Well, I thought I was going to write a serious, reflective post about saying goodbye to 2011, but Caroline’s best friend spent the night last night and I was too busy ordering pizza from Papa John’s and watching Dolphin Tale and listening to two eight-year-old girls do a karaoke version of Firework.
And in the days before that, my friend Michelle came to visit and we spent a lot of time shopping after-Christmas sales and solving at least 64% of the world’s problems.
But I hated to end 2011 with a post about my ill-gotten Christmas boots because it’s been quite a year.
Listen. We have had some less than stellar years. There was the year of P’s back surgery after I’d left my job and the insurance bills and the dental work and OH MY WORD WE’RE GOING TO END UP LIVING ON THE STREETS. There have been years that have just felt like an exercise in frustration and I wasn’t sad to see them go.
But 2011 has been a great year for our family. We’ve laughed a lot and enjoyed life and spent time with friends and been overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness and provision. And I feel like I need to record that for posterity because sometimes in the midst of a bad year you need to be able to go back and remember the good years.
And this was a good year.
So thanks for the memories, 2011. You were a peach.
But here are some goals (I don’t make resolutions) I’ve set for 2012.
1. Physical fitness.
Y’all. I have been a sloth. At some point I fell off the workout train and I haven’t gotten back onboard. And all of this led to a dark moment in the Nordstrom dressing room when I was able to see a view of myself from all sides.
It’s time to do some lunges. And run. And eat better.
So I’m committing to a healthier lifestyle in 2012. I’m not going to do anything crazy like go on an all-juice diet because that would last one day. I want to make long-term changes that will actually fit into my lifestyle.
2. Clothes shaver
While I was shopping with Gulley and Michelle, I lamented about how all my sweaters get so pilled. Even the nice ones. And Michelle mentioned that she had this clothes shaver thing that gets rid of the pills.
I guess in my head I knew such a thing existed, but I’d never bought one for reasons that I don’t really understand now.
Then yesterday I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and bought an Evercare Clothes Shaver. And came home and obsessively de-pilled about four of my sweaters. I find the whole process oddly therapeutic, kind of like how they have patients in mental institutions make potholders. (I don’t know this firsthand. It’s just something I saw in a movie. Allegedly.)
And so a new obsession is born. I will rid all my sweaters of extraneous fuzz in 2012.
3. Write a book
Yes. This is different than years past when I’d declare “I think I’ll write a book this year.” Now it’s more like “I better finish my book because I’ve signed a legal document promising I will”.
And so, yes, I should probably get on that.
4. Read through the New Testament
Oh sure. Some people read through the entire Bible in a year. I’ve been one of them. And I’ve suffered through Leviticus and been confused in 1 and 2 Chronicles and I’ve lived to tell about it.
But this year I’m going to read through the New Testament. And since I’ve given myself the whole year, I’m going to take my time and really soak it in. It’s not a race, it’s a marathon.
5. Use my iPhone calendar
All the paper calendars were out at Target the other day. But I resisted the urge to pick one up because I’ve decided this is the year I will go completely electronic. So if I no show for a lunch date with you, you’ll know why.
I’ve just decided it’s time to join the 21st century and fully embrace technology. We’ll see how that goes.
And so those are my goals, hopes and dreams for 2012. I realize they are simple things, but I am a simple person with simple ambitions. Plus, that’s about all I can handle.
What about you? Any New Year’s goals?
Happy New Year, y’all! See you in 2012.