A New Year: Time to Reflect, to Ponder, Perhaps to Plan

Joe and I have never been major New Year's celebrants. We don't like going out to big "places" for commercial parties with crowds, excessive drink, and noisemakers. Joe particularly dislikes funny hats. For several years we had quiet dinners at home with another couple. For two years we drove up to State College, PA, and attended their First Night celebration. One year we went to a very lovely small party next-door. This year, for the second time, we went to Richmond to spend the holiday with Anastasia and Tom; when the rest of the kids heard we were going, they, too, decided to go. It was a splendid evening, enjoying Anastasia's delicious dinner, watching Sam (whose current favorite songs are "O Canada" and "Deep and Wide" -- talk about an eclectic palate for a 2-year-old), and playing Celebrities together.

New Year's Day started with Anastasia's multi-grain pancakes (yum yum) and then the long trip home. January 2, my last day of Winter Break, was spent doing a bazillion loads of laundry and preparing for a birthday dinner for Carol.

So it is today, already the third, before I have the opportunity to do the year-end reflecting and coming-year hoping and planning. I don't do Resolutions -- I'm convinced that they are a set-up for quick failure. And, truth be told, my mother set me against them the year that she decided to write my list of resolutions for me. But reflecting and pondering, I think, are appropriate, so here goes, in no particular order of importance:

. . . I've learned this past year that my kids do not need me to over-gift them. I cut back on the Christmas giving, but not quite enough.

. . . I've had reinforced this past year that our kids -- all six of them now! -- are tremendously capable people, and very interesting, too. Watching Sherry and Chris become spectacular parents, taking joy in the new house purchase of Tom and Anastasia, and pride in the career accomplishments of Amy and Andrew has been important.

. . . Since I started the part-time transcription job, I have 9 or 10 fewer hours each week to do what I want to do. This has impacted on my sewing and also on an important friendship. I'd like to take some time to assess my time and how I spend it to see if I can get back a little of the time for sewing and the relationship.

. . . I made a new spreadsheet yesterday of my UFOs and my WISPs. This used to be -- for no good and sane reason -- a mid-May reassessment project. That makes no sense, and so January is becoming the time. I think there are 46 items on that list. I'd like to get at least 10 of them finished before starting anything new.

. . . I notice that I've become more open and forthright about sharing my faith on my blog. I feel good about this.

. . . The books I read either come to me as Amazon.com recommendations or are selected by the book club. Someone shared this link with me recently, and it occurs to me that I've never heard of most of these books, much less read them. I'd like to change that.

. . . I have enough clothes. I am overweight and out of shape. I'd like to not buy any more clothes until I am buying a different and healthier size.

. . . I've begun thinking more before spending money and, I think, spending more wisely. I'd like to see this continue.

. . . I'd like more frequently to find the balance between too little/too much on the calendar.

. . . and perhaps that is enough reflecting, pondering, and planning for now.