Beyond Expectation
For years I stood firm on never setting new year resolutions because I wanted to show how little I cared about that societal norm. Now I think coming up with a massive list of resolutions is fun. If you go back and read my blog titled “35”, you will see my New Years resolution check in 6 months into 2023. The final resolution was: “Convince Everly to race Uncle Brady.”
On New Years Eve 2023, I found myself sitting at my brother’s kitchen table. It was 8:15pm and cold that night. With a whopping three hours and 44 minutes left on the clock; I made one more bold attempt as I shouted over the noise of the 10 children jumping around the living room: “EVERLY! I’LL GIVE YOU $20 BUCKS IF YOU RACE UNCLE BRADY” in an attempt to mark one more off the list.
Needless to say, I should’ve grabbed a hat and started the negotiations at $10. She put forth a solid race and we have decided he will succumb to her speediness and his old age when she’s 14 maybe 15.
In addition to things like being a believer who loves others well and being a good wife/mom; here’s my 2024 list.
Carrying over from 2023; become a fan of hot tea.
Take a pottery class.
Go to the river.
Spend even more time at Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park in 2024 than I did in 2023; I’ve decided I’ll never find the Mickey Mouse carving as an adult and have come to be okay with this.
Continue actually printing photos.
Convince my taste buds I like oatmeal.
Finish Homeland.
This one is a secret.
Give my Kokojan-gifted-fig every opportunity to grow taller than Kyle’s drum kit.
Finally run a full marathon so I can go back to running halves for the rest of forever.
Find the cave at Robber’s Cave. (Pretty sure what we thought was the cave last time was not the cave.)
Run away with Kyle for an extended weekend getaway to soak up nature while hiking through wooded areas and/or mountains.
Put the trim on in my little secret passage Fuller Mindset office.
Successfully create a sourdough starter.
Read as many books with Everly as it takes to show Everly there is beauty in reading.
After falling in love with pottery and becoming semi-decent; buy a pottery wheel so the kids and I can tinker in clay whenever we want.
Continue fighting the ongoing war on excess in my home.
Learn how to swim with a proper face in the water/breathe to the side type of technique.
Either find my old pair of favorite boots that someone’s hiding from me or buy a new pair.
Finish the binding on the flipping huge king size quilt I made for our bed whose pattern and color I ended up strongly disliking by the time I finished (almost) it.
Spend what feels like at least 1000 hours outside.
Drink my full huge water bottle once a day.
Try one new recipe a week. (Started this today; I might need to add; don’t gain 30 pounds).
On that note; don’t get pregnant.
Remove all the flowers/plants from the backyard; let’s be for real; I decided I would never be able to keep up with the secret garden at this point in life and started the moving/rehoming process this summer.
Plant and grow grass in my recently destroyed patches yard.
Break down the walls of thought that keep me from pursuing dreams/desires I once had.
Hang on to all the pieces from Malachi’s marble track and J’s train track.
Support my kids well as they discover their passions.
Go on dates with Kyle once a month.
Put a birdhouse in our front yard.
Take up flossing at least once a week; actually; no. Not ready for this absurdity in my life. Floss more often than I did in 2023.
Throw my phone in the river and get a landline.
Move to the Alaskan Tundra and live off the land.
Do something really hard. TBD or see 34.
Make hygge a priority. What is hygge? I know about hygge because of Kassie Hair. Hygge is a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality (eating and sharing of meals) that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being. It is taking time away from the daily rush to be together with people you care about – or even by yourself – to relax and enjoy life’s quieter pleasures.
As I was reading this evening, I came across the verse below. Jacob (Israel) is talking to Joseph after reuniting with him despite thinking he was dead for years and years and years.
“I never expected to see your face again; and now God has let me see your children as well.” Genesis 48:11
Just another beautiful example of God surpassing expectations time and time again.
As I write this silly list of things I may or may not do, I remember sitting in a rocking chair writing years ago trying to recap the most difficult year of my life and somehow attempting to put a silver lining on it. Wondering how in the world peace and strength and joy and love would ever make their way back into my life. Wondering how in the world God could take the remnants of a broken me and restore them fully.
He did so much more than I ever expected.
The start of a new year can be exciting, or maybe un-noteworthy, or sadly filled with heartache and simply hoping the next one is not so rough. Regardless of where you are, remember He is able.
Bye friends! :-)
