Embracing 2013

I know most or all people begin working on resolutions on  January 1 or 2, but not me.  I like to be different and wait a week!  In reality, I ran the marathon on January 1 and we left the next day for Nashville.  We were still on break and I had no desire to focus on new and different until we got home and back into our routine.  Reality was last night and so today begins 2013 for me!

As I did last year, I picked a word to guide me this year.  Last year it was FOCUS.  I focused on being in the moment, loving my children more, simplifying our home, using my gifts to serve others, and keeping my eyes and heart open to new things.  I personally think I did a decent job of focusing on things, but as with most things, I could have done better.  I will say I thought about this word frequently and let it guide me on many occasions.

I actually thought about keeping the same word.  It has merit, but ultimately I knew it would become stale quickly and not have the same meaning for me.  So, after much thought and prayer I decided on EMBRACE. 

I spent almost half of last year fighting my life and me in general.  I did not want to be living in Texas.  I avoided acknowledging injury and fought it.  I wanted things to be different and was constantly annoyed that forcing things to be different was not working.  It took so much mental and emotional energy that I exhausted myself before I did anything hard.  This year has to be different for me.  So, I will embrace my life as it is. 

I have a wonderful life in Texas...a great home, a wonderful church, and a solid support system of friends.  I want family, but now is not the time in my life so I am going to embrace my life and live it to the fullest. 

Drew and my little people are amazing.  I love them dearly.  Sometimes the day to day moments are exhausting.  More than sometimes if I am being honest.  But, God has blessed me with such a good life and I plan to embrace them and it.  Even the yuck is worth it because it means I have people to love and people that love me back. 

If my house is cluttered, I will embrace it.  If I manage to get things cleaned out and simplified kudos to me. 

I have a crazy hard (for me) training plan for the next eight weeks.  I asked for it and I am going to embrace it.  Honestly, it scares the crap out of me, but I love it at the same time.  If the times I hope to run don't come, oh well.  Truly I mean that.  I plan to work my butt off to achieve my goals, but if they don't happen there will be a next time.  I will embrace what I was given on that day.

Life is such a journey.  I am slowing learning that I can only control so much of the journey and I just have to embrace the rest of it.   I just feel like 2013 is going to be a wonderfully exciting year for me and my family.

Family pic from Nashville