Goal Review: Month 4

Another month down in the build a happier Adjunctmom and it appears that we’re doing so. I’m pleased about that.

1. So, we’ve learned something. I need a group for accountability or I am not going to be successful with reading plans. I have not managed Proverbs or to keep up with the reading plan from my church. HOWEVER, I did pick up a copy of Praying With Beads: Daily Prayers for the Christian Year and I’ve really found it to be centering and helpful. So, that’s this month’s goal, to pray the beads at least once every day.

2. I managed the March for Babies with no ill after-effects. I tried the Shred, one day, and my knees are still protesting two weeks later. So, this month I’m focusing on the May challenge over at Shredheads — work out every day. Some days will be the Wii, some days the gym, and I start swimming class on Saturday. Trying not to be nervous about that.

3. Organizing made some progress and some not. I haven’t been following the book as well as I was supposed to, but I did work on organizing my sewing area and parts of the kitchen. We’re all finally feeling much better and this has added us in operation organization. Hopefully more organizing to come this month.

4. I’ve discovered that one thing I need to be happy is time to work on things that I love to do. I’ve been doing some knitting, some quilting, or some cross-stitch as often as I can. I’m trying for daily this month. We’ll see if I can pull that off. I’ve also discovered the interesting side effect that my blood pressure is much lower if I stop with teaching type work by 9p and spend the last couple of hours working on things I enjoy doing instead. Which is not to say that I don’t enjoy teaching, but there’s stress because it’s work.

5. The attitude is gratitude. The journal is the journal. All is well.

6. Katie’s image journal is coming along fabulously. I am caught up with pictures. I have precisely the number I need for right now. It’s going to be a very special book for a very special girl.

7. I completed the April challenge at Shredheads. I logged everything I ate for the month of April. Over the course of the month, I lost five pounds, so I think it was helpful. Would have been better if I could have exercised more. Hopefully now that pollen season is almost over, I stand a better chance of exercising regularly and eating better.

8. Will continue moving. This month, as mentioned before, Shredheads May challenge is to work out every day. I will do this; I can do this. I’m looking forward to doing this.

9. Plan continues apace.

10. The homeschool plan is complete. I need to place the order (likely next week), but we know what we’re doing; he’s started some of it and he’s doing great. At this point, I’ve decided to start doing a weekly wrap up for the homeschool week on Fridays. We’ll see how that goes. This week won’t look so good as we still haven’t done anything. Some weeks are just like that around here.

11. Things with Ben are on an upswing. We’ve started really thinking about consequences and it’s working. He understands that there are many things that fall into the category of a privilege and that privileges are things that you get when you make the right choices. We have him enrolled in swimming lessons and he’s a confident little guy. He was convinced after four weeks of lessons, he’s ready to swim (he’s not). He starts the next set on Saturday.

I’d say the year mission: Find our Happy Place is moving along well and I’m happy/content with the progress.

Goal Review: Month 3

Accountability is the name of the game, and it’s the game I’m playing, so here we go.

1. I finished reading the Bible in 87 days, so I bested the 90 day plan by three days. Go me. I’m now reading Proverbs and following my church’s seven week tour through the Bible as my “what’s next.” We’ll see how that goes.

2. Those of you following along know that I fell ill the first week of March. Today is the first day I’ve felt at least mostly like myself. So, today I start back on the treadmill to get ready for my 3 mile adventure in, gulp, 23 days. I know I can do this, but I’m going to have to plan carefully and build up a little quicker than I would have liked. Wish me luck, I’m likely going to need it.

3. There has been zero movement on the organizing and decluttering plan. Well, okay, a little movement. I’ve sorted through Katie’s clothes and culled out everything that’s too small. I’ve boxed it up and it’s ready to ship to my friend up in Boston whose daughters (yes, twins) are 9 months younger than Katie. Other than that, no progress. Will resume this month.

4. I finished reading The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. It wasn’t necessarily the most profound thing I’ve ever read, BUT it did challenge me to change my thinking about some basic things in my life and how I approach the things that have to be done. I can find a way to be happy or I can be miserable. It’s utterly my choice.

5. Gratitude journal continues to sail.

6. Katie’s image journal is doing well. I love that I’m capturing, with dates, all of the amazing developments of this year. This is why I liked doing this for Ben and why I’m loving doing this for her. I hope she enjoys it as much as I do.

7. Given that I spent a significant part of this month unable to eat most foods because I was so sick, I think we’re going to call this a wash. However, my buddies over at The Shredheads have started an April challenge that I’ve decided to get in on. I’m a member of Sparkpeople (under adjunctmom, if you’re looking for me), so I’m going to use their software for tracking purposes. Here’s hoping this helps me bring my eating habits back inline with what I want them to be. Plus, watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution about turned my stomach last week, so I know *know* that I have to do something about how we all eat in this house.

8. The continue moving part was seriously curtailed with the so sick I couldn’t stand issue in March. Hopping back into it for April. Considering doing the 30 day Shred rather than working out at the gym because it will fit better with the walking 3 miles thing. I only get so much time to myself and I want to focus on the walking for the next little bit.

9. We have a plan. We’re working the plan. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

10. I believe I have a homeschooling plan for 2010-2011. I will be detailing it in another post either later this week or next week. Suffice it to say, I figured out an organizational strategy and a methodology and I think we’re going to be very, very happy.

