I've realized that we're 1/4 of the way through 2011. Last year I set my goals at the beginning of the year and didn't think about them again 'til the end - and it didn't go so well. :) SO - I decided I should do some reflecting a bit more often this year and see if things improve!
Goal 1 - Catch up on scrapbooking
* I've printed pictures and started, but am having a REALLY hard time finding motivation. Where I am currently, it just seems silly to spend so much time and effort and money on a scrapbook. I've decided that I AM going to keep this goal, and will get caught up through our India year and travels...however, I'll be doing some serious re-evaluating about whether or not I want to keep scrapbooking our lives so consistently in the future. Maybe just big vacations and birthday/Christmases? We'll see...
Goal 2 - Become active/involved at Cornerstone
*We've finally committed to a small group, and are working to get to know them better. I think we'd both like to do something else to be involved in the weekly workings of the church, but I'm not quite sure what that'll look like. I'd personally like to be involved in short-term missions organization, but have NO idea how to get involved in that. The church is so big that it feels really overwhelming to try to connect with people sometimes.
Goal 3 - Get trained in foster care
*We're scheduled to start classes on June 6th! 10 weeks, 3 hours each...bring it on!
Goal 4 - Become conversational in Spanish
*I'm TOTALLY failing on this one. I think I might need to find a conversation partner - anyone? I'm realizing that learning Spanish really hits my pride hard...it is so hard to speak it for me! I have a hard time speaking in English, so Spanish is a real kicker.
Goal 5 - Save up to buy a nice bike
* Saved some money, and asking for bike money for my birthday (9 days away!)
Goal 6 - Have a garden/do some canning
*Mom said we could have a garden at her house - but I really need to start some seeds growing. I also need to do some research and get a plan for the garden. Anyone have some tips?
Goal 7 - Work through my elementary curriculum
*I have a plan to meet up with a Minnesota friend (go Marie!) for a week-ish this summer and work through it together. I also just went to the National Kodaly Conference and got a TON of new ideas, so this goal doesn't scare me anymore. Yay!
Goal 8 - Level 1 Kodaly Certification
*Also saving money for this, and should be able to register for the July session at Drake within a few weeks.
Goal 9 - Finish a marathon
* Hmmm...yeah...ah...so, this one is hard. My plan is to run the Minneapolis half marathon in June, then run the Chicago marathon in October. HOWEVER - I apparently need to actually start running in order for this to happen! I may be discovering that running just isn't a big passion of mine - I'm wondering if biking might be better. I had a conversation about triathalons the other day, and have been thinking more about that type of race too. I think I will just always get really bored with long-distance running...unless I have a consistent running buddy, which I haven't been able to find yet (for the daily runs). I might run a 5K this Saturday, maybe that'll get me going!
Goal 10 - $18,000 of student loans paid off, $4,000 in savings
*After tomorrow we may have an official "plan" to knock this debt out. More to come later!
AND: the +1....
Goal 11 - Be more intentional with communication/interaction.
*I've been trying to be better at this...started a book club with some sweet ladies around the country (world, I guess!), have been trying to meet with people regularly, and got 250 texts a month! I know I know, totally awesome. :) I'm realizing how INTENTIONAL I have to be, as this is just not a natural personality trait of mine. I'm really good at being in the moment...when I'm with that person, I am TOTALLY there. HOWEVER, keeping in contact is NOT my strong-suit, and I really wish it was. Phones scare me - I need help. :)
Extra Goal: Read 24 Books
*I'm on book 7, but a lot of those have been audio books. I'm counting them because I just really don't have a lot of time during the school year (elementary has so much prep!! Who knew?!), but I'd much rather be actually reading them. I have a list, hopefully I'll be able to carve out time once concert season is done and we get closer to summer.
