More than Blessed

With the new year comes new beginnings, fresh starts, and a chance to do what you didn't accomplish the year before.  I am so overwhelmingly happy with the heart my children have for others.  There is a specific teacher at the daycare that is there in the afternoon to watch the school-aged kiddos.  She is not the friendliest, and I swear she has something out for Declan.  She loves to tell us when he gets in trouble without giving him a chance to explain himself.  Pat and myself have had some difficult authority issues with her, nothing bad, just her telling our kids to do things when we're trying to tell them it's time to go.  Anyway, Pat was telling me that the other night when he went to go pick up the kids, Declan started walking out of daycare and said, "OH WAIT".  He ran back in and told this particular teacher to have a nice night and a great weekend!  After doing so, he told Pat that his New Years Resolution is to tell her that every night before he leaves because it just might make her happy.  You have no idea how incredibly happy and humbled this made me feel.  Sometimes I feel as though we're given children to teach us what no one else can.  Declan definitely has compassion and at the young age of 8 knows that a smile, compliment, or encouragement can totally turn around someone's day!  I am so proud to call him my son!!!

YIKES...

So I totally slacked on the days of thankfulness in November.  Here we are, at the beginning of a new year where everyone makes resolutions that typically are given up on about 2 weeks into the new year.

As most of you know, I fell on Christmas Eve and REALLY hurt my foot.  I am just now starting to really be able to walk without a walker.  Before that, I was planning on walking daily as we now have a treadmill in our room along with eating better and cutting out soda.  All of these things together are goals for the new year.  I thought I'd jump on the resolution bandwagon and so here it goes:

1. I am going to quit drinking soda for an entire year.  Water, milk, tea, and juice will be my drinks of choice.
2. I want to run a 5k all the way through by September 30, 2014.  I am going to start walking on the treadmill once my foot is healed and gradually work my way up to running.
3. I am going to focus on eating smaller portions and making wiser choices in the foods I put into my body.  I have a HUGE sweet tooth so this is going to be difficult for me.
4. I want to spend more time with my kids sans electronics.  Whether it's playing games, coloring, making things, I want them to know that I love them and love spending time with them more than I love my computer and phone.
5. I want to lose 50 lbs between 1/1/14 and 12/31/14.

I hope you all have a blessed and wonderful 2014!  I am looking forward to GREAT things this year!!!