January – Daring to hope

So that was January.

January was more of a roller coaster than I was expecting. It began with overwhelming developments in so many different areas of our lives: my job, my husband’s job, developments with our property and plans for a new kitchen. It all came at once. It was almost all positive, but it still came all at once. My Chief Executive was forced to resign, my husband got an interview for a great job and came so close to getting it (I’m so proud of him for getting so far!), a long-suffering compensation claim was finally paid to us and my hubby finally convinced his colleagues to let him go part-time.

We spent a beautifully snowy weekend with one of my dearest friends, celebrating her family and dedicating their first child – a gorgeous little girl. We spent a weekend with my in-laws by the beach and I’m spending this weekend relishing time; time to spend well over an hour on the phone to another of my closest friends whilst drinking coffee and eating cake – it was almost like she was here. Time to sort out plans for how we’re going to lead our life group. Time to write, reflect, read and be creative.

New Year seems a very long time ago. There have been so many highs and lows since then. We dared to hope and we dealt with disappointment. We rejoiced in two years of solicitors and communications with indescribably obnoxious people coming to an end (remind me never to buy a leasehold property again). We were thankful for changes within my job that had to happen and commiserated that those changes didn’t solve everything, even if they were a great start.

These past 31 days have certainly given a kick start to 2015.

I want to continue this year daring to hope. Our freezer may have broken, we may have no working light in the kitchen, we may not have the security in our careers we had anticipated, the coming few months may be unsettling and new. But in time we will have a brand new kitchen, my husband will be able to pursue his passions and skills and we will know more about who we are and where we’re headed. So February will see more plans made, more dreams unpacked, more time simply to be and more steps taken towards wherever it is we’re going.

January reflections / February hopes

< Reflections >

Keep laundry going during the week – rolling laundry has been pretty successful and the weekends haven’t felt so packed full of chores
Play flute twice – played three times and thoroughly enjoyed it
Read my Bible every day – done! It’s amazing how easy this can be when it becomes part of your routine. It’s refreshing and encouraging – long may it continue!
Apply to 20 jobs – I’m not sure I applied for 20, but I have a new job so I think I can consider this well and truly completed!
Ponder website/blog/photojournal – you’re looking right at it
Go on a day trip somewhere pretty – not quite, but we have one planned in for two weeks time
Start reading German Sherlock – also a big fail, I’m reading Wilkie Collins’ No Name and it’s pretty intense reading. Also, it’s Long!

January has turned out to be quite the month. I have a new job, I’ve started physio on my shoulder, we’ve booked our main summer holiday and two mini-breaks and my hubby has managed to find a decent amount of time to push forward with his goals too. It’s been a rainy month and that looks set to continue, but I hope that this next month will be bright in its own way.

< Hopes >

Continue with January successes – if I can keep these going longer than a month I’ll be impressed
Finish No Name and start reading German Sherlock – I’m 57% through No Name (thank you, Kindle) but like I said, it’s Long!
Take at least one photo a week – I miss having photographs as a record of what we do so I hope February will see a return to photography joy
Bake something red around Valentine’s Day – we’ve never celebrated Valentine’s Day but I’ll take any excuse for a baking challenge!

It’s not a long list, but then it’s not a long month!