FINAL REFLECTION: I guess I've started or have a plan of action for most of these - but I'd much rather be farther along! Hopefully by the half-year mark most of them will be much further along. :)
Goal 1 - Catch up on scrapbooking
* I've printed pictures and started, but am having a REALLY hard time finding motivation. Where I am currently, it just seems silly to spend so much time and effort and money on a scrapbook. I've decided that I AM going to keep this goal, and will get caught up through our India year and travels...however, I'll be doing some serious re-evaluating about whether or not I want to keep scrapbooking our lives so consistently in the future. Maybe just big vacations and birthday/Christmases? We'll see...
Goal 2 - Become active/involved at Cornerstone
*We've finally committed to a small group, and are working to get to know them better. I think we'd both like to do something else to be involved in the weekly workings of the church, but I'm not quite sure what that'll look like. I'd personally like to be involved in short-term missions organization, but have NO idea how to get involved in that. The church is so big that it feels really overwhelming to try to connect with people sometimes.
Goal 3 - Get trained in foster care
*We're scheduled to start classes on June 6th! 10 weeks, 3 hours each...bring it on!
Goal 4 - Become conversational in Spanish
*I'm TOTALLY failing on this one. I think I might need to find a conversation partner - anyone? I'm realizing that learning Spanish really hits my pride hard...it is so hard to speak it for me! I have a hard time speaking in English, so Spanish is a real kicker.
Goal 5 - Save up to buy a nice bike
* Saved some money, and asking for bike money for my birthday (9 days away!)
Goal 6 - Have a garden/do some canning
*Mom said we could have a garden at her house - but I really need to start some seeds growing. I also need to do some research and get a plan for the garden. Anyone have some tips?
Goal 7 - Work through my elementary curriculum
*I have a plan to meet up with a Minnesota friend (go Marie!) for a week-ish this summer and work through it together. I also just went to the National Kodaly Conference and got a TON of new ideas, so this goal doesn't scare me anymore. Yay!
Goal 8 - Level 1 Kodaly Certification
*Also saving money for this, and should be able to register for the July session at Drake within a few weeks.
Goal 9 - Finish a marathon
* Hmmm...yeah...ah...so, this one is hard. My plan is to run the Minneapolis half marathon in June, then run the Chicago marathon in October. HOWEVER - I apparently need to actually start running in order for this to happen! I may be discovering that running just isn't a big passion of mine - I'm wondering if biking might be better. I had a conversation about triathalons the other day, and have been thinking more about that type of race too. I think I will just always get really bored with long-distance running...unless I have a consistent running buddy, which I haven't been able to find yet (for the daily runs). I might run a 5K this Saturday, maybe that'll get me going!
Goal 10 - $18,000 of student loans paid off, $4,000 in savings
*After tomorrow we may have an official "plan" to knock this debt out. More to come later!
AND: the +1....
Goal 11 - Be more intentional with communication/interaction.
*I've been trying to be better at this...started a book club with some sweet ladies around the country (world, I guess!), have been trying to meet with people regularly, and got 250 texts a month! I know I know, totally awesome. :) I'm realizing how INTENTIONAL I have to be, as this is just not a natural personality trait of mine. I'm really good at being in the moment...when I'm with that person, I am TOTALLY there. HOWEVER, keeping in contact is NOT my strong-suit, and I really wish it was. Phones scare me - I need help. :)
______________________________________________
Year Focus:
Bearing Fruit
I've done a lot of meditation on bearing fruit and thinking about how I could/should bear fruit, but getting down and dirty about bearing Christ's fruit is a different thing - especially intentional interaction with non-believers. I fear man so much...icky feeling!
I've done a lot of meditation on bearing fruit and thinking about how I could/should bear fruit, but getting down and dirty about bearing Christ's fruit is a different thing - especially intentional interaction with non-believers. I fear man so much...icky feeling!
______________________________________________
Extra Goal: Read 24 Books
*I'm on book 7, but a lot of those have been audio books. I'm counting them because I just really don't have a lot of time during the school year (elementary has so much prep!! Who knew?!), but I'd much rather be actually reading them. I have a list, hopefully I'll be able to carve out time once concert season is done and we get closer to summer.
