A Look Back and Ahead

Well, back at work today with the start of the new year. We managed to survive the supposed end of the world and the holidays. Amidst everyone else's holiday cheer, both Joel and I had a very difficult time getting in to the Christmas spirit. More than anything this Christmas was emotionally exhausting. Knowing how much we had to be thankful for made me feel even more guilty for feeling bad in the first place.

Things started to look up on my last day of work before Christmas. While on a consultation call with some colleagues and our consultant for trauma process therapy, I started to think about so many of the tragedies our communities and schools have faced in the past few years. In addition to having several particularly intense sessions around my patients traumas, I really started to question my own beliefs about safety. One of my colleagues made the statement that "By living in the moment you create the future you want for yourself." How powerful! This really got me thinking about how much time I spend in the past, or worrying about the future, which brings me to one of my main goals for the new year. 

I always thought that practicing mindfulness was a little out there, like when I tried yoga and loved the actual positions and stretching, I really could not get into the meditation and clearing my mind and that sort of thing. To me mindfulness is just more about being in the moment, experiencing life to the fullest, enjoying today just for what it is and enjoying what I might be doing right then rather than thinking about what I have to do later today, what's for dinner tomorrow, ect.

But I do believe a certain amount of planning is a necessity of life. I also feel that having goals helps us grow and the mindful pursuit of those goals helps us get the life we want. So, here it is

·         Reach my goal weight. (It would be TMI to share what that is here!) In pursuit of this both Joel and I need to change some of our ideas about food and exercise, and we will be making a conscious effort to make healthy eating a part of our lifestyle and exercise a part of our regular habits.

TRAVEL! We have so many trips planned for this year, I can't wait. With my limited leave time we try to take advantage of as many holidays as we can get. We already started…
 
New Years: We drove down to Roswell, NM to celebrate my dear friend Morgan's wedding day. Although it had been a long time since we had been close, it was very special to see her so happy and we wish her and Cisco all the best in their new married life! 

Me and Morgan at our last Pi Phi Spring Formal back in 2007!

After the wedding we headed to Truth or Consequences, NM to the wonderfully relaxing Sierra Grande Lodge. We are so lucky to live near the so many of these natural hotsprings, and the Lodge was so gorgeous and inviting to really relax and rejuvenate.

An adobe fire to keep warm by after a soak in the natural mineral springs

January: Next weekend we are meeting up with Joel's family at Ojo Caliente to celebrate his mom's birthday with a full weekend of relaxation and fun.And if the Broncos make it will be at the playoff game in Denver! PMFW!

We also need to squeeze in a trip to the Belen, NM area to Bosque Del Apache. This has become an annual tradition and this will be our third year together seeing the stunning sandhill cranes make their way south for the winter. 

 

 

New Year's Day 2012 in Bosque Del Apache, NM

Vesper would have a blast chasing the cranes but I don't think they would appreciate that very much

February : Although we were tempted to hit up a beach again, since I have never been and Joel loves California so much we are going to San Francisco. We will spend two days there and then over to wine country in Sonoma and Napa.

Some grapes at one of our favorite wineries in the North Valley. I can't wait to try a California Pinot Noir!

March: TBA




April: Vegas!

May: Camping with the pup


  June: Dallas for another family trip for Joel's nephews high school graduation…he should feel old


July: July is Joel's annual mountain-death defying-driving on crazy cliffs trip in Ouray, CO. For the past three years this has been a tradition for Joel and his sister Jill, but this year they are bringing along their spouses (who don't want to die off of a mountain-side), so we will be safely drinking wine at the Jazz festival in Telluride.

August:  I'm hoping we can find a not too far and not too nasty lake we can go out on and go tubing with the pup too  

September: This will be our big trip of the year and maybe our last big trip B.C. I'm really torn as to where we should go because I feel like we have so many options. My vote is China, but Joel felt this would be too much go go go and he wants a more relaxing vacation. I'm thinking Spain or Greece might be a nice compromise, or the Caribbean since we know we love it. As much as we love Jamaica  I would like to try somewhere new, maybe St. Martins, Martinique, or the Dominican Republic. 


 October: Enjoying the warm weather in Tucson, AZ

November:  Fall Stay-cation 

 December: Relaxing in Taos or Sierra Grande

 In between trip weekends I really want us to finish up some of those lingering house projects: re-touching paint, spackling, and just those little maintenance things that I can never seem to stay on top of. We are also planning on landscaping the backyard and putting in granite counter tops, new fixtures on all the doors and bathrooms, new blinds and window coverings, and maybe rip up the carpet in the living room and put in hardwood flooring (especially considering the red wine stain did not come out.) 

Our yard before.......

Pay off debt. During college and graduate school I had managed to acquire a chunk of credit card debt that we are very close to paying off. It will be such a relief to get out from under all that! 

Take (and pass) my LISW exam

Take the time to nourish my mind, body, spirit, and marriage. 

·         Live each moment in the present, and each day to the fullest.

·         What are your New Year's goals?

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