2013: The year that was

So, 2013 is behind us, and it was a rather massive year around here.

I lack the energy or the will for a comprehensive wrap up post, such as the ones I have done in previous years. My year left me exhausted, a deep-seated tiredness from which I am only just recovering (in time to return to work on Monday, yay...) Besides, the major milestones were marked here when they occurred, and I'm not sure we any of us need detailed repetition!

I thought instead I'd go with lists: highlights, lowlights, changes, and goals for 2014. (Not resolutions, just ... aspirations.)

Highlights
- Family holidays to Warrnambool (in February-March) and Sovereign Hill (in April), and our winter staycation in July

- Emerging Writers Festival in May

-  Securing a fulltime job in July (me)

- Getting our outdoor area completely rebuilt and looking awesome

- Kids' birthdays in February, May and August

- My beautiful book stack birthday cake (June)

- Having a great year at kindergarten (C) and school (A and E)

- Making new friends and consolidating long term friendships

- Getting our people mover car (March)

- Writing much more poetry and many more book reviews, including completing several book review challenges

- Writing the Interleaves column for The Shake

- G (husband) moving to 4 days a week at work

- Strengthening our marriage: if all relationships have seasons, we are enjoying a renewal of spring at the moment, and it's ever so nice.

Lowlights
- Dodgy health across the board for me, but particularly in heart and asthma management.

-Transition stress issues with me moving into fulltime office-based work.

- A marked increase in behavioural issues for both the kids and I (in my case, I mean psycho-social behavioural problems such as my growing claustrophobia and panic attacks).

Changes
- The biggest by far was my decision to cease consulting and accept a fulltime salaried role in July. This led to multiple changes for all of us.

- Turning 40 in June affected me more than I expected it to; not necessarily negatively, but many serious thinks were thunk about what it means to be in the likely midpoint of my life, and what I want to not regret never having done when I am old and gray and full of sleep.

Goals: So what do I want in 2014?
- I want to be healthier, and I want to get on top of my phobia issues.

- I want to be less stressed by work and to put strategies in place to make that happen.

- I want to parent my children and partner my husband in love, not perfectly, but wholeheartedly.

- I want to help C have a wonderful first year of school.

- I want to have an awesome and memorable family holiday to the Great Barrier Reef.

- I want to write, write, write - poetry, stories, articles, book reviews, ALL of it.

- I want to complete the 99 Black Books Challenge and expand my mind and heart through doing so.

- I want to be kind and I want to exercise compassion and judgement, in all the arenas of life I move through.

That'll do, I think :-)