FINAL REFLECTION: I guess I've started or have a plan of action for most of these - but I'd much rather be farther along! Hopefully by the half-year mark most of them will be much further along. :)
6 comments:
SO PROUD OF YOU!!!
You CAN and you WILL finish the ones that need finishing. I have no doubt that Jesus will come along your side and be with you to the finish.
We need a PHONE :) date! I will call you.
I am so inspired by you Nicole. Thanks for pressing on and making a difference in the lives of those that know you.
You're a beautiful woman and I miss you like crazy!!
Oh, and I think triathlons are much cooler than marathons. The tri gets my vote :)
♥
Soooooo I failed as your Spanish teacher, will you give me a second chance pleeease?! :) And I need to discuss gardening with you, I'm starting mine next week too!!! Aaaannd I might start running next week, you know, my half marathon is in 6 weeks it wouldn't be a bad idea ;)
Oooh, so what I'm thinking is, we do spanish lessons WHILE we run AROUND our garden as it grows. Yes?
WAY TO GO!!!! (this is short but meant from the heart... but words just don't come easy as you know!)
I love your goals!!! You inspired me to actually write out some!! Totally know what you mean about the scrapbooking!! It was too overwhelming for me to try to catch up so much of my life so I'm sticking to vacations and other big life events! Oh, and I'm making an anniversary one too! I thought that would be fun for my kids to look at someday...see what we did for each of our anniversaries!!
And, I stole your number 11 goal because I totally need to be more intentional! I'm like you....I live in the moment but forget to keep in contact when I don't live by those people! And, phones scare me too..:)
You are so great! Thanks for sharing your goals with us....and your progress...and being vulnerable in how you're doing with them!!! You are an inspiration to many of us! Much love, dear!!
Okay, so I don't know why I wait so long to catch up on people's blogs, especially yours! This is Christa, by the way. We changed our info and pic for security reasons with some other blogs we follow. So I have some comments on your goals. See, I'm nerdy too!
1. Digital Scrapbooking. Seriously. I hate the mess of scrapbooking. I hate the expense of scrapbooking. I hate the storage involved in scrapbooking. However, digital scrapbooking takes care of all those problems. I can still make awesome albums on my computer and then have 12x12s (or whatever size) printed to put in a book. I use MemoryMixer software, but I'm sure there are lots more out there.
2. Cornerstone! I'm getting nostalgic. That's where J and I met. Sigh. Dreamy look. Sniffle.
3. Foster care, awesome! Mark and Amanda Gehling are foster parents now too. They currently have two little boys, brothers, who are almost 2 and almost 3. Needless to say their lives have DRASTICALLY changed. But I think they really love it. J and I are currently "fostering" a handful or so of grown up boys who come to the weight room and for Bible study. So fun!
4. I would love to be totally conversational in Spanish. I loved trying it out when we were in Mexico. Here's what we need to do. Let's just go there, for like a month. Sit on the beach. And make people only speak Spanish to us. It's bound to work :)
5. My bike is awful! But I've never really enjoyed biking until recently, so I'm thinking I'll just get a new seat and see how that goes. It's so fun to bike with the kids.
6. I'm counting the days until I can put in the garden again. I love spring. Of course, I love summer. And fall. And winter. Apparently, I'm easily amused. Funny story: My Dad told my Mom she needed to put in a big garden this year because, "Now that Obama's president, we need to start growing some of our own food." Hahahahaha!
I have no idea what 7 and 8 mean, plus I'm getting long. But if you're ever interested in being in a tri as a team, let me know. I have a friend who loves to swim, and I love to run, and you with a new bike . . . we'd rock it!
10. Yes!
11. Me too. I'm sorry! My thing is that I hate to bother people. So I don't call. Which is dumb. So anyways . . . Love you! TTYL. I'll be brave and use the phone.
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