The LORD God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.” Genesis 2:18

If you read any decent books on men-women relationships, they’ll tell you that men seek companionship. If you’re a guy, you might think, “Well, duh.” If you’re a woman, you might think, “But I hate taking him shopping.” The trick, of course, is in finding shared interests. Strangely enough, men don’t think the kids or the work around the house counts.

I am not capable of feigning interest in guns or cars or military history long enough to outlast my husband’s capacity to discuss them. Current events and politics and the Just War Doctrine are topics best left alone in this household. If you want to see tempers flaring and cast iron skillets flying, casually bring up capital punishment.

Cards? I handily beat him most of the time. Scrabble? He is so mean to me.

We do like to do things together. We’ve played tennis, and since we’re both bad, it’s okay. We ran in the Army Ten Miler together in 2006, and, except for the last mile or so, it was nice. Walking, hiking, biking, exploring, spelunking, going to museums, trying new restaurants, even window shopping and discussing ways to spend that lottery money we’ll never win are all things we can do together. But most of these activities require a babysitter or taking the children along.

So, we watch old movies instead.

But I think it would be really nice if we could have a common love. And I’m not so sure I want a husband who loves sewing…or reading Charlotte Mason…or pouring over cookbooks.

No, I need to cross over to the other side.

Assuming that some tastes are acquired, I am going to attempt to acquire the taste for beer this month. I resolve to drink a little bit of beer every day, hopefully working my way up to a whole glass by the end of the month. Bill is excited beyond measure and has been plotting for weeks the best program by which to introduce his favorite beverage. He writes, “If I do this right, I will have a lifetime drinking partner.” The prospect makes my heart go pitter-pat.

I have a feeling that this month’s resolution will make for some interesting supplemental blog posts. Wish me luck.

What is a New Month’s Resolution? Every month I look at where I need to focus my attention. Perhaps I’ve been procrastinating on certain chores. Perhaps I need to spend some extra time with one or more of the kids. Perhaps I’d like to try a new habit. New Month’s Resolutions are not grandiose plans to lose ten pounds or declutter the entire house or give up smoking (of course, I don’t smoke, but if I did, this would not be the venue in which I would give it up). New Month’s resolutions are short-term commitments; they are easily attained goals; they focus on what is needed right now, instead of what is best for a lifetime.

Do you have a new month’s resolution?

You’ll be pleased to know, I did, in fact, successfully keep my June resolution. I also increased Bill’s life insurance policy, and make no promises of a similar nature for July.

Just kidding.

I didn’t really change his life insurance policy.

This month, I resolve to spend at least 5 minutes every weekday straightening my desk. On a good day, my desk looks like this. I’m tired of it.

I was going to resolve to spend 15 minutes every day on it. But I try to keep things realistic. Not every day, I thought. Not the weekends. Okay, weekdays.

Not fifteen minutes, I argued. Surely ten is fine. No, wait, if I do it every weekday, surely five is more than sufficient.

Besides, I can have high standards, and fail…or low standards and succeed. And this month, I’m in need of some low standards. Five minutes a weekday it is.

Of course, federal holidays are excluded.

What is a New Month’s Resolution? Every month I look at where I need to focus my attention. Perhaps I’ve been procrastinating on certain chores. Perhaps I need to spend some extra time with one or more of the kids. Perhaps I’d like to try a new habit. New Month’s Resolutions are not grandiose plans to lose ten pounds or declutter the entire house or give up smoking (of course, I don’t smoke, but if I did, this would not be the venue in which I would give it up). New Month’s resolutions are short-term commitments; they are easily attained goals; they focus on what is needed right now, instead of what is best for a lifetime.

Do you have a new month’s resolution?

Of the 12 neighbors physically closest to my house, 4 are staying here, 4 have already left and the houses are empty, 2 move out this week, 1 moves out (like us) next week, and the last I assume moves out this week or the next, but they keep to themselves so I don’t know for sure. In other military neighborhoods we’ve lived in, it’s about 1/3 who leave (here only 1/3 are staying), and they don’t all happen at once.

