AND

Last year (in Fall) I sat down and thought about the goals I wanted to set for the next six months. August and September and October saw real progress as I slowly worked on key areas of my life but once the holiday season started, everything went on the back burner. Finally, in mid-January, I am just about recovered from holidays and traveling for a wedding/family reunion. I have chosen my word and saint of 2015 and now it is time for me to revisit my main goals for 2015.

I was reading over my sister’s Goal List and although I divided my goals into categories as she did, I love the way she labeled them – I am a child of God, woman, wife, mother, homemaker. I am hijacking the idea and adding it to my list. (Thanks, sis. 😉 )

Here are my main goals for the year and my mini-goals for January and February.

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I Am A Daughter of God

Main Goal #1: To always have God at the center of my life and to deepen my love for Him. I want his will to be my will and motivation.

January & February Mini-Goals

Prayer is something I always struggle with. I seem to take two steps forward and three steps back unless I am diligent about not getting lax in my relationship with God. I can see how important it is that I connect with Brian and talk with him and be with him if I want our relationship to grow. I need to remind myself that it is the same thing with God. If I want our relationship to thrive, I have to work on it and not take it for granted. My min-goals:

• Set clock 20 minutes early to pray after my shower but before I wake up kids.
• Turn my mind to God through the day, even if only for a brief moment.
• Turn off the TV and do a little spiritual reading.
• Monthly confession.

 * * *

 I Am A Wife

Main Goal #2: To be a loving and holy wife to Brian and to work at keeping our marriage strong. To do what  can to hep him relax and feel like his home is a haven from the world.

January & February Mini- Goals

• Plan weekly date nights with one date a month being out of the house alone.
• Don’t monopolize the conversation. Ask Brian questions and let him talk without interrupting.
• When Brian comes home don’t bombard him with the stresses of my day. Greet him with a smile and a kiss and let him relax a little before dinner.
• Work on the kids’ homework after school so Brian is not left doing it all after dinner.

 * * *

 I Am A Mom

Main Goal #3: To be a good mother that loves her kids and spends time with them and is not always “too busy.” I want to teach them about their faith and how to love and serve God in their young lives.

January & February Mini- Goals

• Plan bi-weekly outings as a family. The off weeks can be spent playing with them in the backyard searching fossils or blowing bubbles or having a picnic on the deck.
• Update the kids’ chore chart to give them more responsibility around the house. Go back to the sticker reward charts since they seem to work well.
• Incorporate 1-2 church feast days into family life.

 * * *

I Am A Homemaker

Main Goal #4:  To bring order into our home so I am not stressed out by the mess and chaos. When things are organized our family life runs smoother and there is more peace.

January & February Mini- Goals

• Participate in A Bowl Full of Lemon’s Home Organization 101: 14 Week Challenge. I missed Week 1 & 2 so I am jumping in at Week 3 and will make up the other 2 weeks at the end.
• Make a weekly cleaning schedule for maintenance. For example, the laundry gets insane if I don’t do at least one load every day or so. Fridays are my I’m-not-leaving-the-house days so I’ll plan bigger jobs then.
• Look through my saved recipes and pull out a few to try each month since the current meal rotation is getting stale.

UPDATE: I’m actually switching my cleaning challenge. I’ll complete the more intense ABFOL challenge later in spring but for now I am doing the 31 Day to Clean: Having A Martha House the Mary Way hosted by Christian blogger and author Sarah Mae.  God has been putting Mary and Martha into my life left and right! I’ve already started and I must say, it is just what I needed! I’ll blog more about it soon. 🙂

 * * *

I Am A Woman

Main Goal #5 – To take care of myself physically, spiritually and mentally so I can be a happy and healthy wife, mother and friend.

I have a bad habit of starting a new book before the previous one is read. I started all these last year but have yet to finish one of them completely! I want to remedy that this year.

January & February Mini- Goals

• Daily hydrate, take vitamins and walk for 20-30 min. Use my Fitbit to keep track.
• Lately, God has been opening doors for me to meet (in real life) other local Catholic moms. I will not make excuses and about having to stay home and realize that I also need female companionship. I will work out my schedule to meet up with these moms and make some new friendships.
• Make sure I have time for a little creativity – whether pulling out the big girl camera or working on a family photo book or spending time writing in my journal.
• Participate in the Goodreads’ 2015 Reading Challenge. I pledged a book a month, so 12. (Are we friends on Goodreads? If not, find me here.)

It may seem a bit lofty but working on these smaller steps will keep me headed in the right direction.

What about you? What is the one thing that you really want to work on this year?

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