Project 365, Week 1

Happy New Year!

CONFESSION: Sometimes all the New Year memes and slogans and quotes and pep talks wear me out. They feel trite, disingenuous, like offering a bandaid to a girl with an amputation. If that's you, too, I'll share a little secret. My goal this year and every day of every year is quite simple:

To stay as close as possible to the One who made me. Because getting closer to Him will bring me closer to who I was meant to be. ~Michele Cushatt

I love goals and measurable accomplishments, but more and more I'm finding that the things I'm called to do, the people I'm called to reach, the ways I'm meant to spend my time are not measurable, at least not in a checklist style. And that's ok...in this season, I'm just going to make it my aim to stay as close to Jesus....my goal is to grow into the person He made me to be.

I also just want to take this new year, week one and say thank you for your love and support and faithful readership. Blogging for me has certainly looked different at different times and through it all many of you have been so gracious to come here and read and check in on our family. Thank you.

December 31

Shaun and I met some friends for breakfast who are facing hardship. I remember that New Year's Eve had a sting to it when we were firmly in the middle of our struggle. It felt like everyone else was getting a fresh start with a new year but we had no end in sight and it was just more of the same hard. Life is hard and community is vital....its an honor to "bear each other's burdens".

After being with us almost two years, after turning 19, after one college semester under her belt, after securing a steady job, K was ready to move into her own apartment. It was a mutual decision and it was on good terms. All seven of us, two cars and a pickup truck went to move her into the new place.

A couple days later  a friend asked if I had cried. It was more on the celebration end than the crying end, even if I was a "crier". We launched one!! She'll make mistakes and run into problems, just like we all did, but she's as ready as she was going to be. Shaun and I think about an empty nest with giddy anticipation, not dread (much as we love all these little darlings ;).

We spent the evening gathered with friends.

January 1
Thankful for each day I get with this guy.

We spent our annual New Year's Day celebrating Christmas with Shaun's grandmother....and lots of cousins!

January 2
Classic day-after-"Christmas" activity.

Maddy stopped by the office to say hi and brought both Shaun and I lunch...SO sweet!

My new desk is good quality, inexpensive but got delivered in approximately 525 pieces.

January 3
It'd been far too long, but Shelva and I finally got some time together. We've been friends for 30 (!!) years and it was only the first four that we lived in the same state. Its always been an ultra-low maintenance friendship and very special.

January 4
First order of business, a bath. At one point over the weekend Amanda said, Mom, I don't know why, but I feel so much love for D. So sweet!

January 5
Junior Bible Quiz meet, conveniently hosted at our church.

K and her boyfriend joined us at church so we went out to dinner after. At the last minute we got to add our youth pastors too, which was an extra special treat, albeit an eclectic group (as we are known to be) of eleven.

January 6
I had to take a picture of the beautiful flowers K had brought me the day before...such pretty light and such a sweet thought! Then I noticed the baby formula can in the back. Flowers from my college student who is living on her own and baby food for the baby who depends on me for so much. That is my life.

As Aiden and I headed out to JBQ practice, we remarked at the beautiful ice pattern on my car window.

Sweet boy. If this sweet face ever comes across your mind, please say a prayer for him.

The drive to pick up the baby and then return him is long. Shaun and I left the kids home and rode together. He bought me coffee and we talked. We called it a date. :)