And Then it was 2014

Well to say that my blogging has taken a back seat to the rest of life would be a giant understatement. I often thought about all of the posts I needed or wanted to catch up on, but time wise, sitting down to work on the computer simply couldn't be one of my priorities.

Fortunately for me, my new hobby of making wooden signs to sell at craft fairs was very well received and kept me far busier than I had anticipated throughout the fall and Christmas season. I was able to add more events than I planned to my schedule and was even a part of a private family and friends night with some other crafty friends which was a huge success! I enjoy creating signs that people love and want in their homes, but I know Maggie in particular was not thrilled with just how much time needed to be dedicated to getting the work done. I will certainly be able to have better time management for this coming year and that should help dramatically.

While I love blogging, I have struggled to make it the priority that I feel it should be. I want to have a place where I can write about my own successes and struggles and chronicle my children's lives. I need to get back to the writing. It soothes me in a way that many other activities do not. I process through writing and I intend to be far better about keeping up in the future. The reality of how short life is has made it swiftly into my peripheral world in the last few days and I ache to think of the two momma's who will not be able to see their babies grow up and the children who will have to adjust to life without their beloved mothers. The gravity of the situation leads me to refocus on how it is so important to live my life full of gratitude for what I have been given and celebrate even the smallest of joys that are in my life every single day. I was laying in bed with Maggie last night and realized that my four goals for the new year are:

1. Be Grateful 
2. Find Joy
3. Love
4. Make the most of the life I have been given

and to do all of these things every single day. I will do my best to continue to teach my kids that we cannot take what we have for granted and we must appreciate our family, our health and all of those people around us who make our lives so wonderful. 

Happy 2014. I'm so glad to be back.