Ahhh… a new year, a fresh start. I feel like I skipped over the New Year’s Resolutions and temptations to diet and exercise after the holidays, because I mean…. I’ve gotta eat for my babe! 🙂 If anything, I actually WANT to eat healthier and WANT to go walking and work out again, because 1) it’s amazing what you’ll do for your baby and 2) I seriously MISS working out and sweating. However, I’m not released yet, and I still am pretty ravenous while I’m feeding little man. So I’m gladly taking in the food around me and anxiously awaiting my workouts. For now, I will enjoy my brisk walks and the fruits and veggies I feel like add to the nutrition I’m giving him! 🙂

However, I think this start to the year is interesting and good for me in a neat way. In the past, I think I’ve ALWAYS said that I wanted to slow down. If you know me personally, you’ve probably heard my saga on wanting to be better about slowing down and resting more. Blah blah blah. Truth is, I was created to go. I’m still accepting this and not feeling guilty about it, but in reality, I was created to go.  However, I was created to go in moderation. Just like anything.

Basically, all of you think that life is crazy busy for us, because we have a newborn in the house. When really–life is so much slower. Preoccupied? Yes. But I love it. Before Luke, Jordan was working 3 days a week as a nurse and 4 days renovating our house. I kept busy with photography, meeting vendors, friends, a class at church and anything else I could fill my plate with. Go go go.

And now, I stay. I’m still. I’m more tired than usual, yes, but this life feels so simple. So slow. So meaningful. 

So interesting. 

I think it’s funny how God knew just how to slow me down and help me put everything important into perspective. You know–that thing I’ve been wanting to do better each year. 

I almost didn’t have to work on a New Year’s Resolution at all, because mine happened so fluidly and naturally. If anything, I hope that I continue this slower pace of life after my maternity leave. Like I said, I was created to go and thrive on a form of busyness, but I hope that I’m able to prioritize and see life a bit more holistically. With that being said, I’m going to dive into the 17 things we’re looking forward to in 2017.

Side note: I’m giggling at #2 on our 2016 list: adding a puppy! Try adding a baby instead! And no trips were actually made to Jump Street either….obviously! God knew better! 😉 

17 in 17 

SO to start: 

1. I think we’re both looking forward to hopefully adding a puppy to the family this year! 

2. I’m looking forward to reading more this year (because, you know, I hope to have a slower-pace which will allow for that). Catching my theme!? 

3. Jordan is looking forward to insulating the garage (aka workshop), adding outlets and making it his ultimate man cave. Actually, he’s doing just this as I type! But hey, I figure that he’s obviously proven how much use he’ll get out of it and the benefits our home will! 

4. I’m looking forward to being a bridesmaid in 3 weddings this summer! I can’t wait to travel to Michigan for one, Las Cruces for another and to see my brother in law say, “I do” to the sweetest and future newest Davenport!

5. Jordan is looking forward to a hog hunt. Hasn’t been planned yet, but he loves watching them on YouTube!

6. We’re both looking forward to traveling for some weddings this year! We are shooting our first wedding in Mexico this May, and we’ll be traveling to Houston in October! 

7. I’m looking forward to cooking more and finding new recipes we love! 

8. We’re both looking forward to watching our son Lucas hit milestones, because they seem so limitless with how young he is right now!

9. I’m looking forward to multiple trips back home to New Mexico to see family, take pictures and be in my dear friend’s wedding! 

10. I’m looking forward to seeing Michigan while I’m in my sweet friend from grad school’s special day!

11. I can’t wait to hear Lucas laugh for the first time!

12. Maybe…a Jump Street trip this year instead of last?! 

13. I am so pumped to get to be such a sweet and special part of our LDP couples’ wedding days! I look forward to shooting at new venues and meeting these new families!

14. Jordan is excited to use his new range-finder on the golf course this year! 

15. I look forward to finding new workout classes that I enjoy as much as the ones I did back in Las Cruces with my girls.

16. I’m excited to meet new friends, see new places in Dallas and grow the friendships I did indeed make in 2016. So many sweet, fun, talented and caring friends who have loved us so well lately!

17. And lastly, I look forward to traveling with our little man. This was one things I struggled with earlier in my pregnancy, because I thought having kids meant we couldn’t adventure anymore. I go more into detail on that here!  But the sweet thing is: we can take him with us often, and it’s GOOD for him. Long story short, I will never forget this moment: last year when I worked as an SLP at an elementary school, I was sitting in an ARD meeting, and the teacher was praising the mother for traveling so much with her son. She explained how his written vocabulary was so vast because of it. In that moment, I smiled and took that as encouragement. 

GO. Don’t stop traveling, adventuring and doing. Obviously, this mama right here is talking her kid’s ear off at only 3 weeks of age (can’t help it as a a speech pathologist), but I just ate that story up. I needed that. How sweet. The more Lucas goes and sees, the more he’ll experience, learn and attribute to his vocabulary and memories. 

So with that being said, 2017, I’m comin’ for ya. At a slower pace, and I’m going to take it all in gladly. And like I learned last year, God really knows what we have to look forward to on our “list”, but they’re fun to make anyway, right?! 😉