Looking forward, looking back

Just 18 months ago, Rob, Grace and I were in Hawaii. We had just put in our papers to adopt again and Rob was about to finish his first year of residency. We figured we'd get a baby about the time he finished his second year. Life was busy, and simple (though I didn't realize that at the time!)

That July, Rob started his 2nd year, which turned out to be horrendously awful. Bye-bye post-call days! We rarely saw him. And in August we found out that we had been chosen to adopt a baby girl. Two weeks later, Grace and I moved to Kentucky for a month. We came home, Viv got colicky, it was the holidays, had a whirlwind trip to Utah. A few weeks later, when Viv was 4 months old, I realized that I was pregnant. And Grace turned 3 and got a whole new personality.

So 2008 began with me adjusting to what felt like a whole new life. Almost-single parenting 2 kids while prego. Also I was the Enrichment counselor, which was WAY out of my comfort zone. The months flew by and then of course, Sam was born and all of Fall I was basically out of commission. Then it was the busy holiday season again, and here we are at the beginning of 2009.

All of this is to justify why I feel like I have been off-kilter for the last long while. And why I am looking forward to an uneventful year, knock on wood. This year I am going to make some resolutions. Here's a start:

• Spend quality time with each child every day
• Take more videos
• Write in my journal
• Do more service
• Sew the valances and pillows I bought fabric for 2 years ago
• Don't procrastinate
• Go to bed before midnight
• Read the Doctrine and Covenants

Things to look forward to:

• Vivian going to nursery!
• Vivian learning to talk
• Sam reaching all kinds of milestones
• Grace going to a closer preschool
• Dance lessons
• Rob starting a year of research
• Rob has most of his vacation time left for this year
• Having valances in the kitchen :)
• Remodeling the bathroom at last!

Bring on 2009!