2018: Year in Review

January – Mom is released as Primary president, Dad is called as an EQ councilor

February – Purchased 15 acres of Pajarito land, Dad goes hunting and fishing, Mom is called as compassionate service coordinator and ward girl’s camp leader

March – Kress’ visit for Spring Break, Mom runs a 5K, boys do swimming lessons

April – Grandma J visits, lot’s of family fishing at Tingley, boys do swimming lessons, Mercy turns 5

May – Dad is released from EQ and called into Stake YM presidency, Dad and the boys go camping twice, Matthew goes turkey hunting, Mom stops eating sugar for 6 weeks

June – Boys do swim team and dog sitting, Mercy does swimming lessons, Dad goes boating/fishing five times, family goes camping twice

July – Visit to Utah, Hyrum stays there for a couple weeks, Dad has a work trip to Vancouver, Mom goes to girls camp, Grandma Naomi comes to take care of the kids while Mom and Dad are gone, Mom gets called as Choir director

August – Mom turns 37, Dad has a work trip to Georgia, the new school opens and Hyrum starts 4th grade, Abraham starts 2nd grade, and Mercy starts kindergarten

September – Johnson’s visit, Mom and Dad begin the great room renovation, purchased the Ford F150, Hyrum begins guitar class at school, Dad begins the Weapons Internship Program

October – Mom visits Denver, Mercy does swimming lessons, Mom and Dad are called as Trek parents

November – Dad goes deer hunting and shoots a coyote, Dad has a WIP trip to Los Alamos, the family turns 11, Abraham turns 8, all the Kress’ and Johnson’s come for Thanksgiving, Abraham is baptized

December – Dad has a WIP trip to California, Mom’s choir sings for the Christmas program, Hyrum turns 10

My goal for this year was two fold. I wanted to re-adopt the mission prep mindset that I had as a kid and teenager. Thinking about who I want to be and what I want to be able to do in retirement has definitely influenced the day to day decisions I make. It’s made me exercise when I didn’t want to, and helped me prioritize scripture study and temple attendance (which was the second part of my goal). It was also the impetus behind me deleting Facebook from my phone and generally cutting back on all kinds of media. I’ve tried to use my time more productively and have pushed myself to learn and grow. I’ve also made a more conscience effort to only invite things into my life that invite the Spirit. It has been a wonderful year of personal discovery and growth.