cheers, 2015!

As we were ringing in the New Year with friends, cheering and raising our champagne flutes to each other's health, I decided on my New Year's resolution.

.......ok, that's not exactly true. I wasn't thinking of anything beyond the fact that I was surrounded by good people making hilarious toasts, that Mollie had miraculously slept through the whole thing, and that life was grand. But in the days since I've had time to think about what I'd like to focus on in 2015, and it's that same thing that toasts in almost every language celebrate: our health.

Anyone who's talked to me recently has had to hear about how our whole family got sick for parts or all of December. Riveting stuff, indeed. But it took getting knocked flat on my back for weeks for me to realize just how precious our good health is. I think we're finally on the upswing (Mollie, the last to fall, has been acting healthy long enough to suggest that it's behind us), and I'm focused on keeping us that way as much as possible. Good food for everyone, vitamins, yada yada. Besides illnesses, I simply want to feel like I'm taking care of my body and that it's functioning on all cylinders. I'm only 26, for crying out loud! It seems like now's the prime time for that. The flu took care of any weight loss goals and I have no desire to run a marathon, but I know that feeling good and strong will make my days better.

My mental health could also use some attention. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but since my phone's always with me I race through books on my Kindle, but slog through them in paperback. This offends my aesthetic deeply, but it's true. I just need to get smarter about taking advantage of when Mollie's happily occupied with something else and won't try to steal/eat my book so that I can get reacquainted with our bookshelves. [And I'm going to continue my New York Times crossword habit that I picked up while on bed rest. Why does it seem like only grandparents do the crossword? They're on to something good there.]

And most importantly, I need to prioritize my spiritual health. I've got a baby as an alarm clock who makes morning prayer first thing a challenge, but there's definitely time to take a breath and quickly pray that everything I do that day is for the greater glory of God. There are so many resources at my disposal: an amazing Bible study, daily mass, books, and wise friends. I'm praying for the desire and discipline to take advantage of them to the fullest this year.

So cheers to 2015! To your health! Chin chin!