New Year's Resolutions
To some of you out there, it seems a mite early for such things, but the new liturgical year starts on Sunday. It's the first Sunday of Advent, as well as starting a new month. In that spirit, I'm making some resolutions. Wasn't it you, Snoring Sarah, who has done that? New resolutions at the beginning of each month? I'm copying your idea.
Take this and run with it, if you like. This is more to keep me honest and remind myself than anything else.
Anyway, here they are.
1. I resolve to pray more with the kids. Not necessarily all twenty decades of the rosary; I think that's a bit much especially for Rachel. Maybe a decade, though, or the Angelus after lunch. Something concise on a daily basis.
2. I resolve to start using makeup more often. It sounds superficial, I know. I remember reading in The Body Project that a century ago, girls improved themselves internally (more patient, more generous, kinder, smarter, etc.) but now it's external (dieting, new hair, new clothes, plastic surgery). [note: I couldn't finish the book. I smelled "It's all patriarchy's fault!" from the first chapter. Correct me if I'm wrong, someone who's read it.] This is more than just skin-deep for me, though. Part of it is for my husband's sake; he deserves a prettier me across the dinner table (especially because he hasn't asked for it). Part of it is guilt, of all things. I have all this makeup, and even the background to use it (I did take modeling classes back in high school). So I should, shouldn't I?
3. I resolve to take more pictures of my kids--one a week, at least, of someone. With Louis' arrival no more than three weeks away, I want pictures to commemorate the occasion and the leadup to it. Honestly too it's a variation from my own upbringing. Besides the regulation school pictures, I think my mother has maybe a half dozen of each of us kids growing up. No more than ten, for sure. They're in a drawer in her kitchen. Still.
I've already surpassed that, as we're on our sixth album. But months go by and I don't get any pictures at all. No, I have no interest in scrapbooking whatsoever, but I can handle putting photos in an album.
There you have it. My dad didn't believe in New Year's resolutions; he thought if it's worth doing, it's worth starting right away. Eh. I guess you can add that to the long and growing list of things I'm doing differently than my parents did.
Labels: personal, resolutions
4 Comments:
Heather: You don't need the makeup. You know me; I have always done the whole makeup and hair routine, but as of late I have convinced myself not to do it unless going out someplace special. I don't want Molly to think she has to get involved in all that. However...I do put on lipstick right before Doug gets home. That seems to do the trick. :) Mer
The makeup thing makes me chuckle. I wear makeup for work and Mass, but whenever I wear it otherwise, my husband complains. He actually doesn't like it! Part of it is probably frugality, since the more I wear, the more I have to replace. But he's said that he likes that we met at the gym, where I wore no makeup. I think he's also traumatized by a friend he had in college (they were close enough to live together as roommates, and are still close) that showed up in front of him with no makeup once. Only once. He said he barely recognized her. She was also a model, so I imagine she was much better with it than I am. My tomboy nature keeps me from wearing more than I have to.
Got any tips on teaching children to pray in unison? Kasandra knows all of the prayers in the rosary, but won't say them if I'm saying them. If I stop, she will continue with the right words, and can continue almost all the way through.
And I'm so with you on the pictures. I was so good about it when the Husband was deployed, since it was all he would have. But since then, I've become Lazy. I need to step that one up big time. They grow so very fast!
Mer: You have to know I've always been the opposite on makeup and hair. I think it's because I saw my sister spending upward of 45 minutes every morning with the curling iron and Aqua-Net in high school. You were lucky to get me in Chap-stick.
I'm not talking the whole thing, with concealer and foundation and lip pencil and... Just some eye shadow OR liner, blush, and lipstick. DONE. Then again, there are some days I forget to brush my teeth in the morning. This might help. :)
I've waited until now for this idea because of Madeleine. For quite a while she wouldn't let me kiss her if I had lipstick on. She'd just look at me suspiciously amd squirm away, and that was when she was four!
Catherine: As far as praying in unison, it's a mixed bag. I found myself just reciting and not listening when we said them all together, and the kids were reluctant to say them aloud in a group. I listen and pay much closer attention when the kids are saying them on their own.
I guess my advice would be if Kasandra can say them on her own, let her. Prayers of the innocent and all that. :)
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