Family Picture

Tonight we got together with my Grandpa and Aunts to celebrate Christmas (yes, I realize it's January 8th). We didn't really do anything Christmasy... just ate dinner and spent time with my Grandpa and Aunts who were in town.

My goal for the evening was to get a picture of my immediate family. We have had pictures made of my brothers, sister-in-law and I in the last few years... but the last picture we took with all 5 of us was at my college graduation 3 1/2 years ago!

It's always amusing to me when I read blogs and people talk about how hard it is to get a picture with more than 1 young child where they are both smiling or even looking at the camera.

Apparently, it never gets easier. So here is the progression of our evening and a glimpse at us trying to get a family photo.

Take #1... we are all laughing because brother on the left had just rubbed brother on the right's hair for some unknown reason?

Take # 2 we lost Nick

Take #3 mom closed her eyes! (and Nick looks a little shocked)

Take #4 is a great picture of the kids... but um short Mama Reed does not look like she belongs.

(at this point my mom says "oh let me go get my shoes!" like shoes will really help that much)

Take #5 is a keeper. Finally

A focus for 2011

So another year is here... wow! I cannot believe it is 2011! 2010 was a great year for me. Although I didn't write any official New Years Resolutions, last January I took a big step toward a healthier life and decided to set my mind toward losing weight. It's a journey I've started many times before and I know I've talked about it way too much on here... I don't know why I stuck to it this time and not others, but I am glad I did.

Yesterday my sweet friend Nicki posted a blog asking how do you measure a year? (from the song in Rent which I now have stuck in my head)... my measure for 2010 is -40 pounds. I am exactly 40 pounds lighter than I was on January 1, 2010!

I've been thinking a lot about this upcoming year. I really like the idea of picking a word for the year instead of writing out specific resolutions. I read this blog entry about a word to focus on for the year. I took the list she gave to start from and whittled away at it until I had about 5 words to focus on to find my one.

I definitely want to focus on delighting in the Lord, my circumstances, my job, my life this year. I added the word intentionality to my list because I want to be present in every situation and be more intentional with my time, my resources, and my relationships. I also loved the idea of focusing on laughter for the year... because I have seen the Lord turn my sorrow into joy and I want to laugh as much as possible and enjoy as much as possible the new things He is doing. Prayerfulness is something that I always want to focus on and strive to do more of throughout the days. And I know how much I need to savor each and every moment of this year.

But despite all of these feelings I felt like the best word for my 2011 is

Openness

2011 will hold a lot of (very exciting) changes... and that is just what I already know will happen. So I want to be open to all of the changes this year will bring.

I want to be open to the direction the Lord is taking me even if it doesn't look exactly like I think it will.

I want to be open to new relationships and friendships and not be so guarded as I meet new people.

I want to be open to taking steps wherever I am being led.

I want to be open to direction and guidance from the people placed in my life as God continues to conform me into His image.

I want to be open to accepting who I am. Although I've made a lot of changes in 2010 I still have some pounds I would like to lose and some changes that I would like to make to my eating and workout habits... but I want to be open to being exactly who I am without any qualifications for who I need to be.

I want to be open to all of the changes I know are coming and the ones that God will bring into my life.

I want to embrace change with an open heart.

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" -Isaiah 43:18-19

I am so blessed to serve a God who makes all things new and leads me through all of the changes in my life. I want to draw closer to Him as I embrace all He has planned for me.