February Resolution: Relationships

Seeing as February hosts Valentine's Day, a day about love and relationships, this seems like a fitting time to improve on mine. 

January didnt exactly go as planned.  I finally painted the second coat in our master bedroom on Wednesday but ran out of paint. I will have to pick up a pint to take care of the peak area.  It is finished enough to start hanging things on the walls though and putting the room back together.  January was more of a clean up month from December than anything. I played catch up at work, at home, with the bills, etc.  It was necessary and I think I will implement that every year. January is my "catch up" month.

Now it is February.

 Mark and I started couples therapy two weeks ago.  We are doing good, but there are definite communication discrepencies, as in most marriages, that could use some assistance.  I thought, and he agreed, that if we had some guidance it would make our marriage better for the long haul.  After one session we both believed this was a great step forward.  We even discussed last week some things we can talk about with our therapist in the next session that we seem to be on opposite ends on. 

A big struggle for me is spending daily quality time with my boys.  After work, I help them with their homework then its time to start dinner, eat dinner, clean up kitchen, get laundry done, prepare for bed, read to then tuck boys in, make lunches, spend an hour with hubby and then crash in bed.  This gets the ins-and-outs of life done, but doesnt really grow the relationship with the boys.  My desire is to set aside an hour a (working) day to them.  Whether we read, watch a movie, play a game, bake cookies, that doesnt matter. What matters is the time spent. Each month I am going to have a special date with each boy separately.  Jacob is already almost 10 and I want to create such a relationship that even when he's 15, 16, 17 he still feels comfortable talking to me and asking for my assistance when its needed.

My mom and I spent some time alone on Saturday.  We aren't as close as either of us would like so we are both working on that.  I purchased a tanning package with her since it is one of her favorite things to do and we started on Saturday.  From there we headed to the outlets to Carolina Pottery, which is a massive store full of indoor and outdoor home decor items.  It was nice browsing through there and commenting on things with someone who is interested in those kinds of things as well. 

One last relationship I making a priority is my relationship with God.  Its been far too long since we have consistently attended church and even longer since we've been involved with any portion of it.  The boys and I made it in today and we will make it a point to continue.   On a personal note, I started a book called Resolution for Women.  It breaks apart areas that are important in a woman's life and gives you some really great questions that take some time and thought.  This makes me slow down and really chew on what I've just read and apply it to myself.

So, that is what I'm up to this month...