.) I read over 40 books last year but only made it half way through my "read your Bible in a year" reading plan.  (Many of those books were audio books I "read" while running ... but still.)

4.) Choosing to spend time with friends instead of running errands or getting stuff done around the house was the best choice I've made this year.  It's strange but true that I have a finite amount of energy at the beginning of every day.  Fellowship with great friends increases that amount, time alone at home cleaning - decreases it.

5.) I am what I eat.  Going grain and dairy free on the GAPS diet has changed my life.  I no longer take 2 hour naps each day.  I am able to think more clearly with less caffein.  I'm using my inhaler far less and have taken the straw out of my bedside bottle of benadryl.  My quality of life has definitely improved.  (proof of this is that I can now clean my house for a few hours each night even after homeschooling all day.)

6.) I have discovered that I have an amazing best friend.  We just realized that after 13 years of marriage we don't fight.  We argue, we disagree, but we never intentionally hurt each other's feelings - even though we each voted for opposite presidential candidates!  This is something I cherish but completely blame Phillip for.  He won't argue when I'm overly emotional and will only tolerate logic and good research in a debate  (his first principle in an argument is - always respect your opponent, second principle - only attack and illogical argument, never an illogical arguer).  I'm really hoping this rubs off on the kids.

Last year was tough and exhausting.  This year - or at least this January - is going to be awesome.

Resolution re-cap:

1.) Never raise my voice at the kids.  (This one is kind of easy, my yell is so quiet it doesn't get their attention anyway.)  Anyone want to teach me how to do the two finger whistle?

2 and 3.) Plan better, Eat better. Live better.  = GAPS diet from now until 2015

4.) Complete my "read your Bible in a year" plan  (I'm super grateful for my friend Amber's suggestion to consider it a two year plan, it dialed the guilt factor way down.)

5 and 6.) Remind myself that people are important, whether it's spending time with friends or reminding myself to never wound my opponent in an argument.