Things are looking up...

There's something really refreshing about welcoming in a new year. Of course, I hate that it's still really cold (and getting colder), and I feel like the Grinch because I have to take down all my Christmas decorations - but the new year is also the mark of new changes and new goals. If you ask me, the pros outweigh the cons.

This year I have LOTS of goals. And I'm excited, because for the first time I don't have to set them by myself - I HAVE SPENCER! Of course, he probably has no idea what I'm dragging him into, but I'm sure he'll thank me when it's over. My mission taught me a lot about how to set goals, but I think that being home has taught me even more about why they're so important. If I don't write something down, IT WILL NOT HAPPEN. Period. Next to Spencer, my day planner is probably my best friend.

I won't share ALL my goals, since some of them are personal, but I think some of them need that little added "oomph" that comes with me having them in writing... twice.

First things first:
No matter how organized I am in my life, nothing is in place until I have my spiritual priorities straight. I wake up every morning, scrunch my legs up until I'm in the fetal position, and say my prayers. It gets the job done, yes... but really? Is that the best I can do? When I think of the phrase "with full purpose of heart" I think that a college student who only has 6 credits and the privilege of sleeping in until 8:00 in the morning can do a little better than that. From now on I want to wait until I've gotten up, eaten breakfast and gotten ready before I say my prayers so I can at least be coherent, for goodness sake.

Next:
Let's be honest here...school has always managed to usurp almost complete control of my time. This semester marks the first time I've had a chance to sit back and breathe at any point during the week since I was in the sixth grade. School's only been going on for a week but I've already learned that I need to have a plan for my time every day, or I will fill that time with nothing of value. Monday and Tuesday, I came home from work and school, and did just that. Wednesday, I finally realized I was going to go crazy if I didn't get cracking on something besides "relaxing". That's when the goals started swimming around in my head...

-Read books that are NOT for school. I absolutely love to read. Yesterday I went to the Library (convenient... since I work there) and checked out two books. One is Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam, and the other is Plum Island, by Nelson DeMille. I was at the gym over Christmas break and had my nose buried in a Dan Brown book - a complete stranger came up to me and told me that if I liked Dan Brown, I absolutely HAD to read a book by Nelson DeMille, and that Plum Island is his best. I'll let you know what I think of it, but I'm only about 50 pages into Rocket Boys, first. P.S... I love suggestions, so if you know a good book, I wanna hear it.

-Go running more often. I also love running, but last semester I had no time for it with 15 credits, grad school applications, studying for the GRE, and work. I was pretty good over the summer, but NOT good the semester before that because... oh wait, I was planning MY WEDDING. I went with Spencer the other day and we made it a measly mile before the dry air caused us to stop and take a breath without our throats freezing. Lame, I know. This is the woman who once ran a half-marathon and would go for "fun runs" on the weekends and come back two hours later.

-Spend more time with friends and family. Last semester, I hardly ever saw Jeff and Becca and WE ALL WORK IN THE SAME BUILDING for crying out loud. Unacceptable. I also never went out and played with my friends. This semester, things are going to be different. I had breakfast with JaiCi and Nelli on Wednesday, we're going to Kirstin and James' tonight, we're doing dinner with Jeff and Becca next Friday, and next Saturday is going to be a triple date with two couples that Spencer works with. Seriously, if you want to play... call us. I WILL be social, dangit.

-Become the homemaker I know I'm going to be someday... in the far distant future. So Spencer wants puppies. I want babies. I'm trying convince him that we're not ready for either right now. I'm not going to be capable of taking care of THREE living things until I can sufficiently care for TWO. Don't get me wrong, we don't live in a rathole, but we could do laundry more often and make our bed and such. My boss recently gave me his poinsettia plant because he's tired of taking care of it. That will mean that (technically) we WILL have three living things in our home, but SHH... don't tell. If I kill it, it's a further sign that we're just not ready.

Finally, I will be a better blogger. I used to keep a journal, and then that was kind of replaced when I came home from my mission to Hong Kong - I would email my mission trainee every week and keep those emails as my pseudo-journal. Then she came home, and now I have nothing. That's where this blog comes in. So besides the fact that it helps me stay in touch with family and friends and GREATLY relieves the stresses of daily life, this blog is going to be the "Cornett Family Archive" of events and exciting occurences. I hope you all enjoy it. =)

Oh... the list could go on. In fact, the list DOES go on, seeing as the list is a real thing and all. I've barely scratched the surface. For now, I just have to figure out which things on the list are the most important and tackle them all in stride.

Till next time...