January again… time for all those goals and beginnings we all hope will bring about the results we are dreaming of. Someone asked me what I was planning to tackle in the first part of 2018. My list is so CRAZY this year, it made me think that Changes should be my “annual word”.
It isn’t like 2016 or 17 weren’t full of their own changes. Older kids going away to college and work, ping-ponging out and back in to the home, and of course – a cancer scare and learning a lot of new ways to take care of my health… and then there was the house renovation project that is almost complete… the death of my mama (the shadow of grief still leaning over us). These have been hard changes, and I’ve seen so many positive changes come through like silver linings through the rain clouds. As far as changes, though, besides losing mom, this year is slated to take the cake, y’all.
Just look at my list of 2018 Stuffs:
- 25th Wedding Anniversary (yep, tomorrow – I still am wondering how I got this old, and how God managed to make something so amazing out of two sinners like me and my man)
- 3 month blood check up with oncologist this week (say a prayer!)
- Scans (sonogram) on my abdomen for my annual cancer check up – also this week
- Daughter turns 19
- Biggest boy starts semester 3 of college back home in Austin
- Youngest turns 7 and Oldest turns 21 in February
- The Viking turns 9 in March
- Possible photography job and trip to California (still not sure yet if we are doing this one, but I’ll let you know if we do… and if not, hey – family vacation some time in 2018 for sure)
- Possible contract on house coming soon (still waiting on my buyer until the end of January)
- Selling the house (which will happen before spring, most likely)
- Moving to the country
- Paying debt off and starting renovations there
- Continued bloodwork checkups with oncology and eating healthy (which means plenty of weekly trips back to Austin for organic food… and of course, growing some in a new garden that’s twice the size of the one here in our back yard)
- Possibly replacing my vehicle with something different (I won’t say new here – since I’m very unlikely to ever buy another new vehicle again)
- Getting farm animals (who knows what kinds… but there are plenty on my husband and children’s wish lists)
- Building a greenhouse (this is my fun-time project for 2018… and maybe one day it will be a business all to itself)
- Homeschool Nirvanah (pushing to reach a sweet spot for the boys – even while the rest of the distractions churn around us)
- Who knows what for my big kids… maybe new school projects, jobs, or even relationships… I got married at barely 20! You just never know!
- PURGING, SELLING, MOVING, CLEANING, FIXING, RE-PURPOSING, BURNING AWAY THE DROSS… a whole new look for the tiny farm (Bonfire, anyone?)
- TIME OUTSIDE (no more worries about what the neighbors think when you’re miles from civilization, right?)
- More creating… my simple goal is to start with some plushies and sewing… and go from there
- Reading 45 books (I’ve already read 3 of them!)
Those are my definite things for 2018 so far. I add to the list every now and then. I’m beyond the point of going into a diatribe about it. I’d rather just do it.
Any way you look at it, 2018 is bound to be a lot different than anything else so far.
Here’s a look back at 2017… the year of Gratitude:
Instagram Best 9, Faces Version
From top to bottom, left to right…
1. He needed a “Trip” – heading off to college in Longview, TX
2. Start of the 2017-18 school year
3. Bringing them home, a December 2017 recap for my big kids
4. Chickie… our last 1/2 of a year with my mama (still sad, but moving on in her honor with her ever present in our hearts)
5. Biggest cheerleaders – selfless givers – so thankful
6. The eye roller, and his big brother
7. Squirt
8. Our healthy, weird mother (who has “ruined her taste buds”)
9. Let’s Taco Bout It
Instagram Best 9, Shapes of 2017 Version
From top to bottom, left to right…
1. Christmas and Hanukkah 2017 – Jesus, the Miracle Light
2. Goodbye is Temporary
3. Part of my Small World
4. Fabric Art for the Cacti Corner Gallery Wall
5. God’s Furnace for the Shiny
6. 3 Cactus Amigos
7. Boot Lover (scorpions, not so much)
8. I heart Texas
9. Poldark Aeonium (another baby succ-y for my collection)
….
What do you think of starting a new year? Glad to be rid of 2017? Going to miss it? Ready to move on? Excited for possibilities? Scared of failure? Overwhelmed?
What projects are you going to tackle? What resolutions did you make?
As for practical stuff, I’m keeping that simple: better bedtimes (sleep is just as important as eating right and exercising), more motion and sunshine (getting outside and moving with the boys – farm chores should do the trick), less eating out (farm life will fix this, too), and less screen time (again… I’ll be lucky to get Hill-Bill-E connection instead of 4G or better in the country)…. oh, and of course – always – saving money and paying off debt (who doesn’t want to do that?).
I don’t think I’ll have any trouble with my goals this year. I’m focusing on building the new… and with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
Praying that I can have the good health to keep marching towards victory! I pray you will, too. Thanks for reading my blog.
Lindi Collins says
I have loved reading about your triumphs and celebrations. Thank you for your genuine honesty. It has been refreshing and empowering. My prayer for you is that your prayers of continued health are answered. My goal for 2018 is to grow my homeschool t-shirt company: http://www.retro-outfitters.com.
Heather says
Thanks. 🙂