2009

Yes, I know that it's almost February, not exactly the declare your new years resolution time!! I'm running behind already this year but I'm determined to get caught up.

Rather than a new years resolution this year I have a new years word. I do a lot of searching for quotes and cute tag lines for my scrapbook pages and started reading some of the poetry of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I came across this quote from him:

"Words are alive. Cut them and they bleed."

I thought this was an interesting thing to say because I'm always asking the kids to chose their words carefully. Tim and I work hard to teach the kids to use what we call their "on deck circle". In baseball you step up on deck circle to have a few practice swings and analyze the game situation. Because baseball is a team game, a successful at-bat may not be one that results in a base hit. A player doesn't step to the plate and swing at every ball. In the split second before the ball crosses the plate a player has to analyze the pitch and decide if they should take a swing.

Like baseball, there is that split second before you open your mouth that you analyze the situation. So we often ask the kids to stop and ask themselves 'do I really want to say this', 'will this hurt someones feelings', 'is this appropriate to tell someone', and so on. Some of our children are better at this than others but there is hope that they will all attain this skill.

So back to the point- I decided to practice what I preach and take in the power of words. Rather than a long drawn out list of resolution (that will likely never be reached!) I'm choosing a word and going to remind myself of it every day. So what is this word you ask.... (insert drum roll)

SUCCEED

The definition of succeed is to turn out well or to attain a desired object or end also to follow in sequence and especially immediately.

I have lists of unfinished projects and it is my goal to finish these projects and free myself from the burden I carry knowing they exist! I'm going to spend this weekend creating my list and then work to chip things off- DAILY!

My first goal is to make this list and place it here because one of the first things on that list will be to keep my family updated better with pictures and stories about what we've been doing.

What's your word?