My New Year's Resolution

I used to really love to read. When I was in school I’d retreat to the pages I was currently devouring and go through several books a week. I still enjoy reading, I just haven’t made any effort to put time towards doing it. I come from a family of avid readers so I have acquired the taste naturally. Even my 90 year old grandmother, who is blind in one eye and can’t really see out of the other, still loves to read. Years ago, one of my aunts got her a tape deck to listen to books on tape but the written word is the only way for her. If she could do it, why was I making excuses?

My niece brought home Little Women in mid November. We attempted to read a chapter a night but even at that, never missing a night (which we did very regularly) it would have taken us over two months to finish this book which had never been one of my favorites (and that I think was a tad over her head). It was around the time we began reading Little Women that I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I had read a book from cover to cover. I think it might have been last January in Mexico and even then, I don’t know if I actually read the entire book from cover to cover or if I cheated and read just the beginning and skipped to the end.

So, I am so excited to share my New Year’s Resolution. I have let it simmer for the past month and a half. I have discussed it with Sean (who probably doesn’t really care but smiles at my excitement nonetheless) and posted a plea on Facebook seeking suggestions. I have researched and read and shopped and really put a lot of thought into this resolution.

I intend to read 12 books in 12 months. This may seem like a very minor task. You may even think to yourself, “psh – that’s nothing. It’s not really a challenge unless you are trying to read a book a week!” But I believe that in order for a resolution to be successful, the task has to be obtainable. I know that I can manage a book a month, at the very least. Perhaps I will get so inspired that I will pick up multiple books in a month (which would be great) but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. For now, one book a month is achievable.

If you are having a difficult time getting motivated, or if you would just like to be my accountability partner, I encourage you to join in or to even make your own list. I had intended on joining a book club as a resolution but have been unsuccessful at finding one. I was looking for something to hold me to my resolution, but I believe my blog will make me accountable to myself… hopefully.

Let me first admit that I sort of cheated just a little bit… I got so excited I started reading my January book in December so I’ve given myself a head start. I think by the time I get to the Oprah books, though, I may need the head start (she has picked some real snoozers).

Here is my list:

12 Reads in 12 Months
January: By popular demand
February: A friend request (book)
March: A friend request (author)
April: A book I never finished
May: A book I never started (but wanted to)
June: My husband’s favorite book
July: A book published in the year of my birth
August: An autobiography
September: A book that inspired a movie
October: Something Stephen King
November: An Oprah Book Club book
December: A 2012 Best Seller

Here is the rule:
I have to start the month’s book on the first day of the month. If I am not finished with the book in a month, let’s face it, I probably won’t. Evaluate and move on.

Stay tuned…

Day {Twenty+Two}

Day 22 A photo of something that means a lot to you

I didn't post anything on Friday and I have gotten to the point that I feel a void in my day if I don't take a moment to just lay out my thoughts but I really didn't have any clue how to answer the question for day 22. I love a lot of things in my house, but I really don't have just one meaningful thing.


I could have posted a picture of my grandfather's tattered bible. The binding is worn off and the pages are brown with age. There are half a dozen flowers dried between the pages and I have no idea why or the occasion they represent. There are various notes scratched in between the verses which is meaningful because I have never been very clear on my grandpa's stance when it came to faith.


I could have posted a picture of a few of the ornaments that Sean and I have collected over the last couple of years. They are still shiny and new but they hang on our tree anxious to age with our family.


I could have posted a picture of a ragged copy of a book my mother gave me when I was in 2nd grade. It's a chapter book of "Beauty and the Beast" and it appears very unassuming but just inside the front cover is a long note written by my mother for being such a good big sister. It means so much to me because it was a gift she gave me for no reason and I remember never having felt so proud before. It sounds pretty lame but it has great meaning to me.


For now, though, I'll post a picture of one of my favorite days with the symbol of our vows. There have been quite a few things that have gone on over the last couple of weeks. A lot of really crappy things that have made us wonder why bad things happen, particularly so close to the holidays. Things that have made the view of our family turn a little sideways. Things that I have been forced to only pray about because I can't do anything else to fix the situation. My thoughts have been consumed with a family member's health problems, with a friend's preparation for a possible loss of a grandparent, with another family member's crisis, with the loss of my husband's step-grandmother, and with my own hurt feelings. Looking over my wedding pictures last night I was reminded of the beauty that day held for me. It was so much fun to be there with our friends and family members and it really seems so far away now. But the vows were for the good times as well as the bad. We haven't had a blast over the last few weeks, but we've done it together and that has been immensely better than going through it alone.

