Happy 2022!

Well, 2021 did not let us off the hook for an easy ending. We’ve all been sick for the last 3 weeks. No Covid, but we’ve had our fair share of congestion, fevers, chills, aches, strep throat (me and Lyndon and Beaufort and Will), and ear infections (3 of the 4 kids). It’s left me feeling like Christmas kicked me around a little, and I’m behind on a lot of dreaming, planning, and prep that’s usually done in December. We’re just now taking down our tree and decor, and we are all slowly climbing out of the trenches of sickness we’ve been in.

So here I sit, January 1st, the day after my birthday, setting my goals and making a plan. And this year, I’m doing it differently.

I kept hearing about the 12 Week Year and decided to pick it up and start reading it in December. As I did, I felt such relief! With a 5 month old who still isn’t sleeping through the night, and me only having 1 month left of my maternity leave / sabbatical, I can ONLY look ahead to the next 12 weeks. Making a plan for much longer feels overwhelming. Much still feels unpredictable, and I’m not sure I’ll want the same things 6 months from now.

So, I’m going to implement a 12 week year, and I’ll do it over and over again this year (with 1 week between each to rest, dream, and reset a little).

This blogpost is going to be short and sweet. I’m going to share my overly-ambitious goals for the next 12 weeks, but I am ready for a challenge. If I don’t do them all, great! But I’m feeling motivated, and there’s something about knowing the finish line is only 12 weeks away that makes it more exciting.

My 12 week year : Part 1

Record 13 new episodes of Work and Play with Nancy Ray

IG: Unfollow 1000+ and post one time a week

Lose 11 pounds with Trim Healthy Mama

Re-take the Blueprint Model

Close up my NRP Website & Blog 😢

Complete The Home Reset (On sale now through January - HIGHLY recommend)

Finish reading the 12 Week Year

Read the Self Driven Child

Read The Psychology of Money

Complete an 8 week Contentment Challenge

•••

Have you ever tried a 12 week year? Or do you share your goals on your blog? I’d love to read them or your thoughts on my new way of goal setting this year - leave a link or your thoughts in the comments!

One of the best things we can do is remember. It doesn’t come naturally to me on the brink of a new year as I’m constantly planning and looking forward, but it’s a practice I’m committed to because we are a forgetful people. My favorite tradition that Will and I have is our Christmas Date Night - it’s a beautiful evening set aside for us to enjoy a delicious meal, twinkle lights, and to make a list of everything that happened that year. And every single year, we remember a whole lot more happened than we thought. “Oh I forgot about that!” “Gosh that was this year?!” “Wow that was such a fun trip.”

And every few years, we have a momentous year : one that carries so many significant milestones and events that it leaves a mark on our hearts and changes our trajectory for the future. 2021 was a momentous year for us.

The birth of our fourth child. 5 incredible trips taken. Paid off our house. Significant growth in Will’s work, and a sabbatical in mine. Joined a new church. 2021 felt like a home and heart reset. And it was good.

I’m thrilled to share the highlights of 2021 here on my blog, even though it was all recorded in my journal just the other night. It’s fun and sweet to share in the good stuff together! And while I’m thinking about it, don’t forget to visit the blogs of these dear friends who are sharing their best ofs with me: Emily / Sam / Steph / Lisa

Here we go!

BEST OF 2021

Best adventure / travel / trip: We had so many wonderful travel memories this year! These five trips were all so much fun, I can’t bear to leave one out: Great Wolf Lodge (just our family while I was pregnant), St Thomas (Babymoon / Anniversary / Work Celebration trip - just me and Will for a whole week!), Florida road trip to a wedding and Disney World (with extended family), Blackberry Farm (just me, my mom, my sister and my neice for my Mom’s 70th birthday!) and Blowing Rock for 10 days over Thanksgiving!

Best book : Up from Slavery was incredibly inspiring, and I loved The Gospel comes with a House Key so much - especially knowing the author lives about 20 minutes from my house!

Best movie : In the Heights was a really fun watch. Lin Manual Miranda is crazy talented.

Best tv show : Ted Lasso is hilarious and so good. It reminds me of a guy version of Gilmore Girls with its fast pace and cultural references, and I’m loving the character development (although I could do without it’s over the top focus on sex)!

