Goals for 2012

(Goodbye nasty gray dining room carpet! 

I love our new dining room floor that my hubby put in this weekend!)

Here is my list for 2012!


Spiritual Goals:
*Read through the NT during my personal devo time (sometimes I do the whole Bible but it gives me far less time to digest and really study, so this is a better goal for this year...)
*In conjunction with my hubby--we have a goal to have regular couple devos/prayer, something we haven't been good about lately
*Moving towards a more Radical lifestyle all the time
*Continue to be in 2 weekly Bible Study groups (one for moms, one for couples)


Marriage Goals:
*A one or two night getaway for our anniversary this summer
*Reading a good marriage book together that we can really chew on and discuss
*Building better communication--I think we're finding out that though we see each a few times a day and talk about lots of stuff, we still fail to tell each other really "key" things and need to have more heart-to-hearts!


Family Trips:
*Go camping at least once this summer in addition to church family camp
*Go to MN to see my dear friend Hannah get married!  She's waited a decade and God brought a wonderful, godly guy into her life and I'm going to be in the wedding!


Alathia Joy:
*Teach her the basics of sewing
*Teach her to clean the bathroom by herself
*Continue working with her on folding clothes (she begged me to teach her to run a load of laundry already)
*Have her reading chapter books by the end of the year
*Work with her on gentleness and self-control
*Help her memorize verses to finish her 2nd AWANA book
*Have her take homeschool art lessons and ice-skate with the homeschool group weekly

Jeremiah David:
*Swimming lessons (his self-made goal for the year was to learn to swim better)
*Continue with phonics and reading
*Work with him on honesty and self-control
*Enroll him in Sparkies in the fall
*Teach him to wipe himself (terrifying for a mom who is OCD about germs and cleanliness....)
*Continue having him do regular chores
*Daddy's goal for Jer:  Teach him not to interrupt when adults are talking
*Enroll him in spring soccer


Justus Abraham:
*Learn to stay dry all night, every night
*Swimming lessons
*Work with him on learning the alphabet
*Daddy's goal for Justy:  No interrupting!
*Continue to work with him on sitting still in church and being quiet
*Teach him to make his bed


Katrielle Hope:
*Learn to walk (She can do it--she just doesn't like to do it!)
*Get constipation issues resolved (Her doc prescribed Miralax today so she should be feeling great in no time!)
*Work on obedience training as she begins to explore more and test the boundaries more


Work Goals:
*Continue working my cleaning job and add another if possible so I can work 3-4 hours a week and bring in some money for the family
*Continue to do photo shots as I'm asked
*Contemplating some ideas for an income-earning blog--not sure if it will pan out or not but it's definitely an option
*Continue to refine my photography skills, read, research, and practice! 


Ministry Goals:
*Continue helping lead Pray and Play weekly
*Continue helping with the AWANA Sparks group at church
*Continue to exercise the word "no" with most of the ministries I get asked to take on
*Plan fund-raisers with a good friend to raise money for Door of Hope, a home for abandoned babies in South Africa
*Continue to open our home to Christian events, meals with friends, missionaries needing lodging, 5 Day Club, etc.


Health Goals:
*Continue rebuilding my health--vitamins, rest, exercise, and healthy eating
*Continuing checking in weekly with my "Health Buddies" to stay accountable in these areas
*Finish losing the baby weight
*Eat less sugar and more proteins and complex carbs.  This book has been fascinating to me!


I believe God gave me the word SLOW for my "word of the year" for 2012.  I want to slow the pace of crazy busy....even though crazy busy is pretty much a given when you have four kids, and especially if you homeschool.  I want to find ways to slow down and savor these moments with my little children and take a pause to listen to the Spirit.  SLOW is also for earning to be slow to anger in moments of stress or in difficult circumstances.