Anticipate: My 2012 Word

I’m being attacked by New Year’s pressure, pressure to make a resolution…at least one. Every day it seems like I come across an article on how to improve my life, my cleaning, my eating, and or my body sculpting. I try and resist these bombardments, but in all my post-holiday-hustle-and-bustle I did come across a list of house goals I had made for myself three years ago. I had misplaced this list and had only kept it around long enough to mark off ¼ of it. But, get this: with great joy I picked up a pen and crossed out every remaining item on that piece of scratch paper, 19 in total. I completed them all!

This moment felt providential, like I was being prodded and whispered to that yes indeed, I should make some plans, make some goals, some resolutions. Obviously my past “resolutions” had been successful. I had redecorated and painted the back bathroom, office, master bedroom, hallway, piano room, and boys’ bedrooms….outside stands our kids’ play structure and a very used and loved BBQ. I had written and published a book, taken several planned trips with my family, and become involved in my son’s school through various volunteer activities. Accomplishment feels good.
I have new ideas and goals for the next few years swirling around in my head. In fact, I chose a word to frame my year around: anticipate! I want to sign my oldest up for piano and art lessons. I want to take a family trip to Yellowstone and Disneyland. I want to continue to remove the wallpaper in my two-year-old’s bedroom. A started this, deviously, during naptime. Oh, and I definitely want to get my youngest potty trained. It is time for a new era in the Schneiter home, the No-More-Diapers-For Me-Era. I’d like to finish the rest of the siding on our house. But most of all, the thing I think I really want to focus on is releasing myself of some of my mommy commitments.

Nearly seven years ago I made a huge life shift from working woman to stay-at-home-mamma. It was hard. I have to admit: I didn’t really like it. I found myself getting through the day by focusing on 30 minute increments of time: fold laundry, plan dinner, walk to the park, story time, read books, give bath….the exciting, fast-pace, energizing, and exhausting day of being a teacher offered a bit more stimulation in contrast to a day with one newborn baby. So I filled my days with meaningful outlets that allowed me to integrate my life and the life of my children into one: mom group, indoor park, play dates, preschool volunteer, teach Sunday school, coordinate school newsletter, write, writing group, book group, direct church women’s retreat, lead a small group for our church…..the problem is that as I progress through life’s natural evolution I have continued to add great outlets to my docket and have not allowed any of my activities to go extinct, making my days busy, harried, and a bit too much. On top of that, I am feeling the transition out of the preschool years. (By Fall I will have two out of three boys in full-day school!) I think my role will be looking different and changing once again in the next few years, and I want to be ready for it. I eagerly anticipate this.

I anticipate the New Year and the next few New Years to come. I want to be ready for them and what they will throw at me. I want to transition well and learn, once again, how to organize my day. I am eager to find another list and be able to cross everything off of it knowing I have done well. And so I will embrace the tradition of resolutions and make my goals. I can’t wait to find this new list and cross every item off of it!

Wishing you an excellent 2012!