2012, Here We Go!

‎”Hindi nagbabago ang taon. Ang nagbabago ay ang pagkakataon para gumawa ng mabuti. (The years don’t really change. What changes are the occasions to do good.” — Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales in his New Year’s Day Mass, Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Happy New Year from our love-filled household!

The quote above started my year right. It was all about opportunities, after all. The calendar changes but they’re just mere numbers if we do not make the most out of each day that passes.

2011 had been both good and bad to me. It was a year filled with work (wow, after one year of hiatus!), taking care of the household — the Schatzihaus, the hubby, the baby — breastfeed, breastfeed, breastfeed, managing church duties, dealing with like-minded and different-minded people (hard work, I tell ya), and so much more! Oh, it was such a fun 2011.

I’m filled with good vibes this year. More work coming, blessings abound, family in good health. And since this is Day 4 of 2012, I will share four New Year’s Resolutions which I pray I can all accomplish:

1. Clean up

My closet, my baby’s closet, my files and music sheets, my phonebook and messages, my Facebook and Twitter friends list, my email. Just typing this makes me think if I could really find time for it!

2. Dig deeper

When the collection basket passes your way, do you even care to put even a few coins in it? Or do you look at the ceiling instead and ignore it?

Last year, our church had a couple of fund-raising activities — a concert and a raffle. It was our community’s way of reaching out to the needy.

Little did everyone know Sendong’s wrath would close the year. Everyone did something to extend help. But of course, we do not help only when there’s a calamity like this. Help doesn’t stop there.

So this year, I’ll dig deeper in my pockets to extend more help to more people in need. As our beloved Rector would always say: mabuti nang ikaw ang tumulong, kaysa ikaw ang tinutulungan.

3. Avoid envy

Okay, okay. I admit it, I easily get envious especially when I read status message and blogs, especially mom blogs.

Moms looking beautiful in their fab outfits, juggling work and raising a child, having a fantabulous vacay here and there, having well-behaved babies (ours, despite being a girl, is very hyper! But we oh so love her!), etc.

So to solve this, I will read blogs only once a day for a few minutes, the same amount of time I take my vitamins.

4. Promote breastfeeding more

2011 was a banner year for breastfeeding and I’m so blessed and proud to be advocating this. I’ve turned my formula-fed family into a breastfeeding-believing community. I’ve asked so much questions, answered doubts about it, blogged so many times, even visited a new mom in a hospital who needed that pep talk in breastfeeding her preterm baby. The often unnoticed image of the Blessed Mother nursing her Baby Jesus in our church is now frequented by devotees and curious ones, myself included. I never fail to pray that through Her intercession, the Lord may bless this little child He entrusted us. And we’ve enjoyed this unique, no, make that NORMAL experience for the past 16 months and counting!

We’ll all do better this year, right? After all, there’s so much to be thankful for, one of which is witnessing another calendar change.

So, Carpe Diem, guys! And have a blast this 2012!

~ Touringkitty