Simply 2012

This will be a year of rebuilding (and creating new infrastructure) for us, in many ways.  Especially after the big upheaval with 2011:  a husband home, but not really; a pregnancy with some minor complications, the whole process of the house being ready/shortsale; the move; and the holidays.  The move, so long an endpoint, is now well over and has given us a fresh start.  I have already told you how much I am loving my life right now, and I don't want to be redundant.  But as I did last year, and promised a few weeks ago, I will give you my word for 2012. 

I have a bunch that came to mind, so here is the list:

• health
• calm
• balance
• home (as a place of refuge)
• family
• simple

I finally settled on simple, or simplify, as I feel it best encompasses all these areas, really.  My life has slowed down and it feels REALLY good.  I didn't realize that I was so busy!  I sort of feel like the pendulum is swinging the other way right now, and that is a good thing.  This year I want to focus on being, not doing.   Here is a quick run-down on how I plan on simplifying each area of my life:

Home:  I am continuing the pre-move purge into the post-move purge, and just continuing to streamline.  This is and will always be a work in progress, and I probably still have more than enough, but for me as long as it is practical and visually appealing, it can work.  Currently I am reorganizing the playroom and creating a rotating toy library, which is A LOT of work but I think is good for everyone in the house.  I hired a lovely cleaning lady that comes every 2 weeks so I can complete the day-to-day tasks and still have time to enjoy my babies.  We are working on a good rhythm of our house and also limiting media consumption in all forms.  This is going pretty well, and has sort of happened naturally, which is nice.

Relationships:  We wrote, and are trying to live out, our Family Mission Statement.  A huge focus is on parenting, connection with one another (all of us), and our marriage.  Family comes first in lieu of involvements and commitments to the best of our ability.  We are spending quality family time with one another.  Totally loving being a mom of 2 and family of four, I feel like I am "becoming", fulfilling my potential as a mother.  This truly is a vocation!

Faith:  This has been an area which is faltering for us.  Not our faith per se, but our practice of it.  It has been hard to leave a parish with which we identified as our home.  Everything about that church I miss - the people, the priest, the songs, the community, the activities, etc etc etc.  Our new church here is just fine, nothing will ever compare to what we had.  And so we find ourselves less than excited and it definitely affects how we worship.  SO, now we need to get back to basics.  I need to remember that my faith doesn't need to "look" or "be" a certain way, and that we may be going through this for some reason.  I need to just make it simple by praying without ceasing, and realizing my faith in a whole new way now.  Other than just talking with God, I am working on some more ways to make this more of an active part of our lives.

Work:  Eric has moved to a regular job and life feels much more normal!  As for me, I am not doing my breastfeeding group here, but did find one to attend, and may end up teaching some childbirth classes in a few months.  I am not doing my private practice, and I miss all of that so much.  I am still working on completing my project, but simplifying leaves room for that.  Julia Cameron said, "The creative process is a process of surrender, not control."  And I have to open myself up to that.

Health:  I addressed most of this in my post about how I am digging it here.  A big focus is on our lifestyle right now, and we have totally changed the way we eat.  Eric and I have just about completely cut sugar and grains (including corn and legumes) out of our diets and are concentrating on eating primally.  Eric's migraines are gone and we have never felt better.  We simplified to eat slow, real food and not processed crap.  Sometimes it is more work, and definitely more money, but well worth it!  We buy fresh, local, organic when we can, and have access to fabulous grocery stores, CSAs, and Farmer's Markets here.  We are also continuing in our green efforts in an effort to reduce waste - some new things, we have given up our microwave and are now composting.  If it works, I may also try gardening, but we will see.  As far as exercise, we just need to move!  Just walk, play, yoga, and TTapp, who knows?  I just have to get started.  Nothing fancy, just keepin' it simple.

Finances:  Ugh.  LOTS of work here thanks to our continuing shortsale process (don't even get me started, it has been a trial) and the move.   Our plan is to Dave Ramsey it up once this house deal closes.  And we get our tax return.  Simple - pay down our newly acquired debt, tank up savings, and invest.  Baby steps.

In some ways, the move and the life we lead here begets and fosters these changes just because of circumstances.  Its a good, coming together feeling.  Like I can practice and live how I have wanted to.  I already feel like we are on a solid path, but continue on our journey of ever-improving.  This post isn't as eloquent as I'd like or even how I saw it in my head, but I just wanted to get the ideas down someplace other than scribbles in a notebook.  This is it, folks, home and family, with a random smattering of friends and activity here and there.  This is our time to rebuild.

"Be Still and Heal"  ~ Thich Nhat Hanh