(picture not relevant to the post, but this is more accurate depiction of us)
When Will and I stayed in the hotel over Christmas, we spent the morning eating our room service breakfast and discussing goals for the upcoming year. One of the items I have been struggling with, is just how much work life takes. This past year, I just kept thinking we were simply surviving and when life would hit we would make a spur of the moment survival plan. We decided that this year would be a year we would attempt at planning better. We all know the, "best laid plans," phrase, but I do believe in a battle plan.
Our battle plan focused on how we can better tend to our relationship, how we can better handle my school work load, and how we can better care for ourselves.
As part of Will's Christmas present, I planned out 12 dates for 2015, one each month. We already had to reschedule the one this month because Will got a stomach bug, but the month is not over yet, there is still hope. Maybe we will even take selfies each date to fully document this relationship effort.
We just hired a babysitter. We have taken out a loan to help pay out the remaining classes I have, so we decided a good use of that money would be to hire a babysitter. We had limited options and the woman we decided on has a rate that is practically criminal. Where was this pay when I was a nanny?? She is spanish speaking and tends to work with families who rely on her to raise their children. We will only have her for eight hours a week. This will allow me time to actually leave the house to study. I am nervous and excited all at the same time. She comes Monday for the first time.
Will and I have always valued working out. However, with children it has been a little difficult to find the time. We both realized in order to find the time, we must make the time. I was getting used to working out during their nap time or taking them running, but with school and winter that is no longer an option. I joined a gym two blocks away and I am working on getting myself there before the girls wake up. I think volleyball try-outs in high school scarred me from my ability to wake up early and work out, but I know that this is something that requires discipline. Will is planning on working out in the garage during this time, so we can both complete our work outs by 7:30 am.
I am hoping all of these decisions will create a more predictable schedule for our lives. We are also realizing how significant a schedule and predictability is for my sanity. With the stomach bug and various winter blues, this was the first morning we both worked out. Hopefully, next week will be a full week of taking steps towards these goals.
