This has been a great summer. We moved to the Valley in spring, so this summer, we were able to take advantage of lots of swimming, dollar theater movies, feeding ducks at the park, going for ice cream, the kids' sleepovers, and great deals when shopping for necessities. We even found a great futon like brand new for just $39.99, and it retails for at least $300. But summer is over for us and the new school year is about to begin. Here's a few bullet points of my thoughts today:
- I took the summer mostly "off", so I hope I'm ready to start and didn't forget to do stuff.
- It'll be different not having 3 to teach now that Adam's graduated. It'll be easier this year.
- We all want to incorporate our faith into the school year more than in the past.
- We've got lots of great field trips and events here in the Valley to enhance the school year.
- I love new beginnings!
- It's so nice to have access to so many of the required books at these libraries!
- I hope the new homeschool group helps us all make new friends.
- I can't wait to see Logan in his first play in years, Sherlock Holmes!
- Logan in a youth band & Jordan taking sewing - they'll have fun this year.
- It'll be nice to have less distractions this year since we're in our own house, I don't have to work outside the home, Adam works, and Tim's on the road. We can really focus on Jordan and get her up to speed this year.
I have high hopes for this year to be one of great progress. I can't wait to start. We all do better when we're following a regular schedule. Time to really start our new life back here in the Valley.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Plateaus
I would bet when you hear the word "plateaus" it conjures up bad, frustrating images for most of us. I'm ready to jump into a new school year, a new Women's Life Group, a new bible study, a new homeschool group, and a re-launch of my business, now that we've relocated. I'd like nothing more than to jump into all of these without the struggle of the plateau.
In our school year, I want to help Jordan transition into high school and Logan to be prepared for college in 2 years (sooner if we do dual enrollment). Our last few years have been okay, but nothing great. Between not having the money or local resources (poor library choices) to enhance their schooling, we learned what we should have, but it was very boring. Almost as if we simply did public school at home. We missed out on the fun things we normally would add to enhance the learning experience. I hope to break through that plateau this year with field trips, DVDs, websites (now that our internet speed is reasonable again), etc.
In about a month or so, our church will be launching new Life Groups, or small groups, as some are called. My calling is in Women's Ministries, and I've been asked to facilitate a group with two friends of mine. It'll be the first life group focus the church has had in a while, and there's so many new faces since I moved away two years ago, that I pray to break through a plateau there too. I want to teach something new, exciting, relevant, and something to produce growth in the women I'm entrusted with. I pray for guidance to do the study based on what they need - not what I'm familiar with.
We have a new bible study coming up for Tues. mornings, but I'm just a participant there - but I'll be teaching both Logan & Jordan a new bible study (separately). They've grown up around the Bible's teachings, so I want to break through a plateau with them on that as well. I want to be able to deliver to them new perspectives, new applications of what they learn as they enter young adulthood.
I joined a brand new homeschool group for this year. Not that I'm new to a group - but that the group itself is just starting out. I believe there's only 8 families so far, so it'll take work to get it off the ground and growing. I've got to break through plateaus there too. For the past two years, I was able to take a break in this area and not have to be responsible for field trips, Mom's night out, volunteering, park days, and the like. This year, I'll have to step up and do more to help the group grow. I'll try to find the Women's Ministry type of jobs and fill in there. I've already volunteered for February's Mom's Night Out. Being close to Valentine's Day, I think I'll choose that night to speak on the book, The 5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman.
The last, and hopefully best, part of breaking through plateaus involves my business relocating to the Valley once again. I spent the last 2 years isolated and broke. Now it's time to expand once again, help more people get healthy and make some money - as well as get through my weight loss plateau. It's the most frustrating plateau of all. I can drop 3 lbs in 3 days, and by the end of that same week, gain it all back - without changing a single thing! I can continue to keep my calories at the same level, and be mostly vegetarian eating, cut all sugar and processed foods, and workout every single day - yet my body re-sets itself up 3 or 4 lbs. by the end of the week. So frustrating. Now that we've got a little more money, I'm hoping that I can be on the RVL product more consistently and get through the hardest plateau. I'm glad to be down about 25 lbs this year and down a few sizes from last August, but I still have a long way to go before I feel truly "healthy". It'll be my hardest, most challenging plateau to break - but I'm committed, I believe I can do it, and I'm ready to begin.
What plateaus are YOU going to break through?
In our school year, I want to help Jordan transition into high school and Logan to be prepared for college in 2 years (sooner if we do dual enrollment). Our last few years have been okay, but nothing great. Between not having the money or local resources (poor library choices) to enhance their schooling, we learned what we should have, but it was very boring. Almost as if we simply did public school at home. We missed out on the fun things we normally would add to enhance the learning experience. I hope to break through that plateau this year with field trips, DVDs, websites (now that our internet speed is reasonable again), etc.
In about a month or so, our church will be launching new Life Groups, or small groups, as some are called. My calling is in Women's Ministries, and I've been asked to facilitate a group with two friends of mine. It'll be the first life group focus the church has had in a while, and there's so many new faces since I moved away two years ago, that I pray to break through a plateau there too. I want to teach something new, exciting, relevant, and something to produce growth in the women I'm entrusted with. I pray for guidance to do the study based on what they need - not what I'm familiar with.
We have a new bible study coming up for Tues. mornings, but I'm just a participant there - but I'll be teaching both Logan & Jordan a new bible study (separately). They've grown up around the Bible's teachings, so I want to break through a plateau with them on that as well. I want to be able to deliver to them new perspectives, new applications of what they learn as they enter young adulthood.
I joined a brand new homeschool group for this year. Not that I'm new to a group - but that the group itself is just starting out. I believe there's only 8 families so far, so it'll take work to get it off the ground and growing. I've got to break through plateaus there too. For the past two years, I was able to take a break in this area and not have to be responsible for field trips, Mom's night out, volunteering, park days, and the like. This year, I'll have to step up and do more to help the group grow. I'll try to find the Women's Ministry type of jobs and fill in there. I've already volunteered for February's Mom's Night Out. Being close to Valentine's Day, I think I'll choose that night to speak on the book, The 5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman.
The last, and hopefully best, part of breaking through plateaus involves my business relocating to the Valley once again. I spent the last 2 years isolated and broke. Now it's time to expand once again, help more people get healthy and make some money - as well as get through my weight loss plateau. It's the most frustrating plateau of all. I can drop 3 lbs in 3 days, and by the end of that same week, gain it all back - without changing a single thing! I can continue to keep my calories at the same level, and be mostly vegetarian eating, cut all sugar and processed foods, and workout every single day - yet my body re-sets itself up 3 or 4 lbs. by the end of the week. So frustrating. Now that we've got a little more money, I'm hoping that I can be on the RVL product more consistently and get through the hardest plateau. I'm glad to be down about 25 lbs this year and down a few sizes from last August, but I still have a long way to go before I feel truly "healthy". It'll be my hardest, most challenging plateau to break - but I'm committed, I believe I can do it, and I'm ready to begin.
What plateaus are YOU going to break through?
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