It's a new year

2012 has been pretty great so far. It started with a fabulous party with our House Church that just kept getting better the later it got. Then we rounded out our Christmas break, during which Jeff was home for a full week. I went back to work on Wednesday after having almost 3 weeks off, and besides all of us feeling tired, it was a smooth adjustment back into routine.

I've been thinking about what's to come, and what lies ahead for each of us this year?

Jeanelle - I got a really interesting call this week from my supervisor. My company has asked if I would be willing to spend some of my newly increased time at home doing administrative tasks that the supervisors don't have time for. We have a lot of new hires coming on soon, and all of their notes and other paperwork need to be reviewed. I don't know if any of you have ever looked in to working from home, but I have, and it's a hard gig to land. In order for a company to pay you to sit around on your laptop in your pj's, you either have to be grandfathered in or it's a scam. So, this is a great opportunity. It sounds like it could be an ongoing thing with some changing responsibilities, and that's exciting. And the best part is that I'll still be home just as much with the kids!

The second best part of this development is it's impact on our finances. I'm not going to lie, we were a little worried how things were going to shake out with my decreased hours after realizing my Mom wouldn't be watching the kids for the remainder of the school year. We don't believe in living on credit, so we were going to be using more of our savings than planned. It always amazes me how God provides exactly what you need. I've done the math and I think that the extra hours from working at home will just cover the shortage we were facing. I had a huge smile on my face during our phone call as I realized that I was experiencing a tangible example of God's provision!

Jeff - As an avid Colts fan, Jeff's 2012 is all over the place! He's been hoping for change all year, and he's definitely going to get it. It's a weird time to be a Colts fan, but he's embracing it! He's also ready for the Super Bowl to come and go. He worked on the bid to the NFL owners that brought the big game to our city and since then, his company has been doing a lot of follow up work. I keep saying he should get tickets as a result, but that's not happening. He works downtown, so I'm a little worried what the Super Bowl is going to do to his already extremely exaggerated commute, but maybe he'll see some celebrities :-)

He's also going to be finishing his "Bible in a Year" plan. He's already almost 80% through and I'm really proud of how diligent he's been. He rarely misses a day and even though I fall far behind, it's been inspiring. I'm sure he has a lot more planned for the upcoming year, but as always, I know that the top of his list includes being an amazing husband, provider, and Father.

Evan - Kindergarten! Need I say more? Seriously, we'll be going to Evan's elementary school in just a few short months to register and make our final decisions on full vs half day Kindergarten. We're 99% sure that we'll be doing full day. We think he's ready. He's comfortable being away from us, he can't get enough of being around friends, and he loves to learn. My only fear is that the long day may lead to increased frustration and behavior problems. But, every month I see Evan mature even more, so I know he's going to do great!

Aida - She is 100% pacifier free. It was so much easier than I had built up in my head. We went the cold turkey route - started the day without it and never looked back. I can't say I haven't missed it on occasion, when she's being fussy, and I know a pacifier would buy me a few moments of peace. But we're free and it feels good. She also turns 2 in June, and yes, we've already seen a few tantrums. Aida's not a fan of "no," but she responds well to discipline and usually turns things around as soon you correct her. I'm considering putting potty training on Summer's agenda, so that could be huge for her, but we'll see. I don't know if I've recovered from Evan's potty training, but I've heard girls are easier...

It's going to be a great year!