Best album or song : Belovedness by Sarah Kroger is beautiful

Best follow on IG : Being that I’ve been off IG for almost 5 months, the accounts I think about and miss are Cameron and Brooke - twin sisters I know and love - and Shay Cochrane who is just a delightful friend, mama, and business owner.

Best kiddo milestone : Milly learning to read. After being her co-teacher for 2 years, it makes me so proud to see her hard work finally click! Lyndon’s obsession with coloring and drawing, Beaufort’s conversation skills and scootering, and Benji’s smiling, which seems to take over his entire body with joy!

Best faith grower : Giving birth to Benji at home. So many prayers, counseling, and crying out to Jesus just in preparation! The actual day he arrived was full of God’s presence as I continued to worship and pray and trust throughout the whole process.

Best trend you tried : Curtain bangs! Yes - I got bangs!

Best beauty purchase : Olive and June nail polish from Target

Best family memory : Before Benji : Disney World! After Benji : Dressing up like the Lion King and trick or treating in our neighborhood for Halloween

Best habit you created : The first thing that came to my mind was “feeding Benji every 3 hours) haha! Breastfeeding can be considered a habit, right? ; In addition to that, I’ve started going to the gym just in the last 2 weeks and it has been so life giving!

Favorite blogpost written : Benji’s Birth Story. But I’m going to steal this one from Emily’s blog and share it with you because I just read it this week and it wrecked me in the best way.

Best new recipe : Joanna Gaines’ Mac n Cheese was a crowdpleaser at Thanksgiving!

Best life or mom hack : Having a dark blanket and this little sound machine has kept Benji asleep through many preschool drop offs and pick ups, as well as errands! Baby #4 has to learn to be on the go, but I also really prioritize sleep for my babies, so it’s a win win.

Best mama moment : Preparing Milly for a home birth (we ready so many books and watched loves of births on youtube), and then having her with me through my labor and delivery. She would pour water on my back, rub my arms, and encourage me. I never could have imagined my firstborn helping me through labor and delivery of my fourth born! What a gift.

Also, getting out of the house with all 4 kids by myself for the first time! Felt like I conquered the world.

Best home improvement : We bought a deep freezer - does that count as a home improvement?

Best little luxury you’ve enjoyed : I’m obsessed with these super fuzzy throw blankets from Homegoods and I’ve bought three of them. I cozy up with them every evening and every morning and they feel so soft and luxurious!

Grateful for a wonderful 2021, and I can’t wait to see what 2022 holds!

These photos. Gosh they already hold such a special place in my heart. Thank you to my dear friend Olivia Suriano for taking these photos we will cherish forever!

As I’m approaching my due date, these photos remind me what an absolute gift it is to carry life inside of me. Something I will never, ever take for granted.

Things I never want to forget about pregnancy

• Feeling flutters for the first time

• Crying when I heard the heartbeat

• Driving to my midwife appointments, and also welcoming her into my home for some appointments as well

• Being surprised by the gender - the mystery of wondering the whole time is so special. One of life’s last greatest surprises

• The taste of ginger ale while pregnant (it’s soooo good, but only when I’m pregnant haha!)

• The look of Lyndon’s face when she feels the baby’s hiccups. Pure wonder and the biggest sile I’ve ever seen!

• Beaufort saying “It’s moving!” every time he touches my tummy (even though the baby is sound asleep and not moving at all)

• Milly having little midwife hands! She feels for the baby and can even guess the body parts and positioning… and she says she wants to be a midwife one day

• Laying in the bed with Will at night and letting him feel baby dance and kick

• Watching my belly move and change shape completely by itself as baby moves

• Learning to trust God deeply, claiming faith and giving no place to fear, and focusing on victory in the months leading up to birth, as well as during labor and birth itself

• Being so hot and sweaty and swollen in the summer

• My legs going numb when I sit too long, and my ankles getting swollen when I stand too long

• Waking up every time I need to roll over

• My pillow tower for my heartburn

• Feeling like everyone everywhere smiles at me - being pregnant literally creates so much wonder in everyone around you

• Teaching our kids about how sacred and beautiful life is, how mommy’s body was made to do this, and how special it is to have a secret brother or sister who will come meet us any day

This pregnancy has for sure been my most difficult one, but I’m overwhelmingly grateful to be healthy and have a healthy baby. Trying to soak in every feeling, every emotion, every baby kick and roll, and the mystery of it all. What a gift, thank you Jesus.