New year, new goals.

I absolutely love the potential that turning over a new year brings! There’s something so refreshing about forgetting what’s behind and focusing on what’s ahead. While I love looking at our glittery Christmas decorations throughout December, I always look forward to packing them up and starting a new year with a clean house.

Last year was monumental for us. We bought our first home, joined a church, celebrated our son’s first birthday, lost friends and gained new ones, lost a grandparent to cancer, found out we were pregnant again, and Kelley started a new career after losing his job.

This year is especially important to me for several reasons, one of which being that it’s the last year of my 20s. There are so many things I want to do before I turn 30, and the clock is ticking! Also, this year we’ll welcome our second child into the world, which will bring its share of overwhelming joy and unexpected challenges. Our family dynamic will change, and I’m looking forward to learning how to live life with a 2-year-old and a newborn.

Here are a few of my goals for the year: 

1. Master my new DSLR camera. Well, it’s not exactly new. I purchased it last year with part of our income tax refund, and I still have barely gotten past the automatic and aperture-priority settings. When my husband and I were considering getting professional labor/delivery and newborn shots of our first son, I discovered that for the price, I could buy a nice camera and learn how to take good photos of our children myself. I’m a graphic designer, have had a photography class, and have always had an interest in photography, so this year is the year that I will develop that skill. 

2. Improve my ability as a musician. Did I mention I am a bass player? I started playing in the eighth grade and became rather good by the time I started college, when I picked up acoustic guitar. I was a worship leader for a few years before starting my career, and at that point music became an afterthought. Since we joined our new church, I’ve been getting involved in worship ministry again as a bass player, and I’m a little rusty! It’s time to get serious about practicing again. 

3. Have a healthy pregnancy, labor and delivery. I realize that I don’t have total control over the labor and delivery of our baby, but I know from experiencing it the first time that I can make healthy decisions that will pay off for myself and for our son. Now that I’m no longer battling aggressive nausea, I can make healthier choices about my diet and follow a good exercise/strength training/stretching regime to prepare my body for labor. I followed the Hypnobirthing method for labor and delivery the first go-round and plan to do it again this time. (Read about my experience here and here!) 

4. Breastfeed for at least six months. A friend of mine and I recently discussed how ironic it is to really struggle to find joy in a process that we feel so strongly about: breastfeeding. I was able to nurse my son for four months before it became apparent to me that something just wasn’t working. After beating myself up about it for several weeks, I decided to start pumping exclusively and bottle-feeding him. Liam had breastmilk for 10 months before starting whole milk at the recommendaton of his pediatrician, only a couple of months shorter than what I’d intended. He lived. I lived. The world did not end. And I was much more at peace than if I had continued to struggle through it. With Riley, my goal is to nurse or pump for the first six months, which will be through the end of this year. If it’s working great, we’ll continue. If not we’ll move on with a clear conscience. But I’m focusing on a more manageable goal this time around. 

5. Read my Bible every day. Why is this one so hard? Thankfully, our church has developed a smartphone app that includes the One-Year Bible, with daily readings that are actually manageable and can be broken up throughout the day. My goal is to follow this plan every day. So far, so good!

What goals did you make for this year?