Resolutions?

I'm not much of a resolutions kind of gal. At least, not the New Year's resolution kind. I've been seeing all sorts of things online about everyone's resolutions or resolve not to have one and it got me thinking. As a perfectionist, one who is increasingly becoming aware that that perfection I chase is never going to happen, I'm always striving to change for the better. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it's a crash and burn of epic proportions.

In the past, I have resolved to eliminate unnecessary items from our house (this was 7 years ago). It is one of the changes I have made in my life that has been rather successful. I refer to myself as a recovering pack rack or crap farmer (my own term for the pack rat that can't part with even the most idiotic items, like TV and baby gear boxes). I actually think that being a pack rat is a genetic disease. I come from a long line of such individuals, and I watch my brother struggle with this disease, too. (He saves styrofoam because he "might need it some day".) So while I still have superfluous items in my home, there is no danger that I'm going to be suffocated by the useless stuff I used to save, and I do go on purging sprees where I toss out/donate lots of unnecessary things.

Last year I started off the year with no resolutions. By February, I felt the need to work on my faith in a big way. Looking back almost 11 months to the day when I felt the big nudge to wake up, I'm pretty happy with my progress. I think my main goal for this year is to deepen my faith even more. Today, for the first time ever, I went to Eucharistic Adoration. It was rather calming and peaceful, except for the 4 1/2 year old who kept scurrying around the pew and asking me questions every minute or so after she could no longer contain herself.

I have realized over the past two weeks that while my patience has certainly grown, it still has a ways to grow. I'm hopeful that I can bid 2010 farewell as a more patient wife and mother.

In the beginning of the school year I decided that I was going to be more organized (a type A personality can never be organized enough) and not forget anything for Ellie that is school related. So far, we're doing good. The flip side, is I've been forgetting stuff for Madeline instead. So now I'm going to try working on not forgetting anything for either of the girls. Can I handle it? We'll find out!

I'm also hoping that I can create a game plan for keeping the house clean all the time and stick to that plan. I used to be incredibly organized when it came to housekeeping when Madeline was an infant. I'm hoping to get back to that level of organization and dedication again.

So I guess while I don't have any resolutions for this year, I do have plenty of hopes. If I take the route of having a handful of goals, rather than resolutions, I'll be more motivated to work towards them. Resolutions are often things that fall by the wayside never to be thought of again.

Happy New Year, everyone! Let's hope it's a good one.