Older for sure, wiser perhaps? :)

When I was in sixth grade, our reading teacher made us list what ages we'd like to be and why. I wrote down 17 22, and 27. Seventeen was a great age because I could go off and do whatever I liked as long as my mom knew where I was, and I was home by curfew. (I think it was 10pm? I was pretty tame. I pretty much just watched movies with my then-boyfriend or best friends or hung out at Tobby's. I was NOT the kind of teenager you worry about.) Twenty-two was also great: it was my first birthday in Australia, I'd finally moved over here to be with the guy of my dreams, I was in uni making awesome friends, and I bought a sewing machine. Then came twenty-seven.

We welcomed our beautiful daughter to the world.

And watched her grow.

We bought a sweet little house, all of our own.

I was gifted an even better sewing machine.

I got to see my Mama for the first time in four years and my best friend for the first time since my wedding.

And, I learned SO MUCH THIS YEAR. And we're really focused on being autodidactic, so learning is a big deal around here. You know what I can do now? I can patch holes in a ceiling. I know the difference between gyprock and villaboard. I can look at a screw and tell you if it'll work for what I'm doing. I can paint without using masking tape. I have an entire house I caulked more or less myself! I made a design wall, created six shelves and hung them myself, can safely and confidently operate a power tool (I love you, little Bosch drill.) I can go to Bunnings and get what I need without feeling like a Dumb Girl and I can even -- GASP -- project manage and keep a renovation to budget.

It wasn't all renovation, though. I learned two new ways to bind a quilt. I learned FMQ, triangle piecing, how to press properly. I learned English paper piecing, and I took a class to build my basic sewing skills. (Another one forthcoming. Watch this space!) I bought many quilting books and began learning how to follow patterns which, as a former dressmaker, I should be good at but I'm just...not. Er. :)

Since I had a birthday on the weekend (hi, 28, it's very nice to meet you), it is a new year, and time for some new goals.

This year I want to grow a ton of food for my family. Despite being a work-at-home mother, I feel like I don't contribute to our income, and that bugs me! Having a garden will reduce our grocery costs, and consequently, eating better and teaching my daughter where food really comes from will ease my conscience about not working. (And, actually, nothing makes me feel worse than the thought of going back to work at a job. Honestly. I decided to go back for three hours a week and I cried all day and then quit for real. I'm needed here.)

This year I want to continue my quilting education. I have plans to take a machine-quilting class to grow my skills and then afterwards, I'm aiming to do an appliqué class. It's not my usual cup of tea but it's a challenge and I saw some beautiful and inspirational appliqué quilts at the Craft Fair so I'm ready to learn new things. After that? Paper-piecing. I can do English Paper Piecing but I get really stuck on foundation piecing, and I think I need a class where I can ask the instructor lots of questions to understand the process! :)

This year I want to tackle fitness. Not in a "I want to be a size zero" way, but in a general busy & active as a family way. Because so much of what I love to do is sedentary (writing, quilting, reading) I have to push myself to get out there and work out. The goal is to drive less, walk more, and spend an hour a day outside in fine weather. I can easily achieve that in the garden, and I am hoping when it fines up a bit I can start running in the evenings. I'm taking the approach that my body is awesome and I should treat it really well.

This year I want to commit to keeping my Etsy store stocked, refreshed, and promoted. I have a ton of beautiful things to sell and I love making them: there's no reason, other than my own busy-ness, not to be on top of that. It all changes now! It will become more of a priority, especially since the idea is that my store should fund more projects!

This year I want to grow in Christ and grow with our church family. This is a hard one for me. I am not good at talking about my faith, primarily because it feels like I'm undressing in front of a crowd, but we have joined a church we like. We are both introverts, which makes it hard to meet new people, but it isn't just the two of us: we have Piper to think about now. Faith is important to us, but because it is so deeply personal it makes it hard to connect. I can't remember my mother talking to me about God or Jesus very much, except one time when she told me if the Rapture happened, would I rather be folding clothes like a good girl or misbehaving? Church wasn't something I did with my family, and though they are back into it now, I missed out on experiencing a Christian family upbringing. I won't let that happen with my daughter. She will know her parents love Christ and act on that love every day.

I want to be hospitable, not merely tolerant. This is my ongoing goal in life! Instead of just tolerating people who are different, I want to seek to truly understand them, and if I can't, then to act with compassion. I might gripe and grumble but I want everyone I speak to to feel like they are important, valued, and that they have my attention. Again, as an introvert, I struggle with this. Sometimes it takes all I have just to hold a conversation! But people are important. And being kind is a wonderful thing.

I want to seek publishing for my manuscript. It is time. Draft #1 is done, I'm halfway through the edits, and I'm feeling very much like this is NOW OR NEVER. I believe in my work, I love to write, and it would be awesome if I could make that my full-time job!

That is a pretty big list! I hope I can get even half of that achieved, haha! It seems like a lot but I have 365 days to try. (Well, 362 days.) And if I don't make it, I will change and grow and try my hardest to do it next year! That's be beauty of birthdays: they come around every year! :)

Today my goals are more immediate and simple: to get the outside windows painted (or even just primed!) before it rains again on Thursday. I have a sitter lined up for Miss Piper and my lovely father-in-law is bringing a ladder today. Let the year of good hard work begin! :)

Comments

[Stephanie Morrison]

Hi Penny,

Well the things you find out about people by simply reading their blog posts!! I never knew you were a Christian and you probably didn't know I was as well. I have been a committed Christian for nearly all my life, I grew up in a Christian family and regularly went to Sunday school their onto youth activities. My husband and I are committed to our local church and our two teenage girls are developing their own faith in Christ. It's so lovely to watch. Thanks so much for sharing your life with us through your blog, your talents are certainly far greater than mine in that regard.