One Little Word for 2014

January was one of the hardest months of my life. I chose my one little word long before it was the New Year and wanted to have a goal to become stronger. 

While I am so excited that this is year that Little Man will be born, the last few months of pregnancy have really hit home. Nonstop nausea, long hours of sleep, exhaustion, bouts of depression, meltdowns, blood tests, endless doctor visits, it has been extremely hard. I've learned that I have to take care of me and then let everything else practically fall by the wayside. 

It hasn't been easy. Especially when I'm used to being the one who takes care of everyone else. Especially my husband and the cleaning of our apartment.

But I'm slowly learning how to pull myself back up, how to live with the pain and to do what I can. (Someone lied to me by saying that the first trimester is the worst, it's the third for me). Thank goodness, this is only temporarily and that April will hopefully be here before I know it.

As always, what I've learned from the past, there is still joy in everything. 

January was the month with the ER visit.

A well deserved cupcake after it.

Homemade breakfasts for dinner made by Kevin (I'm now hungry).

Crazy snow days but thankful that Kevin was able to stay home and
walk with me in the sun.

A favorite brunch place with lots of light and green on that snowy day.

Warm cereal and homemade mushroom soup. You can't beat it.

The smile from this guy at brunch because he's starting to hear back from Grad Schools. I'm so proud of him (even if it means two moves with a new baby 

in one year, wish me luck!).

Also, the month of the a fire in our building. It was oh so cold, outside. Thankful for firemen who answer the call and made sure that we were safe. It reminded me to remember what matters most. I have to say that it did spark anxiety for this future mama.

Restaurant Week at The Melting Pot (and I'm still hungry). A great highlight 

and oh so good.

How cold is it you might ask? Enough for the Schullykill River to freeze.

I have a long way to go to becoming strong. I met with a friend and was shocked to see how stable she was. Thank goodness I have her example to remind me what strong looks like and how to be confident. Although, for January, I learned how to be strong and it make through while being in survival mode.

What has helped you through difficult times? 

xoxo

P.S. I didn't have a word for 2013 (sigh), but here are my words from 2012 and 2011. This is the first year I've ever participated in Ali's class and I have to say, it's completely worth it! I'm thinking more about my word and how I want to grow this year, time to make something happen. 

My little word for 2012

I realize that it's February and I'm a little bit behind.

I've thought long and hard on my little word for this year.

HOPE.

It's time for me to be more positive to hope for a better world.

Hope for a better me.

Hope for the best in everything.

For awhile this past year, I had lost all hope.

It's a terrible feeling to hit rock bottom to lose hope.

I was reminded by so many family and friends to
hope for the best because without hope there is no faith.

"If a man have faith he must needs have hope;

for without faith there cannot be any hope."

Moroni 7:42

Without faith and hope, there is no charity.

"If ye have not charity, ye are nothing for charity never faileth."

Moroni 7:44

Hope is the anchor of our souls. 

"Hope is manifested in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.

 It is believing and expecting that something will occur. When you have hope you work through 

trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together 

for your good. Hope helps you conquer discouragement."

Preach My Gospel pg. 117

I need confidence and optimism in my life.
It will make all the difference in finding joy.

It's time to conquer discouragement and to see the whole picture.

This 8.5 x 11 poster is available for you to print here.

(Please use this for personal use only as I created this myself).
Much love,
~Lis 
P.S. New to the one little word project? Visit their site here. 
It may inspire you to find your word for you to grow in 2012.
Believe me, there's still plenty of time and it's never too late. 

Lisa's little word for 2011

All week I've been thinking about what my new years resolutions would be and I came across the 

one little word project.

I knew right away that this would be my word.

Not because I'm depressed or not happy, I just need to look at this word in a new perspective.

Too many times a day I think these phrases:

"I'll be happy when . . ."

"If  . . . works out, then I'll be happy."

I found myself always looking towards something and never quite enjoying "the now."

That's an issue for me that I want to work on for 2011. 

However, I didn't realize it until I made this card for a friend.

It's time for me to always be happy. Making that card reminded me I needed to celebrate every single day. If you look closely at it, it reads,"Happy Engagement, Happy Birthday, Happy Christmas, Happy New Years,

And once I gave it to her, she gave me this in return.

Naturally Happy, found here

What a lovely way to remember my goal. Naturally happy, everyday.
It was perfect!

If you want to be happy, be.  
~Leo Tolstoy

Kevin's little word for 2011

When choosing a word for the coming year, I naturally gravitated toward Spanish.  I find it to be a much more elegant language, and frequently its words seem to have more inclusive connotations than English. I also thought it fitting to choose a verb, thereby tying myself to an action.

It is the verb form of "forward," and can mean a number of things, including "to move (one's self) forward," "to progress," or "to move (something else) forward."  In a year full of anticipated changes, I hope to ensure that those changes are for the best.  I need to move myself forward into my career, help my wife move forward into her activities, and help our family move forward as we change location into Arizona.  I need to progress, improve myself, and seize the realm of possibilities that awaits us.

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"Hermanos, ¿no hemos de seguir adelante en una causa tan grande? Avanzad, en vez de retroceder. ¡Valor, hermanos; e id adelante, adelante a la victoria!" - Doctrina y Convenios 128:22

"Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward.  Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!" - Doctrine & Covenants 128:22