It’s 2011!!! I can’t believe it. I’m going to have a 4th grader and a Kindergartner this fall. Then 4 more years until my baby is in Kindergarten. Yes. All my kids are 4 years apart. I’m never going to be done driving them to Seminary! I better smack myself now and forget that bit. Just enjoy them while they’re young and still somewhat malleable. Ha.

I’ve been thinking a lot. About being diagnosed with PPD last year, my struggles as a parent of 3 kids FOUR YEARS APART, my relationship with Heavenly Father, my loneliness, my fears, my urge to create beautiful yet stopping myself for no rational reason. The list goes on and on… and then some.

YUCK! All this negative junk!

I don’t like this at all! I’m crippling myself and just how is that fair? To myself? My family? My Heavenly Father? It’s time to cast off the shackles of fear, loneliness, and sadness.

2011 is going to be a challenging year for certain. And I’m excited about that. I’m not setting any resolutions/goals. That’s just setting me up to fail. No, I am going to be making lifestyle changes. May I digress for just a moment? By sharing a story? When I was in junior high, my dad had some health issues. My mom sat us all down and told us that we were going to make a “lifestyle change.” That was, eat healthier and NO salting our food. What impressed me at the time was that it was dad who had to do those things (yes – it wouldn’t hurt us either) but my mom just knew he needed the support of the whole family. We accepted it and moved on. Back to the point of making lifestyle changes… I’ve got the support of my husband, family and dear friends. With that, how can I fail?

Happy New Year, everyone! May it be filled with happy adventures!