hello, twenty twelve.

My friend Rose and I are sharing a chair, each of us perched on an armrest, sparkling apple juice in hand.  The basement is crowded with lovely families, and there is laughter and chatting and just a bit of apprehension.  From the little ones there are squeals of excitement and some noisemakers being blown.  We're watching as the TV counts down the seconds to 2012.

And then is comes.  A surge of fresh, new, lovely.  A scribbled, maybe crumpled page is turned to reveal a blissfully blank new one.  Blank and yet filled with endless possibilities.  I clink my class with Rose's and we drink our juice and hug, just like we told ourselves we'd do.  And then we proceed to do it with everyone else.  It's loud and a little crowded and everyone is smiling.  I realize that I wouldn't want to welcome twenty-twelve any other way.  Because New Years traditions are the best.

just dance on wii.  and much laughter.

oh, and i met this baby.  love.

So of course the whole new beginnings and fresh possibilities aura makes my list-making-heart happy.  But I've decided to do my resolutions a little differently this year.  Since, I must admit, I have never actually followed through with any of the resolutions I've made for myself in the past, I'm bringing things down to a monthly level.  At the beginning of each month I'm going to list a few things that I want to accomplish, maybe building off of past lists, maybe new.  Seems a little more...manageable, right?

So for January of twenty-twelve, I'm going to:

-create a daily school schedule for myself that is successful.

-read for 30 minutes everyone morning and night.

-take seven photos that i'm proud of each week. and take advantage of golden hour.

-stretch as much as I can.

-start keeping a diary (yes, again. i am determined.)

-be thankful. every day.

January is going to be so much busier for me than usual.  This is generally the time of year when I have nothing on my schedule but school work, it's too cold, and I'm constantly dreaming of being in Europe or at a beach (oh hey, a European beach works too). But what with various things on the weekends, our co-op play coming up, and then my very first time going on the Pro-Life Walk in DC, I'm thinking I'll be pretty occupied.  And that makes me excited.

What are your exciting plans for this January, or for 2012 in general?  Do tell!

love,
hannah