New Year Reflections

So as the calendar rolls over to another new year it's my annual time for reflection. Some of our family and friends have had many bumps in the 2015 road but have battled through and are more than ready to say goodbye to 2015 and head onto Highway 2016. Others have found the year to be a healing one, or a prosperous one.

In the past 12 months I feel like I have discovered so much about myself, a new job gave me a refreshed motivation and outlook on life and my ability to juggle multiple hats improved immensely. Just as well, taking on a school governor position and helping with the organisation of Caleb's rugby club team would have felt impossible this time last year.

I didn't get any further in taking care of me, I'm always last on the list, but, thankfully,no major Lupus flare ups this year so I must have done something right!!

Blogging plan didn't really go to plan either, but the misses were because I was making memories...just forgetting to write about them!  However, my stats are slowly improving and so I've set myself a similar target % to increase monthly traffic by in 2016 - and if I do that then I'll have some quite respectable viewing numbers.  I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to try to keep consistent this year so stay tuned!

C grew up... and up...and up and we celebrated milestones that filled me with pride. He is doing so well at school, academically, but certainly keeps the teachers on their toes with his boundless energy and need to be challenged. He's taken to rugby like a duck to water, and there's signs he might actually be quite good at it. Talking of ducks and water he overcame his nervousness of water and now enjoys his weekly swimming lesson. He is strong, healthy, inquisitive, bright, mischievous - and for all of those things I am more grateful than I could ever express. Even on the days when my patience gets tested to its limit, I remind myself just what a blessing he has been and just how much richer he has made our lives.

My gorgeous husband has continued to be my rock and my strength. He also changed jobs this year, the fit hasn't quite been right for him so he will search again in the New Year, I hope that 2016 is the year it all comes together for him as he so deserves it.

I don't make new year's resolutions anymore, cause I suck at sticking to them and always feel like a big fat failure when I cave in.

This year I am making promises to myself, to try to give more focus to specific areas in my life. They aren't black and white, succeed or fail kind of situations, instead they are journeys or paths I have made the decision to include in the road map I have planned for 2016.

• I won't let my worries choose my path, I'll live more in the moment and see what wonderful surprises await.
• I will spend more time reconnecting with loved ones, this year has flown by on lots of good intentions of "we must catch up soon"...time is not in endless supply and those are the things we will regret not doing.
• I will try to give more time to the things that make my heart sing and less on the things I do purely out of obligation.
• I will continue to learn how to be a good parent, stop questioning my decisions so much, get down on the floor and play more - while he still wants me to.
• I will work on being more respectful of my body and more nurturing of my soul.
• I will give back to the planet in whatever small ways I can and continue to grow Caleb's love of the natural world so he appreciates it the same way as Mummy and Daddy do.
• I will finish that book before the year ends.
• I will try...

Everyone knows that journeys mean adventure and adventure is not always a smooth ride, so I am facing the new year with a realistic expectation that there will surely be bumps, there will most definitely be annoying detours, but to balance it all out there will be those unexpected roads you accidentally take that are so wonderful that they steal every last bit of breath from your lungs, but in a good way.

For you my wish is that 2016 is full to the brim of everything you ever dreamed of. Stay happy and stay safe.