A Bright New Year--- Hooray for 2016!

There is one post that I wrote in 2013 based on a talk given by Sister Beck that I just re-read.  I could have titled the post "Advice I need to hear again and again,"  because as life gets busy I need to stop and read the advice I wrote in that post!  Sister Beck teaches that as women we can't overwork ourselves, we need balance!  Read the post here.    Life has been joyously busy lately and rather than increase in speed, I am choosing to deliberately and carefully proceed into this new year with thought and purpose!

In November our ward boundaries were re-aligned and not only did we get an entirely new ward, my husband was called to serve as the Bishop! (The Bishop serves as a leader of a congregation in addition to their regular career).   It is such a blessing on so many levels and I am learning even more about how to prioritize my time (as if 8 children wasn't enough :)

I am so excited for a new year!  2015 was a difficult year for our family.  The first few months of the year I was miserable with morning sickness.  I barely scraped by and accomplished the bare minimum for the survival of our family.  Hyrum's health issues consumed many many days and hours.  During the summer I tried to smile and love life, but lets face it, I was getting really tired of being pregnant!  We were overjoyed to have Lydia join our family in August and I haven't slept through the night since!

2016 is a bright new year and I am looking forward to thriving, not just surviving!  Hyrum seems to be feeling better.  I feel great and continue to get more sleep each night.  All the kids enjoy school are doing well.  We love all our new friends in our new ward!  So I thought long and hard about what I need to focus on this year. I like to pick a word and try to study my scriptures about that topic and listen to General Conference talks on the subject and read books that will help me.  My word for this year is "Prepared."

I am sick of being the mom that rushes to pick her kids up from school. . . late.

I don't want to be scrambling to throw their cold lunches together just before we walk out the door for school --with me in my cheetah print pajamas.

I don't want to have to move a large pile of laundry off of my bed so that I can go to sleep at night.

I don't want to wonder if their is anything important in the large stack of papers on the kitchen counter.

I don't want to run out of dish washer detergent.

I don't want to just read my scriptures to check a box and say it is done.

I don't want to miss minutes I could spend with my family because I am wasting time on the internet.

This year I want to be prepared!  

I am so excited to be more organized, deliberate, faithful, focused, and most of all PREPARED this year!