Welcome 2016!!!

Tomorrow marks the end of the first full week of 2016.

I did my 'resolutions' a bit differently this year.  I picked three things I wanted to be able to check off my list within the first week of the new year.

#1. Deep Clean the Refrigerator - We're actually pretty clean people, so it's not like our fridge was growing anything, but there had been some jelly spills, and a random powdery yuck that was on one of the shelves.  I actually was able to get this one done before New Years Day.  Woke up early-ish on NYE and had it almost done before Ronald woke up.  Bonus, I also organized it a bit better and threw out some old, expired items.  Nothing like starting a new year with some cleanliness!

#2. File away all the paperwork, store 2015 paperwork away, and make new folders for 2016 - Did most of this last weekend, but Ronald helped last night [by writing my tabs for me], and we finished it all up, and as of this morning, all the storage boxes of files are where they belong.  Hooray for not dragging my feet until mid February to get this done!

#3. Organize my desk and office/make it a happier place by putting art on the walls, etc - This was the biggest most challenging one of them all.  And honestly, I'm only half way through :/.  BUT, Ronald and the boys are playing DND tonight, so I'll probably be able to get more done tonight, to make my deadline.

I wish I had taken before shots of my desk, because there were serious PILES of clutter, and stacks of old paperwork/magazines/notes.  Now they're all gone, and I actually added a lamp to the desk [which is actually just a kitchen table].

I mentioned in a previous blog, I've been reading The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  It's like one of the new crazes that is sweeping America.  I started the book, didn't finish, and then through conversations here and there, sort of started a little accountability thing with my mom and Aunt Kathy.  So we're all reading it and going to try to apply it to our lives and our stuff.  I'm hoping to go out and visit my mom in the next couple of months [there's going to be a new nephew born soon], and we'll tackle a few things together.

ALL THAT TO SAY.... tackling my office has been a bigger commitment than I originally intended, because it's not so much, "move things around and organize better", but a true "go through things and pitch stuff you don't use any more".  Which takes time.  So I know, long term, it's going to be great.  But short term, my desk is cleared off, but the rug is FULL of all my stuff I'm going through and deciding what to do with :/.

Anyway, I'm excited about 2016.  A little nervous about weddings [I only have three booked so far], but I'm hopeful, and I'm reminding myself, that my smallest year of weddings as a bonafide business, was also a year that I'm incredibly proud of the work, and loved each and every wedding.  So growing pains.

Things I'm grateful/proud about/of in 2015:
-moving to Indy [it's such a good fit for us]
-photographing 16 weddings this year [yay]
-being able to see my grandmother before she died
-being able to travel to NM again for her funeral
-my husband having a job he is respected at, good at, and enjoys
-the art show I put on when I was teaching up in Mishawaka
-paying off my student loans [yay!!!]
-good health, good customers, good experiences


Things I'm hopeful about in 2016:
-traveling more [I'm hoping for Hawaii and Europe]
-saving for a downpayment on a second house [yikes, as scary as that sounds]
-pursuing more personal work in art and in photography
-learning German better
-drawing more
-learning more about God/bible
-putting more energy into friendships, and being vulnerable within those friendships [thanks Daring Greatly/Brene Brown]
-writing a short story [just because I haven't, doesn't mean I can't, right?]

So there you have it.  My 2015 recap, and my 2016 hopes!  I hope you all are also enjoying the new leaf of 2016!

-mrp-