Goodbye 2005

It's nearing the end of January, and in my mind, it is now officially the beginning of 2006. This is when I get it together and stop making the mistake of writing 2005 on all our checks, when I get my butt in gear because I can no longer use the "post-holiday" excuse, and it's also when I start looking forward to the new year and what goals I need to make and achieve.

2005 was a landmark year for us in many ways. In fact, every year is significant in the growth and development of a child. This past year, our children celebrated their first and third birthdays, which included a garden party and a fish-themed party. Our eldest was potty-trained, asserted her position as big sister in our household and began school for the first time. Our youngest, started talking in full sentences, dressing up in princess clothes, copying everything her older sister would do, and fighting for the right to her own toys. Joe committed to stay at his group and become partner, finally traded in the old Civic and got his first new car, and we moved into our own single family home complete with a big backyard. I was busy constantly thinking of new ways to make our new home more our own, exploring a new community, getting to better know and love the sisters at our church, and embarking on the beginning of a new career. When I reflect upon the past year and look on this year, there are just a few things I can think of that I want to do better:

• Listen to myself and my needs more
• Listen to my children and be calmer and more patient with them
• Fight the urge to retreat when things get tough with the girls, Joe, or my parents. And "seek the truth" as Joe always says
• Say "I love you" more to those I truly love
• Be wholly devoted to God
  

Side note: there are a whopping 12 pregnant ladies at our church right now. That number will go down to 11 this week when one of them gives birth. Just to give you an idea of how significant this is, I did a bit of number crunching. There are roughly about 40 women of childbearing age (I defined this to be post-college and pre-menopause) at our church and of those, 30% are pregnant! Out of 40 women 65% are married, so if you calculate the percent pregnant out of married women only, the percent goes up to almost 50% (I know, I'm a biostats nerd). It's gotten bad, but it's a funny sight to see the parade of bellies every Sunday and whenever we get together. Yesterday I went to church in this empire waist, tunic top and everyone started asking me how I was feeling, as if I might be pregnant. AS IF!