New Years Expectations

I bet she doesn't even realize what an impact this had on me.

My SIL, Jilian, is a pretty amazing lady. She was the top selling realtor in her company last year, is a mother of three, and is a crazy talented singer. And between this, she sometimes drops out helpful life tidbits that change people's lives.

She told me several lifetimes ago how she and her husband wrote new years expectations for their family that was much smaller then. I don't know if their family still does that. But as I thought it over, I think that an expectation for yourself is much more powerful than an easily broken resolution.

Last year my hubby and I did this and hung our carefully handwritten on notebook paper list in our closet where we'd each see it everyday. We set goals for ourselves, "us" goals, and goals for each of our kids. When we'd reach a goal, I'd write the month we achieved it and mark it off of the list. We marked most items off, but there were a few that we let slide.

When I write my expectations, my inner teacher comes out. I think back to all the time I was asked to write SMART goals as an educator. SMART goals are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. I tried to stick to this as I wrote my hopes for this year.

I don't feel that it's my place to share my hubby's goals but here is a (slightly) edited list of some of our goals for 2013. Again, this is not all- just a select few that don't open us up for as much judgement.

Here are some of mine:
1) Meal Plan a month at a time. January is hanging on my fridge as we speak. Check.
2) Blog once weekly, or roughly 52 times this year.
3) Run another 5K.
4) Memorize a new verse every month this year. I'm starting with Micah 6:8- "He has shown you, oh mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

We:
1) Are really praying that this year will be the year we become totally debt free. All we lack is some (stupid) medical debt.
2) Want to vacation again this year. It was too wonderful last year, not to mention great for the ole marriage.
3) Want to go on at least 15 dates this year. Very ambitious.

Isaac:
1) Learn to recognize every letter of the alphabet and number. He knows some, but my teacher heart wants more!

Hope:
OK, I lied. I'm sharing one of Ry's.
1) He wants to take Hope on a planned, monthly Daddy date. How sweet is that? How lucky is Hope?

Again, these are a few of a list of roughly 28 goals. I'm hoping that we end the year with a list full of highlighted items. But I also know that God could always have bigger and better plans. I'm optimistic about 2013. I hope you are too.

Do you make any resolutions? Goals? Expectations? If so, what are they?

Life Long Love

                                        

This is the book we've been reading at bedtime lately. Isaac almost has it memorized. I think he has good taste in literature.

Because this was one of my favorites when I was close to his age. This was my book. My mom is not much of a sentimental hoarder. But she kept a set of books from a Dr. Seuss book club that she enrolled me in when I was a wee toddler. And now I get to share them with Isaac. I love that she wrote dates in some of the books. And I love that I have a little book lover in the making.

 Another book in our rotation is this one:

I distinctly remember reading it in Mrs. Littleton's first grade class. And here I am reading it to my kids. Isaac has this one memorized. We own it in both hardback and board book editions. Isaac has the hard back in his room for bedtime use, and Hope chases us around with the board book, hopping in our laps at every opportunity so that she can point out the animals on each page and make the sounds. Isaac sometimes will "read" it to Hope, which melts my heart.

There is a page where the text reads: "Children, children, what do you see?"

Isaac "reads" it this way, "Chrildren, chrildren, what do YOU see?"

It's stinkin adorable.

My teacher heart hopes and prays that I am raising literature lovers. My mommy heart is so so SO grateful that I had a mother and great teachers who valued literacy and provided opportunities for me to enjoy books and reading. It truly is a life long love of mine, and I hope it will be for my kiddos too.