The Twenty-Twelve Project

Happy New Year! Truly can't believe it's 2012, but I'm embracing it with open arms thanks to the plethora of unfortunate events in 2011. I'm really not a huge fan of resolutions, mostly because I never keep them and I don't like to disappoint myself. However, I've decided to go bold (and public :-) this year. I've just had a lot of things on my mind (and my to-do list) that have been hanging around so to speak, and frankly I'm ready to nip them in the bud.

Many of you may have heard of the "101 in 1001 List," where one documents 101 goals/wishes/tasks to fulfill/achieve/complete in 1001 days. Very inspiring but I'm not quite there yet. For now, I'm sticking with 20 goals/tasks to complete in 12 months...hence, The Twenty-Twelve Project in the year 2012.

Apologies in advance for boring you, but I must do this for accountability purposes. Some things on the list are very specific; others are pretty general~but I do hope to use this post to keep track of how I'm doing throughout the year...and maybe even post about challenges and achievements along the way. So, here goes nothing...in no real order...

1. Finish moving into our condo. Six months+ after move-in day, there are still no personal pictures displayed, mirrors and other paintings hung, or paperwork neatly filed away in our "office." Far from feng shui, to say the least.

2. Complete Judah's re-adoption. For all of the non-adoptive parents out there, this means that there is still more paperwork to be filed through the US courts (subsequently resulting in more money owed!) in order for Judah to become a US citizen and to declare/confirm his official name-change, among other things. Sad that we haven't done this yet but other adoptive parents will agree that the last thing you want to do is complete (and pay for) MORE PAPERWORK after your child is home and in your arms forever. The process/forms are slightlydifferent in every state. Throw in multiple moves and trying to sell a house within the year after the adoption, and well~that's why we've procrastinated.

3. Make strategic phone calls to friends and family. Because of the "nine lives" I described in the last post, I have family who are far away and several amazing friends who currently live in Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, California, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina. I'm sure I'm leaving out a state or two, but you get the picture. Yes, we text each other and occasionally email~and most of us are on Facebook~but it's really just not the same as a phone call. So, my Contact List in my iPhone is soon to become my best friend....and if you're one of those amazing friends/family don't be wierded-out if you receive a call from me on the same date of every month ;-)

4. Exercise more. I recently joined a great gym that is walkable from our condo, so really I have no excuse....and no choice. Those who know me well know that I DESPISE intentional/corporate exercise, but let's face it~ my metabolism is slowing down and I wasn't the healthiest person on the planet this past year...so it's time to step it up.

5. Complain less. I complain a lot. About really petty things. God calls us to be grateful. Therefore, I need to stop complaining. That is all.

6. Pray more. To know anyone better is to spend time with them. Who better to know best than God? And what better way to spend time with Him than pray?

 
7. Facebook less. Yep, I just used Facebook as a verb...because it is. Anyone else reading this feel that it's a slight addiction? Do I really have over 500 friends? Doubtful. And do I really care what they are having for dinner? Definitely not.

8. Read more. I've never been much of a pleasure-reader, but I really enjoy reading a good piece of literature when I make the time. I've been the proud owner of a Kindle (with a hot pink cover ;-) for about a year now and it's so sad that I've only completed 1 book on my nifty little e-reader. Hoping to increase that number this year! 

9. Complete Judah's first Life Book. Judah is a typical almost-2-year-old, which means he loves all things Judah. He constantly kisses himself in the mirror and one of his new words (much to my chagrin) is mine. In a positive light, though, this means that he would absolutely LOVE a book all about himself. For adopted children, Life Books are a very important tool for learning about their history and special way they've been loved....real pictures and real stories about how and why they are now with their "forever family." And I say first Life Book because they should be updated/renewed with the stages of development, based on what the child can understand about his/her story. Can't wait to get started on Judah's first!

