A final post before we usher out the old year, and ring-in the new. It is important to look back at this past block of time and contemplate and reflect. A new year means nothing if we do not reflect and attempt to evolve. We celebrate the new year for two reasons: First, we have survived and made it through a year of events and happenings. Second, we are fortunate enough to be able to look forward to the next year...a blank slate, full of possibilities and anticipation.
Watching Audrey and Violet grow has been the best part of my year. Audrey graduated preschool and is now thriving in kindergarten. She loves science and reading almost to a fault. Audrey is active, goofy, and always looking for an activity that grows her imagination and challenges her thinking. She is looking forward to first grade, and we could not be more proud of her accomplishments and growth as a little person with big dreams. Violet is finding her likes and dislikes, and has a fiery personality all her own. She is the biggest sweetheart, but will let you know where you stand, and tells it like it is. She adores her sister, although they squabble quite a bit. However, in this past year, Violet has really begun to explore her personality and define who she is. She is learning her letters and alphabet, pretend reads, and loves to bike outside and be active on the playground. Again, as parents, we are so proud and love our children very much.
The job front remains stable this past year. Both Kim and I are lucky and fortunate to have excellent jobs that we love and look forward to each day. I am still teaching 5th grade math and science and love what I do. While a future in administration is what I anticipate, it is difficult to give-up summers and getting to go home at 2:30 each afternoon to spend time with my children. I will continue to pursue administrative positions, but will make the final decision whether to transition when a job is offered to me. I love my school district, and would like to continue to grow there and offer my services to this community that has given me so much.
Personally, 2014 has been a year of maintaining accomplishments. While I don't think I broke too much new ground, I did spend a lot of time cementing previous work. I continued to grow as a teacher and a professional educator. I spent a lot of time with my children and growing our family. I ran a lot and kept my fitness level as a runner fairly strong. I ran five half marathons last year in an attempt to keep my running levels up but not stress my knee too much, which was the reason for no marathons in 2014. The half marathon is a perfect distance for me, although I miss the challenge of training for a full marathon.
Kim has grown and transferred into a new position at her work. She is challenged and works with an inspiring group of people. She seems to be reinvigorated by her new surroundings and personnel. She has also taken steps forward as a photographer, being hired on several small photo shoots and continuing her digital editing into the wee hours. I am so proud of all of her accomplishments this year.
As stated earlier, having the privilege of looking forward into a fresh year is a wondrous thing. I read somewhere that as long as we can accept that things do not stay the same or go as planned, we can maintain a healthy outlook on life. Being able to adapt and adjust has always been a crucial part of my life. Whether that is moving to a new place, making the transition to parenthood, or simply accepting that something will or will not happen has been an important piece to my life. Acceptance is the key word here. Having goals is the best way to operate, in my opinion, but also being able to adjust these goals as life happens is an important skill. With that being said, I am excited about 2015 and the possibilities it holds!
There are many things I want to accomplish or build upon in this next year. First, I want to become a better parent and learn how to meet the needs of my children even more. How do we incorporate more art and creativity in to their lives? How can we build more empathy and interactions with other people into their schedules? Building a foundation of caring and compassion and imagination is an essential focus this year.
Also somewhere on the internet, I read a post that said something along the line of pick three things you enjoy: one to make money, one to keep fit, and one to help you learn. These three things are what I intend to focus on after my duties as a parent. First, I want to continue to grow as an educator, and attend several professional development conferences or training sessions. These will help me improve my job skills, impact students on more levels, and bring more overall satisfaction to my job. Next, I want to return to marathon training and running this year. Last night I registered for the Wisconsin Marathon in May. This event has cemented my commitment to my fitness in the next year. While half marathons were great, I never felt challenged by the runs and want to really reach a level of physical fitness that I have never accomplished. Later in January, I will enter the lottery for the New York Marathon, which is on my bucket list. Besides distance running, I will focus on cross-training and full-body fitness, as well as proper nutrition and diet. I know this is a common goal for many at the start of a new year, but I feel truly prepared to dedicate myself to this goal of physical fitness. Finally, my goal to help me learn is to simply read more. Whether it is the latest Stephen King novel, a scientific article, or a book about American history, I need to read more. I want to show my children that reading is a key to success in life. My father is always reading, and I am always glad I took time to read once I finish. Reading is critical to my success moving forward this year.
So there we are, a final post on the year, and a layout of goals moving into 2015. I want to wish everyone a peaceful and satisfying 2015. I hope that I have more opportunities to travel and visit friends and family in this next year, and that other things unforeseen reveal themselves in positive and constructive manners as we move forward in this next block of time. So laugh a little more, care a little more, and enjoy this thing called "life" as much as you can, because no one knows where this road leads, or when it will end. It has been nice to stop and take a perspective look around before hopping back on and hitting the road again, crossing over into 2015.
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