And They Sleep. . .

Like most of you and, as I mentioned in my last post I have made some New Year's resolutions/goals.  Because of where I am in my life mine are mostly directed around my role as mom and wife.  Not to worry, I have a few just for me as well.  That being said, I have been thinking about being a mom and how that looks in my life currently as well as how I want it to look over the next decade.  I often wonder as I speak to my 9 year old how "this conversation" is going to look in a decade.  Scott and I have always joked that our take on parenting is to do as little damage as possible so our kids will need as little counseling when adults!  I still hold true to that in some respects but honestly, I want more!!  I look forward to the day when I'm hanging out with my adult children and their spouses enjoying each other.  It would be so great if my kids actually liked me enough to want to spend that kind of time together!  That relationship is starting now so I am feeling the pressure of it in my life.  Perhaps it's because I see quite a few areas where I am lacking.  Our kids are going to be with us more as adults than they are as children yet when they are children seems to count the most!  Does that sound crazy to anybody else?  

So, as I have been thinking of these new goals of mine and wanted to make them meaningful so they will span decades!  I have a limited amount of time and energy each day and it has been brought to my attention that I need to use both wisely.  In honoring that, one of my goals is to limit the media I am looking at during the day.  In lay-mans terms:  staying off my phone and computer as much as reasonably possible during the waking hours of my kids (thus the name of this post because they are either asleep or at school right now!)  I want them to see that they come first, not what I am looking at on my phone.  Too many times I have told my kids, "one minute, let me finish with this first, Then I will listen. . .or help. . .or watch. . .or whatever."  Just writing that makes my heart hurt a little.  I see the need for change. 

I am a hot mess when I don't sleep enough.  I am not kidding, I am not a nice person and some might say I'm an ugly person when sleep deprived.  My Second goal of getting to bed on time and then turning out the lights has moved to the for front of my goal list.  It's funny how my kids can have the same behavior on 2 separate days but my reaction is solely based on how much sleep I got the night before. If I want to be patient, kind, and long suffering then I need to sleep!!! 

I was 30 before my first kiddo was born.  Not what I had intended but, it was what I was dealt.  Simply put, I am going to be an old parent.  I will be pushing 60 when my youngest graduates from high school.  I am okay with that but, feel the responsibility to stay as healthy as I possibly can so I am able to do what I want to do. I want to be able to keep up and maybe even pass them up in certain instances!  My third goal is to see my MD, get a thorough physical, and make what necessary changes need to be made to move forward.  

Because I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and have a testimony of  the gospel truths I know that reading from my scriptures daily and speaking with Heavenly Father morning and night will bring a peace that can be found in no other way.  Those two things will aide in keeping me "family focused."  I have never really struggled with either, but again, I am looking for a more "meaningful way" to accomplish this.  Rather than just reading to read I want to ponder what I read or listen to and see how it is going to fit in my life.  How am I going to make it apply to my current circumstances?  I really want my kids see me do this so they will have it embedded in their spirits so  they know the ways to stay close to the Lord.  I want them to know what to do by watching me.  Actions speak louder than words!

I know that goals/resolutions will look different for each person as our circumstances vary so much.  I write these down not to say "Hey, look as what I am doing" but rather to hold myself accountable so I can stay focused.  

I recently read the following quote:

"It is not enough to want to make the effort and to say we'll make the effort.  It's in the doing.  Not just the thinking, that we accomplish our goals.  If we consistantly put our goals off, we will never see them fulfilled."

                                                                                                                                ~Thomas S. Monson

In one of my first efforts to keep media limited for myself and for my little A-Dubs we spent the morning making trains.