10. Go to sleep earlier=get up earlier. In order to keep up with my ever-growing toddler during the day, I need to get more rest at night. And I know plenty of moms who share in my love for "mom-time" in the morning (at least an hour) before your little one wakes up. Nothing like being awakened by your crying or jumping/happily yelling child ready to begin the day; meanwhile~you haven't had breakfast, brushed your teeth, had your morning coffee, and time to plan and prepare for your day. Anybody with me?!

11. Structure more learning opportunities for Judah. Judah will hopefully be attending a part-time pre-school in the fall for a few mornings/week. Until September, however, I'd like to be a little more purposeful about brief "learning opportunities" throughout his day. Yes, we do tons of things together throughout the day and I know he is "learning" every minute. However, I'd like for a few things (pre-reading skills, number literacy, etc) to be a bit more structured and with some sort of assessment. The school psychologist in me LOVES this Twenty-Twelve goal :-) ps. this is a very recent goal of mine because Judah has begun singing (and recognizing some) "ABC's" and is interested in "how many" of something.

12. Go rock climbing with my husband. And maybe take a lesson first :-) Back in the day, I really enjoyed this...nothing major, but I was always up for some indoor or outdoor climbing. I will never forget my first time to try it when I was in the sixth grade....I loved it and was pretty good at it! Anyways, my husband loves it too, and it would be fun to re-learn an active hobby together. I hope my inner sixth-grader prevails!

13. Add more recipes (gluten-free, of course) to my repertoire. With all of the gluten-free options and substitutes these days, I shouldn't feel as limited in the kitchen as I did in 2007 when we went "gluten-free," thanks to my hubs' allergy. I definitely need to branch out a little. Getting a little tired of corn tacos :-)

14. Create some picture books from my Snapfish account. Please tell me I'm not the only one who uploads a million pics to a website, only to print NONE of them?! I think the picture books you can create to remember a birthday, a vacation, a specific year by the months, etc., are a great way to have printed pics in your home without the clutter of boxes of loose photos. I've got lots of work to do, seeing as how we have none in our home!

15. Secure some family business. Have you planned for your child's future (college, insurance, etc.)? Do you have an updated written legal will? Do your loved ones know your wishes surrounding your death? Do your loved ones know how to access your finances/valuables? If you have parents who are still living, do you know the above information as it relates to them? Very difficult questions, I know; but some unfortunate events in 2011 have prompted me to think about and ultimately, act on these things. Most definitely my least favorite goal in the Twenty-Twelve project. :-(


16. Love my husband more creatively. I am very blessed to have a husband who is a great communicator. Thus, we constantly talk about ways to improve our marriage so that we're still happily married in 50+ years :-) I could write a book but I'll just leave it at this.

17. Learn some camera basics. I've had this amazing (expensive) camera for over 2 years now and I confess I have no idea how to use it. I just point and shoot. Some turn out okay, some don't. The least I could do is read the manual. And if I make it to that point, maybe a self-study via books or internet or even a class? Here's hoping.

18. Make an Ethiopian meal from scratch. Including the injera :-) Lofty goal, I know. It's especially difficult because we live in the US city that has the most Ethiopian restaurants in the country. And they are good. However, we may not always live in DC and a mommy needs to know how to prepare a meal from her son's country.

19. Volunteer my time once/quarter. Yes, I volunteer my time at church in the nursery and on other committees but this goal involves getting in the trenches. There are so many opportunities in our nation's capital, I barely have to go looking. The quantity of this goal is pretty pathetic, but it's a start right?

20. Revamp the blog. The blog needs some major work if I want to keep it going. Problem is, I'm not very technologically savvy, so I've been avoiding teaching myself all of the tricks of the trade. This May will be our 3-year bloggerversary. Crazy, right? It's only had one facelift and it's definitely due for another....stay tuned.

If you're still reading, thanks! And I won't be offended if you ask me about any of these from time to time...in fact, I welcome it.

Happy New Year from our family to yours....and MELKAM GENA! Today, January 7th, is Christmas in Ethiopia. We're actually celebrating it next weekend with some friends but wanted to send out wishes today. Christmas is my favorite holiday, and I love that our family will always celebrate it twice :-)