It's MAYYYY! Yay!
So it's time to revisit my goals! Let's get started.
Goal Number 1:
Work through Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps for Financial Peace to cultivate good stewardship, gratitude, and contentment.
April goal: Start the debt snowball; this is baby step 2, where all your debts are paid off. Fortunately I don't have much to do here!
Status: Started! Yay!!
May goal: Continue working the snowball.
Goal Number 2:
Find an agent for my manuscript
April goal: Write a darn proposal!
Status: DONE! I sent it to a friend of mine to read/peruse, so now I'm just waiting for her feedback. Once I get that, I can make any changes and send it out!
May goal: Send it (hopefully!)
Goal Number 3:
To deepen and strengthen my relationship with God, because He is the center and the well-spring.
April goals: Confession/Holy hour/Weekday Mass once a week
Status: Confession, check! Holy hour, check! Weekday Mass....no check. Sigh. Something still to work on!
May goals: Confession, Holy Hour, and at LEAST ONE WEEKDAY MASS. Just one. :)
Goal Number 4:
Continue to lose weight and treat my body well so I can do everything else I want to do, and honor my body which God made.
April goals: Focus on healthy snacks and regular workouts.
Status: Did really well here. Lost some weight (yay!), have found new healthy snacks, and I'm still doing yoga classes regularly. I've also continued to make progress on body measurements. I take my measurements on the first of every month, and this is where I can really see progress, or not. So I'm glad to see progress being made!
May goals: Consistent working out--yoga classes; continue to focus on health snacks.
Goal Number 5:
Grow Barton Cottage Crafts, to help with baby steps (goal 1), but also to have a creative outlet and for enjoyment.
April goal: Finis commissions and get new ones.
Status: I did finish my commissions, and I'm working on getting new ones. Part of that is the new Barton Cottage Crafts page here on the site! I'm really proud of it! So in May, while I wait for commissions, I'm going to be working on new projects, as well as starting to plan knitting projects for birthdays and Christmas--because guys, handmade takes time. So if you want birthday presents/Christmas presents, you have to get them early. As in, now is not too early!
May goals: See above. :)
Goal Number 6:
Have a beautiful, peaceful, welcoming home so I can appreciate what I have, encourage hospitality, and cultivate peace.
April goal: Get another KALLAX unit for the living room.
Status: The one I want isn't in stock--and wasn't for ALL OF APRIL. Grr, IKEA. Grrrrr. So I'm waiting for that. In the mean time, working on keeping spaces clear. I did do a lot better in having people over in April--I would say come on over, knowing the house would be presentable. So that's great.
May goal: Pray that the KALLAX comes back in stock? :) If it does, that'll happen. If not--continue weekly clean/focus on certain areas (FlyLady zones, if you're familiar with those), and keep inviting people over. And continue contentment challenge--that fell off in April, so I'm doing month three now!
Goal Number 7:
To nurture my creativity so I can learn new things, inspire myself, stretch my mind, and feed my soul.
April goals: Knit two new Quince projects, start reading Artist's Way, get new commissions.
Status: I knit the projects! Yay! And I have big plans for more new ones....I didn't read Artist's Way, but that is definitely on the list for this month. Commission--see above.
May goals: Start new knitting project; start reading Artist's Way. (I have to DECIDE on new project. I think it's going to be a tricolor cowl, but that means getting yarn, or a cowl with a textured stitch, in order to really "get" working in the round done.)
This month, my brother is getting married--NEXT WEEK, holy cow!--so I didn't go hog wild on my goals. My daily goals are balancing my checkbook (yes, old school!), lectio, knitting, and working out 5/7 days a week. So they are important goals, but it's not a ton, so I can really focus. I didn't want to stress this month. I want to celebrate and enjoy this big moment for our family! :)