At the beginning of 2011, I set 11 goals for the year. Here are my original goals with an update on how I did. 2012 will be full of new goals and aspirations.

2. I will pay for someone’s meal or coffee in the car behind me in the drive through (I know it’s supposed to be drive thru, but I don’t like that it’s spelled wrong that way) at least a couple times a month. I love it when people do this for me, and I try to do it as often as I think about it. This year, though, I’m just going to make it a way of life.

Well? I didn’t do so well on this one. I still did it, but not nearly as often as I had intended. This is something I would like to continue to keep on my radar, though. 

3. I will try my hardest not to be so bossy. I really thought I had this sort of under control until Aunt B’s wedding this weekend. Apparently, I do not have this under control at all when I feel it’s a do-or-die, must-be-perfect situation. Blessings to Samantha from Vintage Villas and Nikki of Nikki Peterson Photography for putting up with me!

Well? I think I did better with this; this is something that has changed as my overall perspective in life has changed. Christ wasn’t bossy. I try to be Christlike; I’m still a little more human than I’d like sometimes, though. 

4. I will continue to challenge myself creatively. While I have a great vision for things, they do not always turn out as I see them in my head. For a long time, I have let that keep me from trying to do “artsy” things. No more. I will just try it–if I mess it up, Mr. Gray can bail me out. He’s good like that!

Well? I did pretty well with this one. I continued to make and create: I made Baby Gray’s letters for his room; I painted a new basket for Baby Gray’s bathroom; I’m working on  some photo plaques I saw on Pinterest. I even took a few wine cork ornaments to a friend’s market to sell. Mr. Gray had to bail me out a few times, but that’s totally alright with me.

5. I will make sure my friends know how much I appreciate them. I used to be wonderful at dropping a card in the mail every couple of months as a reminder of how much I cherish our friendship. This has gone by the wayside, and I want to get back to it. Check your mailboxes!

Well? I stunk at this this year. As a matter of fact, I think I did worse than in 2010. I had good intentions. I still think of things I’d like to write; I just haven’t put it into action like I used to. I’ll get on it! 

6. On the same note, I will do a better job of keeping in touch with my nephews. I used to send them things in the mail on a regular basis. I kind of slacked on that in 2010–I’m making a comeback!

Well? Again, I stunk at this. I really hate the post office with Baby Gray, but Mr. Gray usually takes my mail for me, so I have no excuses at all. I just didn’t do a good job. 

7. I will make time for just Mr. Gray and I. Time without Baby Gray or baby talk. Time for our marriage to continue to grow. We’ve done a great job so far, but I want to keep it up as Baby Gray becomes more active.

Well? We have done a good job of this. We hang out in the evenings, we go on dates, we have gone on a few trips. We make sure our marriage is at the forefront. 

8. I will find a cause and become active–time, money, resources, talents, something. In the long-run, I have visions of starting an early literacy resource for children and families without books and language-rich materials in their home. This is my starting point. (Yes, I know I have a young son at home, but what better way for him to learn to give back than to have his earliest memories be doing something to benefit someone else?)

Well? I started off slow; I kind of forgot about this. Then, I started a few things that had nothing to do with this and remembered it later. I had several teacher friends ask me to come to school and volunteer. I didn’t really want to do that. I started following a few friends’ (and some “friends” I only know via their blogs)  adoption stories, and we have taken a role in supporting some of those; I have also started taking food to the food pantry on a weekly basis. I drop off my purchases on the way home from the grocery store. It’s great!

9. I will make at least one day a week a day solely for time at home. It seems as though my schedule fills up faster than I can even imagine. I don’t want Baby Gray to grow up in his carseat. Even if it can’t be the same day every week, I’ll find one day each week to be at home. (Unless we’re on a week-long vacation or something fun like that!)

Well? We have done much better. I schedule things where we run all of our errands on a consolidated basis a few days a week, based on location. That has helped the “oh-I-want-to-run-to-(insert store not located in our town)” running quite a bit. It helps me anticipate. 

10. I will read a minimum of a book a month. It doesn’t matter if it’s fact, fiction, fluff, whatever; I did not read nearly enough in 2010. Now that I’ve discovered iBooks, I have no fear this will be a breeze! I love it!

Well? It certainly wasn’t a breeze like I thought it would be, but (pending completion of December’s book) I did it. I do not make time to read like I want to. I need to continue to improve. 

11. I will pray for my husband, my son, my family, my friends, my church, and all those we come into contact with. I will pray that we are a family others are able to see Christ in by our words and actions. I will pray that those who are lost find what they are looking for. I will pray that those who need love know they have it from their Father. I will pray for those who are hard for me to love. I will pray that my heart be of the Lord so that others see Him through me. I will pray…

Well? I picked up my prayer journal this year; I had fallen off the wagon a little. I do pretty well with keeping up. I’m a bit of a flighty pray-er. I need to get more focused in my prayer time. I do pray regularly and specifically, but I would like a more structured prayer time.