“The key to the happy life, it seems, is the good life: a life with sustained relationships, challenging work, and connections to community.” -Paul Bloom

I ended the year of 2015 with a list of 28 things to DO. It was a list of varied suggestions & we decided to make sure we choose to do all of those 28 things this year to the best of our ability. So far, we have done a few of them & it has been satisfying! I hope you have taken on some of the suggestions for yourself & your tribe to enjoy & engage in. Let me know what you have done & if you have any other ideas for my family to try!

I wanted to share what else I have made to be my goals for this year of 2016. I know it is already the middle of February, but still. Since the beginning of January I have been sticking to these goals & it feels good to be headed onward on a daily basis. When we push ourselves to improve our lives a little bit at a time, we are making our lives better. Our hearts are happier, our hands are working, our eyes are focusing, & our souls are living. It makes this gift of life & breath bigger, more vibrant, & definitely more rewarding.

1. Read my Bible through by the end of the year.
   • I have read my Bible for as long as I can remember, including cover to cover. But I have only read it through in one year once before so it is definitely time to prioritize that again. So far, so good. AND MY SOUL DELIGHTS IN IT!
2. Breathe deeply.
   • This is a simple, daily “30 second vacation for my cells” according to my husband. A few times a day I take 3-5 deep breaths, fully inhaling, fully exhaling. It is amazing how calming & centering this tiny activity is!
3. Invest in my husband.
   • Being a mom of two, it can be difficult to find time outside of that because of it’s 24 hour job description. However, my HUSBAND comes first. So making sure to prioritize my time with him is of vital importance. As much undivided attention as possible given to him throughout the day, being AWARE of that attention & focus on him is what I am aiming for. In the process of making him feel loved, HEARD, wanted & just plain awesome, I in turn feel my heart race with gratitude & love for him. It makes me come ALIVE & helps me know that I am valued in return.
4. Invest in my girls.
   • Make my days count with them, together & individually. Put aside my big long To-Do List & just BE with them. Read & play, sing & color, snuggle & talk. Dishes can wait while we read about Otto the fish & work on knocking over wooden blogs after building towers. It is SO worth it.
5. Invest in myself.
   • I think this is the hardest one for me to do. I am known to be a self-sacrificing type person & finding the balance it takes to also take care of myself is something I work on daily. We took a flight a few weeks ago as a family & in the preparation for take-off, they instructed both Noah & I to put on our own oxygen masks first (in case of emergency). I have flown quite a bit in my 28 years & have heard that every single time but this time, man, it stuck. And I feel like I have sort of made a mantra out of it. I NEED to put my own oxygen mask on FIRST & then once I am taken care of I can help my wee ones with theirs. I have said this to myself practically every single day as a reminder to take care of myself. Meet my needs. EAT. SLEEP. PEE. TAKE 5 for my sanity. AND THEN… I can meet the needs around me. So my goal is take better care of my well being, so that I have more to give to those around me in a healthy way.

At the beginning of every year my Mom & Dad have taught us the value of writing down our THANKSFULS for the previous year & our GOALS & PRAYERS for the new year on a 3×5 card.  I wanted to share with you what my card says. Maybe it will inspire you to reflect on 2015 with gratitude & create a list for this new year. Again, I know it is already the middle of February, but it isn’t too late to do something like this! It can be really significant.

 

2015 Thankfuls.

-Fast labor, easy delivery = healthy baby.

-CORA KINSEY JENKS!

-Timmy R. graduating/stepping down from my job at the high school.

-Subbing for Senior Seminar during the fall.

-Wednesday night group at church.

-Eliana & Cora’s sisterhood.

-Being a stay at home Mama.

-Disneyland trips.

-Breastfeeding.

-Making our home a haven.

-My health.

-Pinecrest, Oregon & southern California visits.

-Summer & fall meals on our patio.

-Starting my blog.

-Yoga.

-Reading.

-Santa Cruz babymoon.

-Deepening friendships.

2016 Prayers & Goals.

-Joy & peace for Noah, Eliana, Cora & I.

-Patience & grace in my parenting.

-Excellence in what I put my hands to.

-Prioritizing my health-being whole with food & exercise.

-Read through the entire Bible in one year.

-Leave the country.

-Have our house ready to sell, be open to move.

-Have a kid-free vacation with Noah.

-Get pregnant.

-Stay stress free & well rested.

-Blog regularly.

-Make art, woodworking & photography.

-Do consistent pre-school with Eliana.

-Keep sharing the good news of Jesus!

So there you go. Me being vulnerable & sharing with the world what my heart is bursting with. I think it is SO BEAUTIFUL to pair reflection & gratitude with hope & determination. I hope you feel moved to look at your own life & do just that. May your soul rejoice in the GOODNESS of living!

“It’s important to think good, speak good, and do good. If we want to see positive change in the world, then we need to connect to goodness.”

-Shari Arison

Cheers,

Katie.