New Things

This year, I have tried a number of new things, just in the last month and a half.

In no particular order, I’ve attempted:

…to make dinner consistently for our family, instead of reaching for boxed mac-n-cheese.

…to stay within a budget each month for groceries and other shopping.  (Have I  succeeded? Well… not exactl–um, moving on…)

…to not say, “No,”* to my little minion of a daughter. (Otherwise, she’ll start chanting, “No-no-no-no!” in that sweet, innocent voice of hers as she pulls all of her books onto the floor and tosses all of her stuffed animals up into the air, giggling as they rain down over her.) (It literally pours Tiggers and hedgehogs in my living room. Jealous, right?)

…to cheerfully clean up said toys and books and other paraphernalia around the house (again and again and again), so that it doesn’t look too much like we live with Peter Pan and the Lost Boys in a tree fort. (The picking up thing isn’t new, but the effect the minion has had on the amount of picking up there is to do is.)

…to write consistently. As in everyday. As in either blogging or working on my book. As in, I’m going to finish this story by my birthday, even if it’s the messiest thing, with holes in the plot and inconsistent characters. (That’s what editing’s for. Keep telling myself that.)

There are days when these small things are my life, day in and day out. And there are days I do not try. At all. My husband has come home plenty of times to a wreck of a house and of a wife. He’s handled the tears and piles of laundry better than one would expect. With patience. And video games.

So this week, I’ve tried something a little different…  I’m trying to be more thankful for the means to buy what we need each week. To be thankful that I have toys and books for my minion.To be thankful for the time I have to do what I love (write) and to be grateful enough to take advantage of that time. And to be thankful for my minion, and for my husband. I have a great little family. Even when we aren’t the prettiest or most organized.

*Note: I do tell my minion, “No,” or to “Stop,” frequently. I was just hoping that I could keep her from telling me, “No,” for as long as possible… She’s not yet two, and I’m not ready…