Setting my intentions...

Intentions...

Happy New Year everyone! I've been thinking a lot about hopes, changes and resolutions for 2013...I think my Mom has the best outlook on all those sorts of things. She doesn't make resolutions, nor do I. I've done the "lose weight" and "quit smoking" resolutions and all that jazz. I always fail. I think it's just too much to be resolute in setting goals. I would rather intend for what I want, as my Mom has taught me through the years. It might sound hippy-dippy-hokey-pokey to some but I really gotta say that it's worked for me lately.

The whole mess with title slash ownership of the old house? Jumped right over that hurdle with positive intentions and a little bit of paperwork, running around and frustration on my part but it's done and DONE! And here we are, one year into living in our new home sweet home which leads me to...

Having my entire family living under the same roof of our new home? Yep, that happened. It's been "far from being perfect, but who's life is? I like it just the way it is...speed bumps and all. My babies are where they are meant to be. 

Devan focusing and catching up in school? I'm very proud to report that he's back on track and looking forward to starting the new semester at a "regular" high school in a few weeks. We knew he had it in him, he just needed that positive support and a little push in the right direction. He was blessed to have his teachers at Opening Doors Program, Lisa and Mike, fall into his life whether he knows it yet or not. But I'm pretty sure he does. 

Getting out of a job that was driving me bonkers? Well, I had intended for things to work out a little bit differently there but c'est la vie! I missed so much precious time with Zaiden and Talia when they were little that although I have my days where I question my capabilities as a full-time, stay at home Mom (not to mention sanity!) I know that come next Fall I will be back to the grind refreshed and ever so thankful for right NOW. Getting my kids to and from school, being home with little Miss Lala every second day, having the opportunity to volunteer, attend field trips, be home without guilt (or judgement) when they are sick is absolutely priceless. I love it. 

Anyways, back to my intentions for 2013. And I have quite a few of them so here they are in no particular order.  

*Conquer my fear of the dentist* I actually jumped right in and started that yesterday with a new doctor. I can't say that I loved it but I certainly didn't hate it. It helps to walk into an office where you can almost literally FEEL the positive energy. Plus, I was booked for X-rays and a first meeting at 9am, they were able to get me in for a cleaning at 10am and back in for an extraction at 2pm. I really dig when efficiency and a little good luck work together like that. I told them I wanted to go full throttle so I'm happy to report that I have appointments booked into mid February already. Yay me! 

*Communication* I intend for healthier, better, more frequent communication with my friends and family. Facebook is super fantastic for helping us to keep in touch with those that are far away and God knows I love me some Facebook. And Instagram. And Pinterest. And texting. Lol! But I'd like to improve on the old fashioned form of communicating, too...phone calls to my Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, unexpected happy mail to my friends and cousins, things like that. Saying "I love you" and "I miss you" and "I appreciate you" because you just never know when the chance to say it might be (God forbid!) taken away. Most of all I'd like my immediate family to learn to communicate a little bit better, a little bit softer and a lot more often. My baby birds will all eventually fly away and I don't want anything left unsaid or any regrets. 

*Travel!* Zal and I have never vacationed without kids. Ever. This is the year to do it. I am working
on plans to get away to Mexico with my best friend, my other best friend and HER other best friend (make sense, Lesley?)  We need it and we deserve it. The next vacation will be a family one, because it's necessary and because I'm sure the guilt of leaving kids behind may just eat Zal up whole. Lol.

*Better sleep habits* I'm a night owl. Always have been, hopefully won't always be. Zal is completely right in saying that I need to learn to shut down at night. All technology should come to a halt and I really should get back into the habit of reading myself to sleep. The problem is, I usually see the hours when the kids are asleep as "me time" until the clock starts hitting 1, 2, 3am. Then I regret it and try to get to sleep as fast I can so that I can salvage any hope of getting at least a few hours in. Every. Damn. Time. I'm working on it.

*Less hairspray* Yet another one of Zal's pet peeves. He loathes the stuff. I wish I had the type of hair that never needed it but alas, I sure as heck don't. It really is nasty stuff. It smells, it's sticky and the mess it leaves in our new ensuite is pretty gross. It's like dust mixed with gooey tackiness and it covers everything. I will TRY to wean myself off it. Or at least cut back???