36

36.  Basically 40.  Every 40 and 50 something will read that last sentence and roll their eyes.  It’s the same reaction I have when anyone in their 20s says they are basically 30.  But still, I’m on that slant towards the end of this decade and it’s a mixture of feelings: excitement, hesitance, relaxation - all rolled into one.  

I love having a January birthday because it means combining whatever New Year’s Resolutions I have with ideas and wants for my upcoming birth year.  So with that in mind 36 is a lot of goals, so I just settled for 6.  Here they are: 

1. Wash my face at night.  This might seem super obvious or gross depending on what your current personal hygiene ritual consists of.  There are way too many nights where I get into bed without washing my face EVEN THOUGH I KNOW all the things.  Left on make-up makes you age, what is getting on your pillowcase, etc.  I am starting to get some slight wrinkle lines in my forehead and even though I’m not thinking about Botox (no judgment to peeps already doing it) or fillers, I do need to take a little bit better care of my face.  So washing it every night - goal number one.  Along with that I need to floss more.  And if we’re talking just body maintenance some stretching before and after work outs would be a good idea.  I don’t consider myself old by any means, but I’m not as flexible or able to shrug off aches and pains anymore.  Let’s get it together, Baker.    
2. Teach my kids some basic responsibilities.  I read the “Little House in the Big Woods” series when I was a little girl and then reread them when I was pregnant with Charlie.  They may have damaged my outlook on kids in this day and age and what they should / can be responsible for.  Laura and Mary were out every day doing the wash, helping Ma with cooking, doing dishes, collecting maple syrup from the freaking maple trees, knitting their own clothes for their dolls - these girls were legit.  My children can’t seem to get their towels into the laundry hamper.  Apparently the floor directly to the left of the hamper is as close as they are capable. *sigh* Kids.  But this year they’re turning 7 and 6 on their respective birthdays and I am pretty much done allowing them to get away with being slobs.  Don’t get me wrong, they are great at certain chores.  They can help me unload the dishwasher, they put their laundry away…ish, they CAN clean their rooms even though that usually means all things shoved under the bed, in a closet or drawer - so this is the year.  We’re gonna figure out how to take care of our basic space, and take care of it well.  I’m realizing that it’s not as simple as telling / yelling at them to do something repeatedly.  I need to teach them.  So taking time to show them, probably time after time, how to clean their room, make their beds, keep the bathroom tidy, put toys away, sweep, mop, detail my car…too much?  We’ll get going on the basics.  And I’m going to read them those books for good measure.  
3. Speaking of reading, I want to listen to more music and read more books.  Watching TV is my ultimate relaxation activity because it turns off every single working part of my body.  I’m sitting or laying down, I’m not talking, I’m not having to use my brain in any capacity.  But I don’t know if that’s necessarily the best.  My word of the year is “Be” and part of that idea is to be more present in whatever is happening.  Reading is just as calming as watching the tube, but I’m using more of my imagination.  And listening to music is the same.  When is the last time I sat down and just listened to music?  Ummm…it’s been awhile.  And doing that will invite the ability to still engage with what is around me without being completely mindless.   
4. Learn how to…now there’s lots of things that could finish this sentence, so I’ll just list a few that I’m determined to conquer this year: bake a pie.  One where the crust is buttery and flaky and the filling isn’t a gloppy mess.  Also, I wanna learn how to bake bread.  I can do cakes and cupcakes no sweat, but when you get yeast and proofing involved I’m like what the…how…hmm…so this year - gonna get it.  Also, I want to learn some new songs on the piano.  Classical songs.  I haven’t taken piano lessons since I was 17, but I want to re-learn some of the songs I used to know and master a few new ones while I’m at it.  Yes, that means playing on my daughter’s plug-in keyboard up in the playroom, but whatever, I’m into it.  And finally, I wanna learn to garden.  A little bit.  I’m talking herb garden.  I don’t have a green thumb unlike basically every other woman in my family, but I want to try.  Besides, I like basil on pretty much everything, so win win.  
5. Be spontaneous.  This is so hard for me.  I’m type A, organized, logical, planning things are my jam and lists literally get me slightly aroused.  It doesn’t mean that I’m always on time or have all my ducks in a row, ha.  No.  But for the most part I’m usually pretty in control of what’s happening.  I want to not be so much.  A friend of mine wrote a blog entry and in it said “Art is hard, but logic is boring”.  Now I don’t entirely agree with that, because to me logic is sexy as all get out.  But I agree that there is difficulty in being artistic.  It’s being vulnerable to our feelings, allowing creativity to take over and moving forward into the unknown.  But that to me perfectly describes spontaneity and THAT is what I want to venture into.    
6. Dare I say - dream.  Usually when talking to someone about their goals or thoughts on life, when they say the word “dream” I’m rolling my eyes.  Inwardly if not on the outside.  I think it’s a word that is used WAY too often in our culture as this blanket of reason that allows us to shove aside convention as if it’s pointless and beneath the calling of what we deem worthy of our current and future selves.  But cynicism aside, there IS something to the idea of dreaming.  I watched La La Land the other day and the main characters were so sweetly supportive and genuinely excited for each other to go after what they really wanted to do and be.  I have a hesitancy in me that links up with a martyr-type mentality, that only will we experience Christ-likeness when and if we suffer as He did.  And while I think it’s so important to be thinking of our dreams in a “What have you given and placed inside me, God, that I can use to further Your kingdom here on earth” mentality versus just a “God, what do You have for me” way - we have been given this big, beautiful opportunity called LIFE and I want to be less pessimistic about infinite possibilities and more open to what it is He would have for me to do.  So basically I want to start more sentences with “You know what would be cool?…”. 

So there they are.  Six goals for my 36th year.  Cheers to another year and another round of pushing myself to be exactly who He created me to be.