11. We’re trying a three pronged (possibly four pronged) approach to our issues with Ben. All revolve around books. We’re just starting, so I don’t want to get too far into it at this point. If it seems to be working, I’ll give more information about what and how we’re doing it. Last night we had a hurricane style tantrum at 11:45p — it was dreadful. Just dreadful. But, I consider it clearing the air for a new day and a new way. So, we’ll see how things go.

I really feel like we’re making true progress and finding a happier path for all of us. And, ultimately, that’s what Goals 2010 is all about: Finding our happy place.

Goal Review — Month 2

Here it is the end of February and this is usually the time where I lose traction on my goals and end up trashing all of them or at least most of them. But this time, I’m on target and feeling really good about where things are.

1. I have finished day 59 of the Bible in 90 days challenge. We are into Ezekiel and I feel really confident that I will be reporting success at the end of next month. Part of me will be relieved when this is over, but I’m so glad that I’m doing it. I’ve learned a lot about myself and a lot about the Bible already and feel like this was a really worthwhile thing to do, but I’ll be glad to get some stitching time. The one thing I’ve learned from this is that if I prioritize something, I get it done. Look out stacked up sewing projects, you’re on my list.

2. Run a 5k. Still tabled. However, I’m doing the March of Dimes March for Babies at the end of April and am officially training for that. 3 miles. I can do it and I know I can, but I’m going to have to make sure my knees are protected. Though I’ve met my fundraising goal, our team hasn’t met its goal, so I’m still more than happy to accept donations. Please click the widget on the side to get to my donation page. I’ve also started the PEP program at the Y. I’m doing pretty well and think I’m getting stronger. We’ll see. I’ve started using the Elliptical trainer and really like it.

3. The organizing and decluttering project stalled while she went through the things that are not in my domain. I am not “in charge” of the bill paying, so me organizing something of P’s will only end in disaster. We’ve finally gotten back to things that I can do, so I will be restarting it this coming week.

4. I got caught up in Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin. I’m heading back to The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun in March and will try to finish it. I have a lot of reading plans for April because this Bible in 90 Days thing is eating up most of my reading time.

5. Gratitude journal still going just fine. I love having a gimme one. I really do.

6. Katie’s image journal continues to progress wonderfully. I have great pictures of her and good memories of things that she does that we’ll forget as time passes. I mean, seriously, once she’s walking will we remember that when she was excited she would crawl around in these crazy, looping circles while giggling madly?

7. Continue to work on intentionality with eating. It’s an ongoing challenge. I do really well and then completely lose it. So, I have to work at it. I’ve set a mini-goal for next month of eating more veggies and fruit. I’m hoping that Ben will follow suit. We’ll see.

8. Pep program is going well, though I may not feel that way tomorrow. I have a feeling my biceps, triceps, and back are all going to hurt pretty badly. I’m desperately wanting to try a Pilates class, but I’m afraid my abs aren’t up for it. I guess the worst that happens is that I can’t do it, right? Right. Also in the good news category, I’ve lost 13 lbs so far. That sure has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

9. I have been to the doctor. I have been poked, prodded, bled, and ultrasounded. Going back to talk strategy on March 12. Here’s hoping he has a plan :).

10. I’m still in the research phase for our homeschooling plan. The main things that are bogging me down are organization and the actual methodology we want to use. I’ve said screw it and just buy Calvert at least twice in the last week, but I back down when I see how much he loves the things that we’re trying. It’s still a work in progress. We’ll get there. I know we will.

11. We have cleared Ben’s room of all the toys. He has some stuffed animals, his bed, and his “dresser.” Suddenly, he’s sleeping better at night and somewhat easier to deal with overall. Hmmm. There’s likely a connection between this and the book (as this is a major thing the book advocates), but don’t tell P. He thinks this was all his idea :).

B90Days: Reading the Bible in 90 Days

You might remember that my list of goals included reading the Bible in 90 days. I’m doing this with a fabulous group of men and women on Twitter and through the facilitation of the website Mom’s Toolbox. We’re into numbers now and I remember now why I always lose traction at this point in my reading of the Bible. I’ve tried Bible in a year plans before, but as soon as we hit Leviticus and Numbers, I get this feeling that I’m reading a book that’s not meant for me. I’m always disconcerted by the lesser value placed on women.

I’m always left wondering how do I explain to my children that women are equal when the book we use to help us teach them right from wrong clearly identifies women as inferior to men. We have less monetary value. If our husbands become jealous, the wife has to undergo a test to see if she has made him jealous. If she turns up innocent, there is no penalty to the husband for the accusation.

When they’re counting the numbers of people in each tribe and defining duties of the tribes; women are never mentioned.

And do not get me started on the unclean state for women during their monthly periods and post birth. And really, don’t get me started on the fact that if you give birth to a boy, you are ritually unclean for HALF THE TIME than if you give birth to a girl. What does that tell our boys and men about the value of women.

I’m struggling to find the lessons here that are for me. The lessons that I can teach to my son. The lessons I can teach to my daughter. I’m seriously struggling. I know we’re headed toward Esther and Ruth — my two favorite books of the Bible, but getting there is a lesson in sorrow. Sorrow for the patriarchal culture that created this religious text and encouraged the thinking that women are some how “less than” men.

I keep telling myself there’s something for me to learn here, but I get lost in the sadness and the sorrow that this part of the Bible really doesn’t apply to me that I can’t find the lessons I should learn.

Anyone have ideas or suggestions?