Yes, 2014 is quickly coming to a close. It feels like yesterday I was getting ready for the 2014 New Year, and now it’s already 2015. It always seems life after Thanksgiving is a blur. The holidays always come and go so quickly.
It was nice to spend some time at home for the holidays, and then spending Christmas here. This year was special with Baby R’s first Christmas. It seemed Marc and I rushed around through Christmas Eve and Christmas, but I was happy to at least attend Christmas Eve service. That’s a tradition in my family and Marc and I have agreed to make it a tradition in ours. After all it’s why we celebrate Christmas.
Some photos from the past week:
Early Christmas at Papa & Nana’s
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
I have been left pondering what the New Year will bring. Marc and I have been married just over a year, and already have our first child. 2015 begins with a new family….a family of three. It’s both exciting and scary to enter into 2015 with a new baby.
I have spent my whole life, planning my whole life, and this past year brought a lot of surprises……Baby R for one. There were many things that were not part of “my plan,” but I learned to adjust and welcome each new challenge and surprise, some harder than others.
2014 was spent adjusting to marriage, and then very quickly adjusting to marriage while pregnant. Marc and I’s honeymoon period quickly came to end, almost as soon as it started. Don’t get me wrong, marriage was fun last year, but it wasn’t what I had planned. Trying to be spontaneous in your young marriage when your pregnant, feeling like crap, throwing up, and then feeling like a whale, kind of takes the fun out of the honeymoon period.
We were forced to become even more vulnerable with each other, and all privacy and politeness was thrown out the window. I am sure Marc learned more about the female anatomy then he ever wanted. All sense of self consciousness doesn’t exist when your prego.
I have decided my “new plan” for the New Year is to stop trying to have all my own plans. Not to say I won’t be planning race vacations, Baby R’s first birthday party, date nights or not to say I don’t have plans for the blog and our family, but there are some things I can’t simply plan on my own.
Ultimately, I want my plans to be in line with what God’s plans for my life and our family are. I plan to draw closer to him and seek his will for our family and my life, and stop trying to plan my whole life without even consulting Him. Ask me how that went the first time around…….
In 2015 I plan to be more vulnerable and faithful, to be more trusting and open. I want what’s best for Baby R, and our family, and sometimes that means I have to let go and stop trying to control and plan everything. I plan to slow down and stop rushing through life, especially now that I have a new baby girl. Every moment is cherished.
I have already learned that you can’t plan for everything anyways. My new plan is trusting God’s plan. Seeking His wisdom and direction in all major decisions.
So as Marc and I adjust to being parents, we realize how important our relationship is, and our relationship with Jesus is. I am entering 2015 with a new family of three and new plans. I know the journey won’t be easy, but I know with each challenge comes more growth and maturity.
I am entering 2015 as a new mom, a Masters graduate, a blogger, a runner and a wife. I am one year wiser and thankful I have yet another year to celebrate. Here’s to a New Year, with New Life, and New Plans!!
Hope your Holidays were filled with joy and peace, and I pray your New Year is Blessed!!
Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit
What are your plans for the New Year?
Bry,
This is such a real and raw post. Talk about being vulnerable– this is it, and I am so grateful. So many of us feel this way.. I know I did. I was pregnant as soon as we were married too– it isn’t easy, but neither are marathons and we continue to do those, lol. Trusting God’s plan and opening your heart to the unknown can be really challenging, yet also comforting, knowing that you can relax and let Him take over. I look forward to going through this next year with you– reading and hopefully seeing you again.
Thank you Lisa!! I appreciated your encouragement along the way through my whole pregnancy journey. It is so true..your analogy to marathons. When we look at it that way, it helps to stay motivated and determined. It becomes more a mental battle. Love you!!
I enjoyed this post Bry. A new “plan” to try and stop mapping everything out. I think I should heed that notion as well. I know what you mean about planning out my whole life without stopping to consult God on high. Happy New Year!
Thank you schuyler!! I am excited to see where God takes you in this next year.
Great Post Bry!! I love how open you are and I like your new plan for the new year 🙂 I plan to run more in the the new year while balancing wife and mom x 2 roles. You look great and Baby R is just beautiful!! Marc and you have already overcome so much in your first year of marriage that you are already stronger than most after a year. Keep seeking Jesus and making Him a priority and that will make your marriage and family unshakeable. A great book to read that encourages your walk with The Lord and your spouse, that I am just finishing up, is Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. You can find it at the Library so you can check it out without buying it, although it’s worth it if you do buy it 🙂
Thankyou Kristie for the book recommendation and the great advice. You are going to do great with 2 kids!! I can’t wait to see how your first lobes her new baby sister. How special to her to have a play mate so close in age. Thank you, we enjoy Baby R so much