Moving is stressful and living in an area where just about every other family is experiencing the same stress at the same time means there’s no oasis of calm. This escalates the stress, and I think it’s the kids who feel it most. The squabbles, the tears, the bad behavior – all seem to be worse than usual for all the kids in the neighborhood. And naturally, husbands and wives are just trying to get through the ordeal without bloodshed.

Yesterday, my neighbor was grumping about her husband, and I told Bill about it. “You know what it is: he has his priorities, and she has hers. Unfortunately, their top ten lists don’t match.”

“They never do,” he said.

“There should be some agreement,” I persisted.

“It’s called compromise,” he insisted.

We parried like this for a few minutes.

Finally, I mentioned an Excel spreadsheet I had just made with a pack list for moving (hey, it only took me to the fourth move in four years to think of doing this). “Don’t you think that something like that list is a priority? If we need to secure the valuables in the car before the movers come, securing the valuables in the car is a priority that we agree, not compromise, on? (brief pause) Be very careful how you answer. I warn you that so far your answers have not been to my satisfaction.”

“Are you saying that we’ll get along better if I agree with you?”

“Of course!”

“Yes, the list is a priority,” he drones. “Everything else is a compromise.”

My resolution for this month: I will not kill my husband. Come July, the desire to do so should be past.

What is a New Month’s Resolution? Every month I look at where I need to focus my attention. Perhaps I’ve been procrastinating on certain chores. Perhaps I need to spend some extra time with one or more of the kids. Perhaps I’d like to try a new habit. New Month’s Resolutions are not grandiose plans to lose ten pounds or declutter the entire house or give up smoking (of course, I don’t smoke, but if I did, this would not be the venue in which I would give it up). New Month’s resolutions are short-term commitments; they are easily attained goals; they focus on what is needed right now, instead of what is best for a lifetime.

Do you have a new month’s resolution?

Through the miracle of 20th century medicine, I am feeling much better. Thank you all for your kind words and prayers.

A little late this month, but I haven’t been doing much these last few days anyway: I bring you this month’s resolution: get stuff out of my house.

First I have six packages that need to be mailed. I’ll need my helpers just to get in the post office.

Then there’s the glass turntable I saved from my microwave when it caught on fire last month (and I didn’t even blog about that little excitement). I think I could sell it on eBay for $10-15 which makes it worth the hassle. I’ve never sold on eBay before. I need to either do it, or get rid of it.

Then I have several piles of clothes I’ve set aside for people I know with younger boys. Perhaps the Used Clothing Fairy needs to make some early morning covert drop offs, just so the errand doesn’t take an hour.

Then there is the huge pile of kids clothes that are too worn or I don’t prefer or that we simply don’t need. They must go. And I can’t wait to relieve myself of the onerous presence of certain articles of clothing that have seen me through the early post-partum months of several kids. The very sight of them makes me feel fat. If I have another baby, I will get other clothes.

And lastly, there are other things I’ve been setting aside to donate to the thrift store. These little piles are cluttering various corners of different closets.

If I have time, I’ll glean the kids’ toys and games, but for now, the main focus is just getting out what is already marked for removal.

What is a New Month’s Resolution? I’ve been doing these for over a year now. Every month I look at where I need to focus my attention. Perhaps I’ve been procrastinating on certain chores. Perhaps I need to spend some extra time with one or more of the kids. Perhaps I’d like to try a new habit. New Month’s Resolutions are not grandiose plans to lose ten pounds or declutter the entire house or give up smoking (of course, I don’t smoke, but if I did, this would not be the venue in which I would give it up). New Month’s resolutions are short-term commitments; they are easily attained goals; they focus on what is needed right now, instead of what is best for a lifetime.

Do you have a new month’s resolution?

Coming soon!

I’m on day 3 of a fever. Perhaps after my cup of tea I’ll feel better.

mwah! (just don’t breathe that air, okay?)

I just got back from the grocery store which is all stocked up with Easter candy. I bought 8 normal-size bags. The only thing I didn’t see were Robin’s eggs which are a must (per direct order from the head of this household). I already have some chocolate crosses for the kids, so once I buy the Robin’s eggs, I’m done. I resolve to completely ignore the Easter candy for the rest of the month, most especially the Reese’s peanut butter cup eggs which will be marked way down by March 25th.

