2008. 2009.

That time of the year when one looks at the year in retrospect.

And thinks of plans or resolutions or mottoes or slogans for the forthcoming year.

Mary has a post about trying to synthesize our resolutions down to a word or two.

I like that. Simple. Maybe even do-able. Maybe I will defy the paradox of blogging by being able to blog about a resolution and then actually keep it.

So, when I read Mary's post, what word-instead-of-a-resolution popped into my mind?

LOVE.

I love my family and friends and others but don't always show it overtly. Or even express it overtly. I am a sarcastic b**ch.

This I want to work on...

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love....

Lord, grant that I might not so much seek to be loved as to love....

St Francis of Assisi

Okay, I have my word for the year. Better transfer it to my diary, along with my fitness goals. Blogged about these here and here.

But, as I said at Lean But Not Mean, the moment I set a challenge is the moment I start to panic. Think I will fail. Want to rebel.

....Reading Half-Assed but she seems so darn good all the time - always eating well and working out hard. Damn, that is how she lost 200 pounds whereas I am more of a bit here, a bit there person. Yes, I lost 80 pounds over a long-ish period but my biggest fear is ~ will I continue to stay there?? Will I get fat again?? Feel like there is a fat lazy person inside always struggling to get out...

Part of the resolution stage of 2009 is glancing back at 2008. What happened? What do I want to remember? What do I want to forget? Where can I improve?

Ack! Too much to look at. Too much to think about.

However, blogging helps here. See Willa's blog-in-review-2008 post.

Post the first sentence of your first blog post of each month. You can also add a picture from your blog for each month.

JANUARY As I mentioned at Lean But Not Mean, I don't do goals well. Or resolutions.I get stressed.Instead, I do mottoes and/or themes.

FEBRUARY CANDLEMAS..Or the Presentation of Our Lord.
Greg and I went to Mass this morning, brought home blessed candles for our table. I lit the candles and read of Candlemas to the kids...And we looked at the fresco for today in our Saints book.

MARCH Feast of St David of Wales.We read today that St David advised his followers to refrain from eating meat and drinking beer.Well, I don't really eat much meat or drink beer but I hope the Saint didn't mean that one should refrain from all alcohol! Shock.

APRIL My previous post , about attitudes and living by default, opened up a can of worms. For me.I realize that sometimes I unschool by default.

MAY Our parish has had, is still having a Mission this week. With a priest from the Fathers of Mercy. I have found the mission to be helpful for me, spiritually - a great week before my surgery next week.

JUNE Can you believe it is June already? I can't! lol! Each month we try to put things on the bulletin board, things that reflect that month's activities or focus. The liturgical year. Interests. Items to strew.It is a relaxed form of homechool/unschool planning, and of broadcasting to the family, and to others, our doings.

JULY St Thomas the Apostle. And son Thomas' feast day. We went to early Mass then breakfast out at McDonalds. And today was Homeschool Teen group, at Chinatown and Paddy's Markets. I bought a wig - feel very much like 99 from Get Smart! lol!

AUGUST MAKE YOUR OWN PIZZAS! This was our Homeschool Teen Group activity today. At my house. I am the "co-ordinator" of Teen Group, which meets every second Friday, the Friday we are not ice skating, and is open to homeschoolers age 13 and up and to their families and younger siblings....

SEPTEMBER Aren't you afraid that there will be gaps in your kids' knowledge?...I went to school. I was taught history, science, English and math. There are lots and lots of things I do not know about those subjects. Does that mean there are gaps in my knowledge? Or does it just mean that no one can know everything there is to know? Parenting a Free Child: An Unschooled Life by Rue KreamMy kids get asked questions all the time, especially by others who know they homeschool. That's okay. That's life. Life for unschoolers who are out there and open about our different educational lifestyle.Sometimes the kids know the answer to the question, to the educational quiz. Sometimes they don't. I usually just smile when their lack of an answer is pointed out to me.

OCTOBER Upon laying down of arms .If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop was landed in my country,I never would lay down my arms o never o never o never!—Pitt,William, 1st Earl of Chatham known as the ElderIn my life, I can find it hard to lay down my arms. To surrender myself, my desires, particularly with regard to my vocation as a wife and mother. I tend to be like the first Earl of Chatham, mentally shouting never, never, never! Or, usually, in my mind, Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t! I am so holy.

NOVEMBER All Saints and All Souls. I love these days.... We remember the communion of saints, the Church Militant, Suffering and Triumphant.

DECEMBER Blessing of the Advent Wreath
This starts at the evening meal on the Saturday before the first Sunday in Advent with the blessing of the wreath. (One person is designated to say the prayers, following which various members of the family light the candles. )

There it is. A first blog post of the year, year review. Fun!