Here is to a new year, and a library card.

T h r e e hundred and sixty five days ago, if you had told me that in a year's time I would be married with a baby and my week's struggle would be making it to the library before it closes at the very inconvenient hour of 4 p.m.,  I would have slapped you in disbelief. If you had told me I would want a library card at all, I would have slapped you for misjudging my sometimes rebellious, not-the-type-to-sit-at-home-and-read character.  Boy, would I have been wrong-oh. And I would have slapped you for no real reason at all (embarrassing) because here I am: a proud new owner of what I like to call a "get smarter card".  Why? My sweet husband asked me the same question. I Googled "how to make my baby smarter," and the trusted Google told me to read to him. Everyday. His language development and sensory skills will all be touched in some positive way if I can buck up, not be lazy, and spend one hour a day with any sort of book in one hand and him in the other. But where would I find something that wouldn't put me to sleep? Reading the ingredients on the boxes of snacks in my cupboard wouldn't be enough, nor would the synopsis drawn on the back of my stack of DVD cases work. And news articles online had too many names and words I could hardly pronounce. The answer to this tricky puzzle? You know it. And today, my library card dreams came to fruition, all in perfect time for the new year and a new year resolution. It is at the top of my list, believe it or not. Take a sneaky peaky:

1. Read to Kannon every day.
2. Go to church.
3. Keep my husband in mind, always.
4. Be generous.
5. Dedicate an hour a week to this blog. I want something to look back on.

If you notice, the typical weight loss, eating right, exercise goals are missing from my list of standards for myself throughout 2014. Those things are important to me, but I have five more important things that I know will make all the difference in accomplishing a happier, healthier lifestyle, and I am excited to keep you updated on my successes, and eventually, my failures. It all works hand in hand, right?

This is my first post of many to come. I hope my ramblings gave you some sort of entertainment today, but know that this blog will have some relevance to the world around us from time to time, most importantly. Blogging is new to me, but I am well aware that if there is no importance or meaning in my words, a lack of connection from me to you, then I may as well write in a journal for my eyes only. I plan to talk about my feelings, observations and true research about issues and problems, phenomenas, trends and trendsetters, local stuff, national stuff, you name it. I am giddy to get started, and can't wait to start writing, really writing, again. I bet my new get smarter card helps to get me back on track. We'll see.

Happy new year to you.
Love, Shayna