2015...

It's the start of a new year and with all of the talk of resolutions and such I've been thinking a lot of where we are and what 2015 might have in store for us.  The last about a third of 2014 was very tough for us.  The stress of unemployment and finances (or lack thereof) is very overwhelming... and that is how we are starting this year.  We are patiently (ok, really not patient at all!) waiting to hear back on a very promising job opportunity, one that would be a great new direction for Steve and that would involve not 1, but 2 moves far away (I'm talking Nebraska, Iowa, or Wisconsin far!).  Waiting for news is hard and frustrating and the longer we wait the more we worry that the news won't be positive.  For this reason I'm having a very hard time planning for the upcoming year or setting  goals.  Our year is filled with question marks and we have zero idea what may happen, that is tough to deal with.  We have faith and know it will work out, one way or another, but sometimes we'd love to see the road map of our lives to know what/when it will happen.  We are anxious for a new chapter for our family and to start a new adventure... we would welcome moving far away if it means we can take care of our family and a new career opportunity for Steve.  We continue to pray, go to the temple often (thank goodness we have a temple only 13 minutes away and can take turns going), and just try to be positive.

I'm not big on resolutions, especially super rigid ones that often get deserted quickly.  Instead I like to work on new focuses for the year and a few goals along the way.  My "Mormon Mommy Planner," the planner I use everyday and is my favorite thing in the world had a page for the new year and had the perfect thing for me... a, b, c.  Having a positive Attitude, Believing in yourself, and facing challenges with Courage.  This is my focus for the new year and I love it.  I am reminded daily that just because we have stresses and challenges I do not want to miss what is happening right in front of me, raising my beautiful children.  They bring me so much joy and I don't want to miss these precious moments of them being young just because I'm stressed about money or I'm trying to keep my house clean.  That is what I'm going to be working really hard on.  With that I have a few goals like re-reading the Book of Mormon and completing my visiting teaching every month.  If I knew we were going to stay here I would start training for another half marathon, but not sure how that would work with moving (although I do need to figure out how to get rid of this baby weight which stress eating is only making more difficult!).  I also have a lofty goal of catching up our photo books for each year, I'm at the beginning of 2011 so I have a long way to go... and hopefully someday I can actually print them.

I feel like I'm starting this year on the very top of a roller coaster... I know there will be ups and downs but either way I know that it will be an adventure and we will come out better for it on the other side.

I can't get over how much love there is between these 3.  I just want to squeeze them all so tight and never let go!