Recap/New Years Resolution

I haven't blogged in a very long while.

Here's a little recap (no particular order):
1. Steve finished the campaign. Did an awesome job. We still feel so blessed to have that opportunity.
2. I finished my first piece quilt thanks to my mom's help (one day I hope to be 1/2 the quilter she is). I'm sure I'll blog about it soon. It's beautiful, far from perfect, but I'm learning.
3. Steve took the GRE and killed it! So happy for him and I know he was relieved to get scores that far surpass what he needed to get into George Washington.
4. We went to Sara Bareille's concert. She's my favorite artist. Check her out here and here.
5. We spend most nights at the gym. Now that intramural basketball has started up the boys are taking their pick up games at 24 hour fitness much more serious.
6. I am loving a much more relaxed work schedule. Only one more hurdle (Valentines Day) to jump before I'm done at the end of April!
7. I went/am currently on a decorating streak, re-organizing and re-decorating parts of our apartment. I keep telling Steve I want a bigger place, just so I have more space to decorate :)
8. Steve applied for graduation! It's official, we are both walking on April 22nd.
9. We cherish our nights with our closest friends in here Provo. I'm already dreading moving away from Lindsay, I don't know what I'm going to do in D.C. without her.
10. We spent Christmas in Texas!
11. Steve is tolerating his last 4 classes at BYU. I think he's ready to move on to a school where he will actually enjoy more of his classes.
12. We are stressing out about moving, selling/buying a new car, future jobs, etc. so we prefer not to think about it more than we have to.
13. We anticipate Friday Night Lights, Conan and the Bachelor each week.
14. I have discovered a new love for cooking and baking now that our schedules have calmed down and we actually eat dinner at home most nights.
15. We recognize the Lord's hand and blessings in our lives each day, and couldn't be more grateful!
________________________________________

Each year I set a new years resolution, some years are more short-term and others are character changes I hope to make over the year. I normally start thinking about and developing my resolution after Christmas, and it usually takes a few weeks to come full circle and decide specifically what I want to do. This year I had various ideas, but one that has seemed extremely necessary and constantly relevant is the idea of loving more.

Loving more involves loving Steve more, it involves loving those I work with more, loving family more, including my boss who can be a little crazy sometimes, loving the friends I have now more, and the friends we are going to make in a few short months more, loving the people driving on the road the same time I do to work each day, loving the girls I teach in Relief Society more, loving the strangers on the street more, loving the regulars that come into my restaurant more. It's all encompassing. It's a lofty goal, but so far, I think I've been successful, certainly not perfect, but I've notice the change in my attitude and outlook by constantly trying to remember to look beyond myself and show love for others. I know Steve would agree.

I thought of this idea a day or two before New Year's Eve then didn't think about it much more until we had a lesson in Relief Society that referenced Elder Wirthlin's talk entitled The Great Commandment. Although the entire talk is remarkable and worth a frequent read, there is one line that can't be repeated enough. Elder Wirthlin states, "sometimes the greatest love is not found in the dramatic scenes that poets and writers immortalize. Often, the greatest manifestations of love are the simple acts of kindness and caring we extend to those we meet along the path of life."

It is my resolution to love more in 2011. Although that sounds simple and too generic I think it's all-encompassing and will keep me busy all year long :)