Day {Twenty+One}

Day 21 Plans/goals/dreams you have
Plans:

• Work until 9:00 pm tonight at my after school job
• Come home afterwards and make a coconut cream pie by request for our office Christmas party tomorrow
• Be at St. John's at 7:00 am for a meeting tomorrow
• Work tomorrow night until 10:30 (but then I'm done for a few days!!!)
• Scrub my house this weekend in preparation for our Christmas Eve family dinner with Sean's mother's side of the family. Have I mentioned that the count so far is up to 30 people? Yeah, I am not sure where they will all sit yet... or how we are going to feed that many people with the one ham we had intended on.
• Send out our Christmas cards
• Finalize my list of goodies to make with the kiddos for family and neighbors
• "Rent" a movie for a date night with the hubs. We deserve it and will probably need it

Goals:

• For now, just to survive until vacation after the new year
• Get Sean through radiology school
• Pay off all of our student loans
• Various house projects to really make our house a home
 

Dreams:

• Sean to graduate radiology school and be immediately hired on to a full time position at Cox where he gets to keep his benefits and, by then, almost ten years of raises
• Figure out what I want to do when I grow up
• Buy a new(er) car
• Sell our home
• Buy a nicer home with far fewer improvements required
• Have a baby
• Maybe two
• Be good parents
• Work hard at something we enjoy
• Retire
• Live happily ever after. :)

Day {Twenty}

Day 20 A photo of something that makes you happy

Note: The topic is someTHING that makes me happy and not someONE - otherwise you could just look at the heading picture.

My iPad is my very favorite THING. If our house was on fire, I'd grab it before I grabbed my purse. Recently, I have had a difficult time finding joy at home, but I can turn on my iPad and read a book or play on pinterest or watch something from either our Dish or Netflix and go somewhere else.

It also makes me think of when I got it - I am not someone who is easily surprised. No, I'm far too nosey and will usually figure it out on my own. I had absolutely no clue I was receiving this for my birthday and it absolutely has made my year.

Day {Nineteen}

Day 19 A photo of your favorite place to eat

The kitchen: before, a photo by Stephanie.Sekscinski on Flickr.

Now, I'm not boasting because when it comes to cooking, I'm really not that great. I can make a pretty good pie and am learning something new with each sweet treat I attempt, but I can't do much on the stove. Each time I've tried to make gravy has resulted in an epic fail. Epic.
But I love to try something new and even if it tastes horrible, I'll stomach at least a taste before I pull out a can of spaghettios which we always have in stock. It's a work in progress!

Day {Eighteen}

Day 18 A letter to your parents

Dear Mom & Dad,


Thank you for giving me a “normal childhood.” I don’t feel scarred or misdirected in life and judging by some of the parenting I have seen, I think that is a huge accomplishment.


Thank you for getting text messaging. People get all defensive about how texting is ruining our ability to communicate. I think we have probably communicated more in the last couple of months than we have since I moved out and I know you have texted Sean more than you have talked to him on the phone. You may not have done it purposefully but texting is our primary form of communication. Without it, that was a real barrier so thank you for getting it. I don’t always feel like I can call you but I know I can always text you.


Thank you for not disowning me when I quit college.


Thank you for showing me how to love others and how family should be treated. That phrase, you better be nice to me – I’m the one that will pick out your nursing home, will hopefully never apply. You have taught me the importance of treating others the way you want to be treated, and not as an incentive to get others to be nice to you but because it’s just the right thing to do. I cannot imagine the difficulties of taking care of your mother-in-law. My mother-in-law and I get along just fine but I cannot imagine the patience and immense love for another that it takes to bite your tongue so frequently in your own home. That said, Dad, I know it’s fun to antagonize the old lady but let her just be grumpy some days. Think about how much fun I’m going to have with you when you are 90. I will just be that blessed to have you around for that long.


Thank you for showing me a marriage that God has enriched. More of our friends have separated than gotten married since we got married a year and a half ago. My biggest fear is a failed marriage. I am so very proud to call you my parents. It also makes Christmas about a thousand and a half times easier only having one family Christmas to attend than multiples. That said, because we do have to attend so many different family Christmases on Sean's side, you never once have gotten jealous of the time we spend with that side of the family. I get jealous all of the time so your patience makes me feel better. Thank you for showing me the attributes that I don’t want incorporate into my marriage, too. Dad, you’ve told me on more than once, “Now, don’t do what I would’ve done. Have patience.” The good far outweighs the bad though.


Thank you for showing me how to work hard and to appreciate a full day of work as opposed to a day spent idle. I am proud of my work ethic; it could be much worse.


Thank you for never letting good be enough.


Thank you for giving me a Christ-centered childhood. I may not always have a strong foothold but I have a solid foundation.


Love,
Your favorite child

Day {Seventeen}

{Day 17 Something you crave a lot}

Delish!