I resolve

Some years I make New Year's Resolutions. Some years I don't bother. But when I make them, I really do try to keep them. My friend S and I like to come up with a theme for each year. The one I remember best was 2006: "Extreme Makeover Ashli Edition." At the end of that year I lamented to S that I didn't feel I'd lived up to my theme. S reminded me that I had actually started my own business and quit my day job that year. So yeah, I lived up to it.

I do have many failed resolutions, but I like to think of the successful ones. Like in 2007 when I resolved to lose 15 pounds. I lost 30. (OK, so maybe I've gained 10ish back over the last year, but still ...)

Last year, I didn't have a resolution. But I did have a prayer: We prayed (and asked friends to pray with us)  that the flood house situation would be resolved by March 18 (the one-year anniversary of the flood). God answers prayer! Just a couple weeks after we started praying that way, the county contacted us with a new plan. We had their buy out offer by the end of February. As I said, God answers prayer! It turned out to be a pretty big year.

So this year, I really have some important resolutions. Goals I am serious about. For accountability's sake (both personal accountability and public accounability) I'll share them here:

• I resolve to lose those 10 pounds again.
• I resolve to make a budget every single month and work with all my might to stick to it.
  
• I resolve to use a kinder tone of voice with my family when I am stressed.
• I resolve to blog. Regularly. All three blogs.
• I resolve to plan a less-busy schedule for my family.
• I resolve to plan a family vacation and to visit my extended family in Utah this year (two trips).
  
• I resolve to stop resolving and start doing.

This year's theme: "Resolutions. And I mean it."