(January 2015) Happy New Year!

One year ago I was working hard to finish up the last remaining hours of my last internship for my master's degree. People would ask me, "What are you going to do with yourself now that your degree is done?" It was a good question. Anyone who's gone to grad school (or has gone back to school for any degree, really) knows that it's a life-suck. You are plunged into the world of your degree and don't really get much of a reprieve until it's over. (Or, if you're me, until you take 2 semesters off for personal sanity reasons and then start up again.) 

What was I going to do with myself?

Be myself.

That was my answer. Get back to doing things I love without any responsibilities besides my full-time job on my plate. (I guess I didn't consider marriage, maintaining a house, etc as responsibilities.) No more evenings spent in class or reading or writing papers. Well, wait a second! I could read, but for pleasure again! Woo! I would train for and run another half marathon. I would go out for wine with my girlfriends. 

I would get pregnant 2 months in to this new freedom-filled life and then ruin everything.

Okay. "Ruin" is a strong word. It would "put a damper on" previously mentioned plans. In other words, halt them completely.

Good timing, though. I'm not made for idleness. 

I like to do stuff. I like to always be working on something. Striving towards a goal.Earning a degree, training for a race... growing a person. 

This New Year's Day I find myself in the last few remaining days of non-parenthood. We're due January 7, so it's really anyone's guess now. Could be in a couple weeks yet, could be tonight. (As a side note, this uncertainty DRIVES ME NUTS. I HATE IT.) In any case, it's funny to think back to 365 days ago and how similar/opposite the situations are.

Last year I was counting down the hours until I would be able to do nothing again.

This year I am counting down the days/hours (who knows?) until I will have more to do than I ever could have possibly imagined.

2014 was an interesting year. Finished my master's degree/graduated, PR'd on a half-marathon, went on cool trips for work with amazing teenagers and adults, got a new living room rug (hey, that took a lot of effort and I'm still really excited about it 3-4 months later)... The rest is kind of a blur. 

I don't make resolutions - I think resolutions are stupid. I understand why some people embrace the idea, of course. A new year marks a great time to start fresh, to clean the slate, to set goals, to reflect on past goals. I've just never really jumped on that bandwagon. But there are a few things I hope for the upcoming year.

Birth a baby, learn how to live with a newborn/growing child, learn how to be myself and a parent at the same time, train for more races, be a better dog owner (i.e. take the dog for a walk, Self. Just do it.), and continue to be the best wife/partner I can be to my partner-in-crime. Little things... 

I hope you are able to make great strides towards achieving your goals for the upcoming year, but even more I hope you are able to treat yourself with kindness when things don't go quite as planned. That's what 2015 really needs - kindness, patience, understanding, and love!