First Week On Rotation....

The start of a 2012 new year brings some changes for our family... most noticeable being that for the next 8 months or so, Jeff is now in Jakarta two weeks out of the month, and 2 weeks here in Balikpapan.  We have never really considered "rotating" as an option for us, but we're going to try to make the best of it - the thing I keep thinking of is that it's only short-term, it's not forever.
Well, we've just finished our first week of this new set-up.  During the day is fine, because really, nothing has changed, for me it's mostly after the girls have gone to sleep and I have a long evening ahead of me in the quiet house.  I am downloading a lot of chick flicks to keep busy ;)  I mostly did some baking and reading this week, though I'm hoping to set up a corner for my scrapbooking, because I think that would be a good use of my evening time!!!!  Maybe I can get further than Sofia's first Christmas.... !
The girls didn't sleep very well all week, and then as soon as Jeff got home - boom! - sleeping 11 hours straight... so even though they asked where he was everyday, I think they didn't sleep as well knowing he wasn't here... I sure hope that changes though!  It could be long weeks for me!

New Thoughts for a New Year

I had an enlightening moment last night, given to me by my wonderful husband.  I was thinking of all of the reasons why I was NOT going to be able to join my girlfriend and run a half marathon in May.... because I get really excited with the IDEA of something, but not so good at the actual FOLLOW-THRU of that idea... because I haven't run or done anything remotely athletic for at least the past month.... because I'm not PASSIONATE  about running....
And for me, that's really the root of it all.  I feel like books, TV, movies... they all tell me that I need PASSION to really be able to commit to something and see it through.  I want to love it, I want it to "change" me, I want to "change"things on a large scale.  I want to feel as though I've DONE SOMETHING.  And Jeff made me realize that really, at the end of the day, that's setting the bar way too high to reach.  He told me it's okay to not be passionate about it, it's okay if you don't "change the world"... it's really enough to do this running for the enjoyment of it, and to have the bonding experience with my girlfriend through it; by no means will it make me an Olympic runner, and that's ok.  It's okay not to change the world, because every day I have the opportunity to touch someone else's life for the better... and that's really enough.

So for me, that's what my 2012 is  going to be about.... cherishing the small moments in life, cherishing the enjoyment of them, and realize that touching one person's life is just as important as changing the world... because if we all did that, think of how we COULD change the world.

Happy 2012!  (and half-marathon, here I come!!)