2012.

January 1st, 2012.

I love the fresh start of a new year. With it comes hope and possibilities. The chance to change and become better than you were last year. New lists and new resolutions.

Here's my list of resolutions. And here's hoping I keep them all this time. Click here for my list from last New Year's. I definitely did not keep all of these, BUT we had some HUGE changes come around and I'm happy with the things I accomplished and the direction our life is headed. Some of my resolutions for this year may be repeats of last year's, but they're all just to improve upon anyway, right? Nobody is holding me to these but myself.

1. Go to bed by 10:30 every night. I stay up impossibly late almost every evening and it's not healthy. I know it's taking a toll on my body and the way I go about my tasks every day.

2. Spend my mornings with Jesus. EVERY morning. My goal is to wake up before Makayla, so like 6 am (maybe 6:30...), and get in the Word. DAILY. I know that it will start my day off fresh and I will be able to handle whatever the day throws at me. Plus, if I make it a habit to go to bed at a reasonable hour, then I should be able to get up before my kids.

3. Continue spending one hour each night talking with Adam after the girls go to bed. We started this right before Christmas and it has been amazing. To just have that time to talk about the day, uninterrupted, and bring up whatever we need to discuss (appointments, house stuff, adoption, bills, etc.) is pretty great. Our lives get so crazy and we get so caught up in the girls and work and crafts and internet that sometimes we forgot to come together with each other. Anyway, it's been wonderful. You should try it!

4. Spend less time on the computer. Yes, that was on my list for last year. And I failed miserably. It's a constant struggle for me. I think the internet is my addiction and while I am slowly breaking it, I still need a reminder of what's important and to do those things instead of waste my life on Facebook. I already deleted over 100 'friends', so that should help. I have also severely cut back on the blogs I read.

5. Do some form of exercise EVERY DAY. Initially, I am starting with just push ups and crunches. I don't want to make any more lofty goals that I know for a fact I won't keep. So this one works for me.

6. I want to complete one craft project a week. This might be a lot to do at first, but I have A LOT of projects on my list of things I'd like to do. I have all the stuff for them, too, so now it's just about doing it. I feel better about myself when I create something. I'm a better mom when I can do something just for me. I know this needs to happen. Check out my Pinterest!

7. Be completely funded for our adoption by the end of the year! This might seem insane to those of you that don't agree with what we're doing, but I know that the Lord can make this happen. I feel like our goal is not that far away and we have money coming in almost daily. God has been faithful and I know He won't stop now. :D

8. Read four books a month. My goal last year was to read two a month. And at the beginning of the year, I barely squeaked by doing that. It was hard. I don't know why, but at the the end of the year, I slammed out book after book! So, I'm upping the ante a bit. ;) You can check out my 2011 list of books right here. I also have a lot of books I want to read, so I think four a month is good.

There you have it! I typically don't keep my resolutions like I should, but I think these are pretty fair and not too difficult to stay on top of. I know that they will all make me a better person and in turn be able to love people more, which is my ultimate goal!

What are your resolutions?