Resolutions

Do you set New Year's resolutions?  I don't usually bother.  Really, who needs one more expectation that demands time and attention I don't have and then the guilt that comes with my lack of follow-through.

I made my first real resolution two years ago.  I resolved to declutter.  Original, I know!  But what started as a simple resolution to clear out some closets and the playroom evolved into selling our house and moving cross-country to start a new career.

Two years ago we welcomed the new year in what should have been the perfect life.  We were raising two healthy, gorgeous kids in a huge house.  The hubs had just gone back into what is a very sought-after position in his company.  I was a stay-at-home mom with days full of music classes, soccer, playdates and preschool.

Perfect, right?!  It was really except that...it wasn't.  Life felt cluttered and chaotic.  I spent too many days scrambling to meet expectations from other people and obligations that pulled me away from my family.

As I cleaned closets, I realized that we needed to declutter more than the house.  It wasn't a dramatic lightbulb moment but rather a series of events and conversations.  And through each of these, God began revealing his path for us.  A path that would lead us to a feeling of peace.  Peace in knowing that we are raising our children with the values we intended.  A life focused on family.  A life at a slower pace with plenty of time to stop and play.  A simple life.

So, here we are, two years later.  We sold our huge house and downsized.  We moved cross-country to be closer to family.  But we've changed so much more than that and our family is ever-evolving through this process to reprioritize.  And, it was all worth it.