Reflection

I am not one for making new year's resolutions, but I do enjoy how the new year gives me the opportunity to pause and consider various aspects of my life...things worth celebrating, things to work on changing, things I'm not so proud of.

Lately I've noticed that I am very "short" with the girls. I have very little patience and just seem to be upset with them a lot (and with Mike too!). As I was considering this, I realized how little I've been taking care of myself lately. I use to go out 3-4 times a month with friends before we moved...in the past 7 months, I've been out with zero friends. Mike and I use to go out before we moved...and since we've moved, we've been out once and that was to do our Christmas shopping. Mike and I had been taking an annual get-a-way...our last get-a-way was August 2007 and we had to come home early from that because Mike's grandpa passed away. The girls and I use to spend lots of time outside during the day and now that I'm working and it's winter, our time outside is limited...and nature replenishes me. And the only time I've had any time to myself was Christmas shopping...hardly relaxing and yet brief periods of solitude is also something that replenishes me.

So this next year I am hoping to begin taking better care of myself, because in doing so I know I will be more a reflection of the mom and wife I want to be...and they'll probably enjoy being around me again too!