A good week

Well, despite the Ducks' sad loss on Monday and the really, really cold weather we've been experiencing, it's been a good week. The biggest factor in my good week was receiving my second consecutive negative hcg blood test result on Tuesday. This means that I can now move to monthly blood tests (my bruised inner arms would cheer if they could) and, more importantly, that my doctor is confident that my mole (tumor-like object) is gone and they just need to monitor me for a few months to make sure it doesn't come back-- the odds of which are extremely low now that I've registered negative for two weeks in a row. So that is a huge, enormous weight off my shoulders. I am just exceedingly grateful that everything cleared up so quickly and without the need for heavy duty drugs (chemo.) I have no idea if or when we'll have children, but this is a huge step in getting to the point where it's even a possibility.

It's also been a good week in terms of feeling diligent and disciplined in working towards some of my goals. I have some lofty professional and financial goals for the year, but have decided that instead of just making a bold New Year's resolution (which will inevitably fall by the wayside in a few short weeks), I am going to focus on a series of small mini-goals each month that lead towards my larger goal. I've always been motivated by the thrill of checking things off of a list, no matter how mundane, so I think this will help keep me accountable and engaged in pursuing my goals throughout the year. This particular week I didn't accomplish anything enormous, but I've been diligent about a few small things, such as menu planning and making dinner at home every night, and doing some work on developing a portfolio of my writing. Here's to small efforts that build momentum.

And, finally, it's Friday and I have absolutely nothing planned this weekend aside from making a slow-cooked pot roast, opening a bottle of wine, and getting some serious mileage out of my Netflix subscription. Can't wait!

Happy New Year!

We arrived home on Saturday from our extended multi-city holiday tour tired, but contented. I've got some fun pictures and a recap to share tomorrow, but wanted to pop in and wish you a happy new year! Since this is the time of year that we're all thinking about how to reboot or reconfigure our schedules, our goals, and our lives, I thought I would share a few of my resolutions.

1.) Live in the moment. I tend to get really anxious and concerned about the future, as well as way too wrapped up in my many to-do lists. This year, I want to focus on being present and living in the moment. That doesn't mean I'm going to abandon my to-do lists all together, but I'm going to make more of an effort to just be present and conscious in all that I do, both at home and at work, and hopefully reduce the amount of time I spend worrying about what may or may not happen down the road.

2.) Make my writing a priority. Writing has always been a hobby of mine, and it's one of my best creative outlets. Up until a few years ago, I made an effort to carve out some time each weekend to dedicate to my writing. I took a few creative writing classes, and even got one non-fiction essay published in the Seattle Times. Then I met J, got wrapped up in a new relationship, changed jobs, got engaged, planned a wedding, moved cross country, blah, blah, blah. I don't know where my writing will take me, but I figure that I owe it to myself to carve out some time to pursue this interest, and so I'll be getting back into my weekend writing routine in 2010.

3.) Take better care of me. This encompasses the obligatory get-consistent-about-my-workouts-and-eat-better resolution, but it also means getting enough rest, taking the time to be more put together because it makes me feel good about myself (this includes purging my closet, donating or tossing all the outdated or worn-out clothes that I cling to just in case they come back in style or just in case I need them for a Halloween costume sometime in the next 7 years), and making spirituality more of a priority in my life. We recently found a church that we enjoy attending, and I'd like to make this a bigger part of our lives in 2010.

So there you have it. I'm looking forward to fantastic new year that doesn't include any major life changes (wedding, big move, etc.), but is full of laughter, love, and health. I hope your new year is off to a great start as well!