Hello 2010

Gosh, I can't believe that another decade has just passed and we are into a brand spanking new one. Welcome 2010!

It certainly doesn't seem like 10 years ago that we were all welcoming in the new Millennium, unsure what the Y2K bug was going to bring. Remember when everyone was petrified that the bug would blow up all the computers and life as we knew it would be over? Well seems that the clocks could tick over, and have been for the last 10 years!

It's been a fantastic decade for me, definitely the best so far. It was all kicked off in 2000 with our wedding, and it's only gotten better from there. We bought our first house together in 2001, bought our second in 2002, bought a business, sold a business, had 2 beautiful babies, I've spent the last 4 years as a stay at home Mum, Duane completed an apprenticeship, we travelled overseas but best of all have had lots of enjoyable time together as a family of 4.

2010 is shaping up to be a fantastic year too. I find out on the 14th of this month if I am accepted into University to study Midwifery. It's no doubt going to be a tough year if I do, but it's all about the long term plan. I'm slightly in denial about how hard it actually will be though, both logistically and financially. We live on a very tight budget, so adding in extra interest rate rises for both houses, extra pre-school expenses for Grace and also when Xav starts in July, the costs of travelling to Uni and also the crazy expense of books etc - the $$ start to add up. I really don't know how it will work, but for some reason things do just work out. I know that's quite arrogant, but for some reason with us, money comes if it is needed. There have been many moments over the last 10 years that we have desperately needed money and it either comes in the form of extra Govt payments, some sort of back pay or a win. Hopefully our luck can stretch for a few more years, just until I get a job anyway! The other part that scares me is trying to juggle the demands of the course. It's not just uni time, there is also 2 shifts a week at the hospital to fit in and following the pregnancy, birth and postnatal care of 30 women over the 3 years. This means attending most of their antenatal appointments (so no doubt lots of hanging around in waiting rooms), trying to organise my family and also to be on call for births and then attending the women postnatally. Although this part of the course excites me the most, I know it's going to be hard to organise the kids for if I am called out over night. I'm just hoping and praying that it all falls into place.

I have a few things that I want to stick to this year. Firstly, If I do go to Uni, I want to try very hard to get the balance between study and family perfect. I'm willing to sacrifice some family time, but still want to spend as much time as I can with the kids and Duane. I want the time that I do spend with them to be quality time, and to work on being present in the moment. This is Grace's last year as a carefree child, before she embarks on her first year of formal education. I know this year she is going to bloom and I want to be around to enjoy it.

I want to work on my fitness. I'd love to get to the end of the year without my flabby stomach, so I'm going to try very hard to exercise every single day. Whether that be going for a walk, doing a fitness Dvd or just running around with the kids - I'll do it. Duane and I both need to be setting good examples for the kids and want them to be active. There will be lots of beach visits, trips to the park, bike riding, swimming and golf. Also lots of tickling, laughter and giggling.

I really want to improve my photography. I'm hoping to have a lesson with a photographer soon, so hopefully that will get me started. I'm slowly working my way through the camera manual, and learning lots, BUT I still feel like I really have no clue. I look back on photos I took last year, and I know that I am getting better - so hopefully this time next year I'll see big improvements.

I want to blog regularly. I love writing here, it clears my head and also leaves something for the kids to read when they are older. Before I started this blog, I had been writing in a word document and I'm hoping to transfer that all over to here and then eventually have it all printed into a book for each of the kids.

I want to take lots of little trips, whether they be day trips or camping ones. It so refreshing and exciting to get away from the normal everydayness of home, allowing time to just be together. Grace has asked to see the snow this year, so maybe a trip down that way might be in order.

So just a few things to kick-start 2010. I'm excited and nervous about what it will bring, but most of all I am just so thankful that we are beginning this new year and this new decade all healthy and happy.