It’s been an intensely introspective last couple of weeks with all of the challenges our family and friends have been facing, much of which has turned the upcoming year into one with more uncertainties than we’d ever hoped for. Nonetheless, it’s imprudent to face a new year without some sort of plan for things you want to achieve. In light of that, here are seventeen things I’d like to work toward this year (subject to change, of course, were I to actually get pregnant):

1. Complete my weight loss journey
2. Lower my cholesterol naturally
3. Do one BIG hiking trip that we travel to do
4. Participate in Reach the Peaks in September (a 12 mile hiking challenge that covers all 5 peaks at Hanging Rock State Park)
5. Transition back to a mostly vegetarian diet (I’ve been struggling with this for several months now and am mostly only eating poultry and the VERY occasional fish)
6. Change my workouts to be geared more toward hiking than running, and stay consistent with them.
7. Find a better-paying writing gig (although I am having fun over at #AmReading)
8. Knit more
9. Get back to cooking
10. PURGE the house and start fixing and upgrading things
11. Begin pursuing the adoption process and, if that’s the way we are supposed to go, be as far along in it as possible by the end of the year.
12. Begin cleaning some of my stuff out of Mom and Dad’s (I feel kinda guity for contributing to their clutter in addition to all of my own)
13. Read a devotional and Scripture and pray every day (I’m currently reading Jesus Calling)
14. Say “no” more often to things that bring me stress
15. Read more BOOKS (currently reading: Decision Points by George W. Bush)
16. Apologize less and work to stop feeling responsible for everyone else’s problems
17. Stop picking my arms

Some of these will (hopefully) have to be put off until 2018, and if that happens, I will be unbelievably thrilled (and I’ll have a whole new set of goals). I also know they’re a bit nebulous and vague.  What can I say…there’s less chance of missing the mark entirely when the target is so big.

In other news, two years ago (2015), one of my resolutions was to stop biting my nails. Two years later, I think I can say I’ve officially conquered that bad habit.

And yesterday:

I know, my cuticles need some work.  Small victories.