The new year is off to such a great start! I am so thankful to be through the first trimester. Although I still nap for about 1.5 hours every day, I find that I am able to be productive in the evenings after Henry goes to bed from about 6:30-9:30pm.

We are in the final month of preparing an application for the state of Texas to start a charter school. I’m looking forward to the final push throughout February and then some down time in March, April, and May before the baby arrives at the end of June. 

Last year my intention was to “Make Dreams Happen,” and I feel

What a whirlwind vacation: a 20-hour road trip with a toddler and a bloodhound (not nearly as awful as I thought it would be!) from Austin to Tampa, a couple days with my family in Florida, a last-minute change to our flight to avoid the blizzard that descended upon Indiana, a Christmas-day flight to Matt’s hometown in Bloomington, five days of snow, a trip to the pediatrician for antibiotics, two flights back to Florida along with a 2-hour car ride to get to my best friend’s house on the other side of Florida, a New Year’s party, a trip to the beach, a two-hour trip back to my family’s hometown,

As much as I like the festive Christmas spirit, I really, really like the new year. I like the natural cycle of reflection, planning, goal-setting, dreaming, and the renewed sense of energy I feel.

My friends and I have been filling out this New Year’s Reflection form since I created it in 2005. Last year, I added Andrea’s reflection into the mix, which is more holistic. We also make a collage to represent the kind of year we want to have. I like Andrea’s idea of having a mantra for the year. This year, I want to make sure I incorporate my mantra into my collage.

My mantra for 2012