Monday, December 31, 2012

New Year, New Start

I've always loved January 1st and have seen it as an opportunity for a fresh start, to begin the year with a clean slate and a fresh attitude.  This year, like in most years past, I'm feeling the same refreshing feeling related to starting a new year, which is kind of strange since we've spent the majority of 2012 starting fresh. Our move to Tulsa was not the first big move we've made in our adult lives. Our move to Chicago in 2005 was a pretty huge change for us.  But we have learned that moving when you are 25, childless, and newly married is a lot different than at 32 with a 6 month old. 

We are finally settled in our new place and in our hometown but it definitely wasn't quick or easy and we still have a long way to go. It's been so awesome being so close to family, especially now that H. is mobile and extremely active. We've had a lot of fun showing Henry around to all our favorite spots and trying all of the cool new restaurants in Tulsa.  In spite of all the fun we've had since we've been back, I still miss Chicago very much.  I imagine Chicago will eventually be like the college girlfriends I used to go out with every weekend but now see only once or twice a year. I'm just not to that point yet, and am counting the days till we visit in January.

All this being said, we have SO much to be thankful for this year. We are healthy, Henry is healthy, we have fantastic jobs, and the love and support of our families. While all is going well, there's always room for improvement, which brings me back to the point of writing this post: new starts.  With this new year comes some New Year's resolutions.  We rarely keep ours, but here's what we have slated for 2013:

John (only) resolves to spend less time on the computer.

I, on the other hand, have tons of resolutions:
  1. Get organized!  Not only does this entail cleaning up and getting rid of excess, but it also includes planning meals, folding and putting away the laundry before it's so wrinkled it needs to be washed again, getting gas before I'm below the 'E', and having a work morning where I'm not running around the house like a crazy person.  I've yet to figure out how exactly to execute on this resolution, but I'm going to try!
  2. Run another half marathon or two.  I'm signed up for the OKC half in April, but it might be fun to run a half in Chicago sometime this summer.  Given that I haven't taken more than a few strides since before I was pregnant, this is a loft goal, but one I'm determined to meet. I even bought a treadmill to facilitate the training.
  3. Be more social. When you're busy, it's easy to get caught up in work, home stuff, and family, and our social lives suffer as a result. I'm going to make a concerted effort to be more social in 2013 and turn down fewer invites for happy hour.
  4. Go on some dates.  Despite having two ready and willing babysitters within a few miles of our house, I can count on one hand the number of times John and I have taken advantage of this and gone out to dinner or a movie since we moved.  So, I'm going to make a list of restaurants I want to try and movies I want to see so that I am more motivated to get out there and have some quality time with my boo thang.
That's it for me! All are attainable and are aimed at making life fuller and happier. Cheers to everyone, Happy New Year, and let's get on with 2013!


1 comment:

Celena said...

Can we meet up when you're in OKC for the Memorial?!