I think this was my first goals post. Turns out, I like goals. Living in the moment is a necessity, but taking time to reflect and plan for the future are healthy, too.
Shane's early childhood
From birth to 6 years old:
1 - Survive.
2 - Let him know he's loved (by God and by us!).
3 - Connect with family, friends, and other people.
4 - Live a life worth living!
Different major milestones included: Sleeping through the night, solid food, crawling, walking, talking, singing, listening, reading, drawing, math-ing, going to preschool, going to school, making friends, playing sports, and learning to ride a bike.
Being a parent has been a blessing to my life. It's work, but it's worth it.
Starting (and surviving starting) school seemed like a major milestone when Shane was younger. Now that's come and gone and I felt like it was time to think ahead again. Carrie and I have talked about not moving again until Shane's at least finishes 4th grade. She wants a barn and land at some point, but we both agree the family is in a good place now. There are transitions for Shane to change schools to upper elementary and middle school based on how the schools work here that would make the most sense to move during if we're going to move. My work coincides with school years, too.
For the next chapter of Shane's childhood.....
From 6 years old to 12 years old:
1. How to respond to love and with love.
2. Identity
3. Learn
4. Experience
Some milestones to work towards:
-Read New Testament
-Well read in general
-Growth mindset
-Travelled (especially at least once out of country - preferably to non-English speaking majority)
-Second language practice (Spanish? French? Chinese?)
-Discover a gift/talent (and then nurture it!)
-Try music lessons (maybe art, too?)
-Find some sort of long-term club/activity that Shane can do and learn the value of persistence (currently looks like TKD).
-Know basics to major sports....
-.....and pick one to try in MS/HS preferred (Depends on who Shane is)
I hope Shane will play board games, video games, or some sort of games with me at some point, but the sports piece is to help challenge and build him physically as well as teach him discipline and how to get along with others. Knowledge of sports can be a tool to communicate and relate to others, too.
....and dare I go there?
The far future.......12 to 18 years old:
1. Develop independence
2. First job
3. Money management, budgeting, saving
4. Thinking ahead
5. Graduate HS
End Goal: Loved, loving, independent adult with a sense of purpose and some fun memories
It's a rainy, cold day here, so it's perfect for reflecting.
Some big happenings in general:
2012 - Move into our first house, beat hostile evaluation
2013 - Try to find tech job, go for 30+ credits of professional learning for raise and re-license.
2014 - No tech jobs, lose current position to de-staff, move to new HS position, asst coach wrestling
2015 - Carrie new job, Mike new job, Sell house, Move to Cville, Start MS wrestling team, Pixel
2016 - Survive 2nd year in Cville, Shane Kindergarten, Carrie promotion, Grow MS team, Mira
2017 - Enroll in PhD/EdD program, Shane 1st grade, Carrie starts as a travel agent, Nibs
2018 - Start doctoral program....eventually 2nd grade.....and who knows?
2019 - Now that's too far ahead to plan.
My job: If I get accepted and into a doctoral program, it will take me two or three years to finish. I should still be doing wrestling, too. I'm trying to start an afterschool club at the 5th and 6th grade school this year to feed into the middle school program (and thus, the high school). If I'm not exhausted by the end of all that, I would consider trying to be an adjunct professor and teach a class or two at the community college or a four-year one.
Carrie's job: Travel, make contacts with businesses, make contacts with people, join a fox hunt club, make connections, and start to grow her own client base. She's thinking of specializing in Ireland (travel agents usually have a specialty). Maybe she'll try to lead a group like her parents at some point (and maybe even Shane and I would go with.....eventually!)
There are other ideas out there Carrie and I have tossed around: A barn, livestock or a garden to make some of our own food, renting out the house instead of selling it, moving somewhere for a year way different than here, foster care, teaching riding.....as Tom Petty said it, "The future was wide open."
None of any of this is promised. "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." (Proverbs 19:21 NIV). I like thinking ahead some and having a generalized plan rather than none at all. I'm not married to any of this, though. If we have to scrap it, we'll scrap it.
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