What is a New Month’s Resolution? I’ve been doing these for over a year now. Every month I look at where I need to focus my attention. Perhaps I’ve been procrastinating on certain chores. Perhaps I need to spend some extra time with one or more of the kids. Perhaps I’d like to try a new habit. New Month’s Resolutions are not grandiose plans to lose ten pounds or declutter the entire house or give up smoking (of course, I don’t smoke, but if I did, this would not be the venue in which I would give it up). New Month’s resolutions are short-term commitments; they are easily attained goals; they focus on what is needed right now, instead of what is best for a lifetime.

Do you have a New Month’s Resolution? Share your goals for this month in the combox which will be open for a few days.

Nothing like waiting until the eleventh hour to finally do something you promised yourself to do by the end of the month.

This month, I am going to read the directions to my treadmill and to the digital camcorder that my sister-in-law gave us for Christmas. I’d really like to know why it takes 8 1/2 to 9 laps to make a mile. I’m just curious. And we’ve been recording videos with the camcorder, I just can’t figure out how to get them to play on the computer. You’ll know I’ve been successful when I start torturing you with sharing videos of the kids.

{Side note: this camcorder was the best gift we received this Christmas. The responsible sister-in-law is also guilty of the worst gift of Christmas as well.}

What is a New Month’s Resolution? I’ve been doing these for over a year now. Every month I look at where I need to focus my attention. Perhaps I’ve been procrastinating on certain chores. Perhaps I need to spend some extra time with one or more of the kids. Perhaps I’d like to try a new habit. New Month’s Resolutions are not grandiose plans to lose ten pounds or declutter the entire house or give up smoking (of course, I don’t smoke, but if I did, this would not be the venue in which I would give it up). New Month’s resolutions are short-term commitments; they are easily attained goals; they focus on what is needed right now, instead of what is best for a lifetime.

Do you have a New Month’s Resolution? Share your goals for this month in the combox!

I just re-read my New Year’s resolutions for last year. Very amusing. My favorite is #6: potty train Peter. I think I’ll try that again this year!

Looking ahead, this coming year will be another crazy one with June being a climactic month: Bill graduates, we move, Bill gets promoted, Bill gets deployed. Yes, June is all about Bill.

Keeping this major upheaval in mind, here are this year’s resolutions:

1. The Battle of the Baby Bulge: yes, I know, nine months on…nine months off. I’m going to try to do it in less. I can’t help it. I’m very impatient.

2. Run 500 miles. Get my time down to a 9 minute mile over 5 or 6 miles. I’d like to do the Army Ten Miler, but with Bill gone, I don’t see that happening. It’s hard to find a babysitter for 5 am on a Sunday morning. Thank goodness we now have a treadmill, or I don’t even think I’d get 100 miles run.

3. Sort photos. Really. I’m going to do it this year.

4. Read at least one book per month. Sadly this homeschool mother spends so much time reading to her kids, she’s forgotten that there are books out there for grown ups. Some of them aren’t even about real people, and they are quite entertaining.

5. Pay off the van. I hate having a car payment.

6. Potty train Peter. This time I mean it.

7. Pray the Morning Prayers every morning and the Evening Prayers every evening.

8. Keep up the Saturday night movie dates until Bill leaves. After that, I’ll get tear-jerker chick flicks and a bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups instead.

9. Resist the temptation to wash that gray right out of my hair. I’ve been one full year dye-free. The sun did a lovely job highlighting last spring, so I’ll try to spend lots of time in the sun this year.

10. Teach my boys Hearts and Spades. Chinese checkers is fun, Blokus is great, Scrabble is challenging, but nothing beats a card game for portability and cut-throat competitiveness.

And I’ll still do my new month’s resolutions. Those are perfect for the little things I procrastinate about.

Happy New Year, everyone!

And I’m posting this on the first of the month. That’s quite an improvement.

I have begun reading, for the third time, C.S. Lewis’ The Four Loves.

I will finish it this month.