2013 BEGINS

Every day is an opportunity to begin anew.

But it is nice to have a big calendar change to make it feel more official.

Although New Year's resolutions have been proven to rarely last past January 24th (in my case, not even past 3 p.m. on January 1st), they still are a chance to review the past year and begin once again to lose that 15 lbs., to finally quit watching that evening soap, to begin exercising regularly and write thank-you notes promptly.

Looking back, I realize that 2012 was a very difficult year for me. My husband returned from a year in Iraq - my older brother has been living with us - I've gone through more than one period of simply lying in bed for hours and hours just to try to escape the pain.


But our stake was reorganized, and I received a calling in Relief Society which I've never had before. I finally set aside most of the guilt about not doing more (read that "almost anything") with the horses. I did begin writing that novel. I've been pretty constant with this blog over the past few months. I have read quite a few new books.

I still have an extra 60 lbs. I am carrying around - but I am pretty healthy overall (well, except for my breathing problems, which are never going to go away in mortality). I finally have a hair-cut and some styling products that work for me. I got hooked on a couple more television shows - but I still watch relatively little T.V.

And I'd like to remember to stretch every morning at the beginning of the day - I've posted some word strips above the headboard of my bed to remind me to pray - I am continuing my membership in the gym.

That's enough for New Year's Day, at least for me.