Just a few days late...

Is everyone ready for 2006? I want to be, but I'm quite sure I am not...doesn't really matter, it didn't wait for me to ask it to come around.

I've been trying to post this entry for several days now, even before New Years Day. For some reason I kept being interrupted, and then I would lose my train of thought and end up deleting the whole thing. I really wish that I hadn't done that because I had some really inspiring things to say to myself and now I will probably never remember them again.

I've spent quite a bit of time over the last few weeks thinking about all the things that did and didn't work in 2005 and all the things that I want to continue, or do differently in 2006.

I don't really like the term *resolution*...and I do not make New Year's resolutions. It's not like January 1st is some magic date that will enable me to do all of these things that I want to do, but maybe it's the sense of *renewal* that I get from it being a new year that causes me to want to make a list and work toward being different.

 Then again maybe I'm just jumping on the *New Me Overnight* bandwagon...either way, I have a list and I'm going to share it.

God

This past year I really let the ball drop in my spiritual life. Time to pick the ball back up I guess...

I battle with waking early and starting the day with a *quiet time* because I am not a morning person. I have to admit that things go much better when I do that, though. So, I guess I will continue to battle with it...but this time I will win!!

My morning quiet time will consist of reading, praying, writing in my prayer journal, and doing a study....either of my own, or one that I purchase. I *need* the studies, but recognize that some women don't. Studying revives me, and leaves me seeking more...and since I do not have infants it is not hard for me to make time to do one.

Husband

I recognize that my lack of spiritual focus has helped me to form some really bad (read worldly) habits in relation to my husband. I have not been honoring him (nor God) as I should. Without going into all the icky details, I will just say that I have renewed my commitment to work toward being the wife that God called me to be...and to pray for him daily.

I also haven't been trying to please him. He's the type of man who doesn't complain about things, so it's somewhat easy to take advantage of him in certain areas. I'm ashamed of that. I've read from several ladies I have *met* over the years that they try to focus on 2-3 things to do every day that they know will please their husband, as a gift to him, and that is my plan as well...but I won't list those here.

Children

The last year has seen our parenting change in lots of ways, and not all of them good...but not all of them bad either.

We have found ourselves trying to make our children happy at times, when it probably wasn't for their best. For several months of this year I could not be there for them the way that I needed to be because of PapL's cancer. It has just been a very hard year.

Even through all of that our relationships are still close. All of my boys are still openly affectionate physically, which shows me that their hearts are not hardened toward us. They have distinct personalities that sometimes cause conflict, but in the end they love each other, and they work it all out...and are fairly free with their apologies. They are loyal to each other and do not turn their backs on their brother for the affection of an outsider. I'm proud of the relationships that they have with each other.

For this year I want to work more on helping them develop their relationship with God. I believe that my oldest really reaped the benefits of the zeal we had a few years ago. He reads daily, prays, and sees God in all things. He wants to work, talks of missions, and is open with his faith and beliefs.

The younger two were not old enough for that period of time to have a lasting effect, and I'm sorry that we let them down. I don't feel that it's too late to change things though...so, my plan is to really encourage them, all of them, through various ways.

I also wanted to copy my friend, Kim, in having *dates* with our boys. We never really implemented that when we first discussed it, and didn't really get all the specifics worked out. Even with our only having 3, it seems that sometimes one will get *lost* in the crowd. I think that one-on-one time would mean a lot to all of them, and would help us continue to keep that close connection that we have.

Others

I'll continue to help Pap L and Granny all that I can, but I want to reach out to others as well. We've already discussed this as a family, and I think I may explain more about it at a later time...this entry is going to be very long I can see, so I'll not go further.

Homemaking

I think I've tried to do it every way imaginable. I've took every bit of advice that I have ever read and tried, in some feeble way, at one point or another, to apply it to our lives. I think I'm tired of that...

So, changes for this year concerning homemaking...."Just Do It!!" It's just something that has to be done...DAILY!!

Basically, the plan is to have a cleaning time (where the three boys and I work together) 1-2 times a day. This way we are not overwhelmed, and it'll all get done pretty quickly.

I do need to do some more decluttering (as we are planning to foster-adopt), but I don't really consider that *homemaking*. Homemaking, to me, is the day to day stuff...

Homeschool

Pretty much the same philosophy applies to our homeschool...."Just Do It!!"

We have been slackers in the past. Even *if* we do manage to do school every day, we are somehow skipping something that is supposed to be part of our school. That needs to stop...

Oh, I would like to add in a few more hands-on things (timeline, period crafts, etc..) for the youngers...

I also need to re-read Barb Sheltons high-school book...

Health

Daddy L says that he wants us to eat better. The responsibility of that will fall on my shoulders I guess. So, supposedly, we are going to finish off the *junk* that we have now, and just not buy any more.

Healthy eating looks different to each individual. For us it means less sweets and chips...and no pop/soda...and more water. That's doable...

He also wants us to excercise more. He's kind of setting up something for him and the boys to do...and then they do the "Walk Away The Pounds" with me. We did it for a while and they really enjoyed it.

I used to want to lose weight, but about a year ago that stopped being the main focus and being healthy started becoming the goal. It's not about appearance, it's about how I feel...physically and mentally.  I need to add this in my prayer journal, this family will really need prayer in order to give up all the junk.

Daddy L and I are also planning trips to the doctor for physicals. Neither of us are very good about going to the doctor...even when we need to go.

I think that's pretty much the nuts and bolts of it all. It looks kind of overwhelming when typed out like this, but I like the idea of having it in a place where I can look at it frequently. Even if it means that I'll come back at some point and think "what was I thinking when I said we could do that?"