New Year's Resolutions

A new year always brings plenty of resolve, doesn't it? Something about the new year makes you feel like you can change anything, do anything, if you just put your mind to it.

Well, I have long thought the feeling of empowerment was the result of the end of the holidays. Change just seem, well, possible, when the Christmas clutter heads back into the attic, the holiday spending spree screeches to a halt, and meals return to their normal portion sizes. You think to yourself, without all that holiday craziness, I'll have more time! I'll get rest! I'll relax! I'll organize! I'll be healthier! (The list goes on.)

Anyone with small children, and perhaps anyone at all, knows that after a very short while, that feeling evaporates.

I could list my goals for 2014. The list would fill a page or a book! Eat healthy, get up early, get regular exercise, eat less processed foods, give up diet soda, organize my house, keep my bathrooms clean, clean out the thousands of photos on our hard drive, teach Flash not to eat food off the counter, teach Catherine to pull her panties out of her jeans before putting them in the hamper, develop a heart of gratitude, spend more time in God's Word, keep up with the laundry, eat more vegetables, get my kids to eat more vegetables, ... , you get the idea.

That's the thing. I couldn't pick just one resolution. And there was no chance that I would be successful if I tried to do more than one. So I will keep truckin' in all these areas, trying to do better, but probably not doing anything too drastic.

And then I discovered it. My one resolution. It's to be present.

Here. I'm not too good at that. My husband is talking to me and I'm thinking about dinner plans or what we need at the store. My children are twirling around their rooms in leotards and tutus and I'm checking facebook on my phone. My family deserves my attention.

My resolution to be here also speaks to my tendency to schedule our lives. As any stay-at-home mom can tell you, days go by so much faster and often more smoothly when you have a planned outing or activity. And we will certainly enjoy lots of play dates, visits to the library, trips to the park, and picnics with friends this spring. But there were weeks last summer and fall when we had something planned every single day. Catherine wakes up in the morning and asks "Where are we going today?" and I know that her heart is like mine, it likes to be on the go! This spring, we will be focusing on being content at home and I will focus on being with my kids. Reading them stories until they tire of it. Teaching them things they want to learn and need to learn. Teaching them how to take care of our home. (And perhaps I will actually get better at taking care of our home too!) And just loving on them at home while I still have full days to do that! It goes by too fast, for sure!