School work, holidays, and learning about myself.

It's time for Thanksgiving break (I get the whole week off from grad school!) and that means my mind is officially starting on ideas for this holiday season.  I'm a reflecter by nature, and so any time of transition or change of peace usually prompts me to start reflecting on how I'm doing so far, and what I want to change as I move forward.

I have a fair amount of school work to spend these next few days working on (3 major papers, 2 final exams, catching up on research hours) so I'll be pretty busy up until various Thanksgiving celebrations with our families.  Ben and I tend to say yes to all of the family things we can and end up with quite busy holidays!  Thursday with one family, Friday with another, and Saturday again with one family and Saturday night with yet another! Needless to say, we'll be eating a LOT.  I am thankful though, even in the busy schedule we'll have, that right now we have family near by enough to see, that we love our families and each other's families, and that we Ben and I get to do it together.  Holidays remind me how newlywed I still feel - holidays still feel like a luxury to be able to spend together!

I have a few goals for myself over this holiday season, some practical, some health-related, and others spiritual - all written with grace, realizing that they may not all be done, and will not be done perfectly, but that will be ok.

1. I'd like to be more expressive of what and who I am thankful for.  The next three days before Thanksgiving, I'm going to try to write a note to some of the people I am thankful for to send or give to on Thanksgiving.  I'd like people in my life to know that although I am grateful for many things, the people around me cause me to feel the most blessed.

2.  Morning needs to be a time for reflection - the way I start my morning affects my whole day - if I'm rushed, my whole day feels rushed.  If I don't get to have coffee before I run out the door, I'm a crank! If I don't start the day off with prayer, reflection, or a minute or two to focus on who I'd like to be that day, I end up feeling like I went through my day without any mindfulness of what it held.

3. Soda does not work for me - the guilt, unsettled stomach, and sugar outweighs that cravings I occasionally have for it.

4. One hour of the Today Show = enough for me.  I've found that's just enough to catch up on the news, and then I'm ready to get on with my work!

5. Some days, I just need to remember that spending time with my husband is more important that those pesky dishes in the sink.

6. School is reminding me how much I love to write.  I feel passionate and excited when I sit down to write - even when it's a paper... I think I need to figure out a way to integrate writing into my future career.


My thoughts are uncohesive tonight, no matter how much I love to write, and I think I will leave it there.  Dinner is calling, Law and Order and some tea sounds oh-so-good, and it's my last chance to relax with Ben before the busy week ahead.  Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!