everchanging view

this is how appalling it is...

so last night algie and i went out for our 'state of our union' date. 
(we actually downloaded and printed the tiny twigs template for she and husband's time
and it was very helpful.  thanks, hayley)

we went to pfchangs and sat in the bar in the corner where it was a little more quiet. 
yummy lettuce wraps and a glass of wine and catching up.  i'd like to say we are really good at this, at getting away for a quiet night to chat and catch up but in all honesty, we suck.  we don't make enough time to talk, to date, to be friends.  you'd think having kids who are older without having to get a sitter would make it easier but we haven't found that to be true.

anyway...we talked about the good of 2011.  there were moments to celebrate and definite victories in our lives, in our family.  and we talked about the not so good of 2011. there are also things we lament, things we'd do better if we could do them over.  that we'd be better at if we could do it over.
so at the beginning of 2012, my sweetie and i are making some changes. one is to put each other first. with kids, with demanding jobs, it's so easy to postpone this, to let the tyranny of the urgent rearrange priorities without our permission simply because we weren't deliberate and calculated in our living. (did you notice i did NOT use the word 'intentional??')  we want to change this.  to prioritize each other.

another is to work as a team more. 
we could't be more different, he and i, but instead of letting that be a detriment, we are working toward becoming team grubbs.  it's a pretty cool thing.  for me it requires shutting up and letting him lead.  because i can be bossy. 
i mean really bossy. and  for him it requires leading and not managing (i HATE being managed.) 
and on both our parts it requires kindness and grace.

there were other things...talking about the year ahead.  about our beautiful kids and what this year holds for them.  about serving.  about vacations.  about losing weight (why is that ALWAYS on my list??)  and we made some dates to work toward being besties and not just roommates in the year to come.

at the end we got our fortune cookies and here they are...thought they were pretty right on for us.  algie's is the top one and as he leads us grubbs this is certainly true for him.
mine is the second...hehe.


what are you hoping for in your life in 2012?

loved these words this morning as i started for the 2374928594835439 time my attempt at morning reading/journaling/reflection/focusing...

isaiah 40:28-31


here's one of my favorite songs on hopefulness and new beginnings.  click the link and have a listen.
the cave by mumford and sons

how 'bout you?  what inspires you to hope?  where do you find the inspiration you need to be who you are made to be?  who you want to be?  your best you?