Thoughts entering the New Year...

What a crazy month or so!  Just as I was beginning to feel like myself again and Christmas Day came, our family got hit hard with a nasty stomach virus.  If it wasn't happening to me, I don't think I could believe it! First my daughter, then my hubby, then myself got it, with me taking it the worst.  I think my already weakened immune system couldn't fight it quite as well, even though my hubby had it pretty bad himself.  Thankfully he was feeling better by the time I was feeling terrible.  And it was terrible.  Today is the first day that I've seen a glimpse of my old self!  Praise the Lord!  The boys are starting to get it, too, but it doesn't seem to be as intense. I'm so thankful that they are able to fight it off a little better.

Today was also the day that I had my one year check up with my endocrinologist concerning my thyroid cancer.  Although we have to wait for some of the blood work to come back, he believes that everything is going really well and we will hopefully get my medicine better regulated.  I'm thankful for that!  It's been a roller coaster trying to figure out what dosage will work for me.  I've gone from insomnia and almost blacking out to feeling sluggish.  I'm so ready to feel "normal" again.

And as the New Year is right around the corner, I'm also thinking of all of those resolutions I want to make.  Every year I say I want to lose weight.  There have been years that I've succeeded in that goal.  I'd like for 2014 to be one of them.  It'll require a lot of discipline on my part...cause let's face it...my body is definitely not what it used to be!  I'm going to be fighting a lot more issues this time around.  I'm also still recovering some from my surgery and sicknesses, so it may take a while to be 100%.  And I also have to face the fact that I have to exercise.  It's one of those "duh" things, but I think somewhere in the back of my mind I think that I can lose weight if I just eat right.  Not going to happen, I don't think.  I've got to do more physical activity.  I also want to get my kids more physically active.  Lots to do on that front.  But it's what we need to do to be healthy.

I have so many other things I want to do on the homefront, too.  I want to declutter and organize our home better.  That job alone will probably take me all year!  lol  Pinterest has a lot of great ideas so I want to try and look at some of those, but basic decluttering will commence very soon!  Getting rid of old toys, appliances I don't use, etc.  I'm actually kind of excited about this.  I hope that excitement lasts....

Personally, I want to make it a priority to study God's Word more.  Strength from the Lord is what is going to get me through and give me the ability to accomplish all these other goals I have.  Because I know me...and I know I'm going to burn out at some point.  I'm going to be tired and won't want to wake up before the kids do and exercise.  I won't feel like going through another closet or toy box.  I've got to have God's Word hidden in my heart and mind to help me press on.

I also want to minister to others.  I want to pray for people in my neighborhood and community more.  I want to love others the way Christ loved...and not be afraid of what people will think when I do it.  Be bold. Be authentic. Nothing rehearsed, just Christ coming through.

And homeschooling.  Lots of goals there.  I just really want to have fun with my kids, though.  That's always been my philosophy when I taught in schools and it's how I feel while I've been teaching my own kids: you can learn and have fun doing it.  My children are such a joy to me and I want to invest all I can into them while I have the chance. And make lots of fun memories.  Because I can already tell..the time is going by fast.  I can't believe my little girl is 6 already and she's saying funny, growny-sounding things.  Just the other day she used air quotes while she told me something...totally cracked me up!  I'm thinking...where did she learn that?!  Today in the car she told me that she told her friend something and her friend "gasped".  She says funny things like that all of the time...and she's so fun to just hang out with.  Love my girl.  My boys are getting so big, too, and one of their favorite things is Daddy wrestling time.  I love seeing my guys roll around and play with each other.

So...2014...I have the feeling that it'll have challenges of its own.  2012 had some wonderful, miraculous things and some very hard things.  2013 has been good, but these past couple of months have produced some physical challenges.  God has had his hand on us and will continue.  With all of these goals I have I know first and foremost I've just got to give it up to Him...He's got this!

God bless~