Present

...

I'm not too keen on New Year's Resolutions. 

Something about the promise to fix a bad habit always seems like I am preemptively setting myself up for failure. Hi, my name is Julie and I have very little self-confidence and quite poor follow through.

WITH THAT SAID.

I always tend to make smallish resolutions but focus on them more as "goals" for this next year---gives me a little wiggle room to back out or get distracted for a couple months. Ahem, much like the blog this past year... 

My general theme of the goal is to focus on improving the attitude of some part of my bubble in efforts to better see the beauty on life happening around me. 

This year, my goal...resolve if you will (cringe)... is to be better present in my life. Instead of waiting around to be in a better state of mind or wait for a free second to be able to do something different--- I just allow myself a little intentional focus, whatever the mood or moment, to better see the bigger picture. 

Today.

It was chilly and I was cranky. My dog is on the fritz right now, I had a meeting with Molly's teacher early afternoon and my coffee was not waking me up in the way I needed it too. I had big plans to take RG to the vet this morning, definitely needed to shower earlier but --- instead I cued up the ole spotify, poured another cup o' wake-me-up and allowed myself to be still and present for a couple minutes more. You know what? 

Turns out there was more than just my bad attitude happening around me. 

And the rest of the day pretty much followed suit.

A busy night of boy scouts for Gabe and Kelly (in which details aren't always communicated and time tables rarely matriculate into anything predictable) actually resulted in a couch date with my favorite sisters and fabulously girly movie.

All the hermit time my grouchy attitude demanded, meant that my dog was surrounded all day by her pack and she actually decided to not run away for the day. As an added bonus, it seems that NW Austin has run out of fireworks. Finally. Poor scaredy dog.

There is always the great clean up that immediately follows bed routine (necessary because I have a BUNCH of people that live with me). Nothing remotely relaxing about turning to chores after getting all the tiny tyrants in bed. However, cleaning up meant that I was the one who got to stumble upon this little gem. My couch has monster hats, hand drawn maps of our neighborhood and pine wood derby cars on it. All because I have a Gabe in my life. What a great little reminder for me.

And the cold draft coming in at me through the open door to our garage??? The immediate reminder that my husband is painting drawers in the cold for me so that I can move our big girls in to one room together in the next couple days. 

Date nights aren't what they used to be these days. We are tired. It is cold. It is Thursday. Buuuuuut... that doesn't mean they don't happen over Chinese food and old comedy shows. Turns out laughter and egg rolls can make for a great end of day date.

Some days are so outwardly gritty... and yet being present for the bigger picture... there is nowhere else I'd rather be.