Thursday, January 5, 2017

17 Things I'm Excited for in 2017

With each new year, people make resolutions and choose "words of the year" and set goals. And me? I look prayerfully ahead to the next year to think about what's to come: what I'm hoping for and excited for and gratefully anticipating. In 16 Things I'm Excited for in 2016, I shared travel plans, hopes of a new car (check), getting a Companion Pass (check), and following God's will (also a check as we take on the new adventure of parenthood this year). In keeping with my yearly tradition of list making and looking ahead at all that the year will bring, here are 17 things I'm excited for in 2017!

17 Things I'm Excited for in 2017

1. Meeting Baby K! 

It's kind of a given that the first thing that comes to mind is meeting our sweet baby. My official due date is March 5th, but who knows exactly when Baby K will join us. That moment will be oh so sweet, especially because we've waited to find out Baby's gender. I can't wait to hold our little baby in my arms, to call them by name, and to marvel in the joy of bringing a little piece of us into the world. 

2. Becoming a Mom

On top of simply meeting our Baby for the first time, I'm so excited to become a mama this year. I think about what it will be like sometimes and I'm both overwhelmed and overjoyed. I know that it will bring a lot of change for us, but I feel so blessed to join the ranks of mom. Here's hoping I'm okay at it! 

 

3. Watching Aaron be a Dad

Not only am I excited to be a mommy, but I'm also oh so excited to watch my sweet hubby become a dad. Sometimes I think about how awesome he will be and it just makes me cry. I can't wait to watch him love our little baby in the sweetest moments.

 

4. Maternity Photos and Baby Showers

While we're on the whole baby theme, I'm also really excited for the baby showers and maternity photos that we have planned in the next month or so. I feel like most of those things don't really happen as much with baby two or more, so I'm relishing these sweet first pregnancy moments. (For bumpdates, click here!)

 

5. Celebrating Four Years of Marriage

On June 15th, 2013, Aaron and I said "I do", and I've never regretted that decision for a second. This year will look a little different, but I'm still excited to acknowledge our anniversary and celebrate the sweet new stage of marriage we'll be in. I know that being parents will bring new strains to our marriage, but we are committed to keeping it strong and dating each other forever

6. Year Three of the Blog! 

I can't believe that Currently, Kelsie will be two years old in just a few days. 2017 will usher in the third year of the blog, and I'm so excited to see where it will go from here. I'm definitely still learning more and more day by day, and setting new goals for myself. Thanks for joining us! 

7.  Five Months at Home 

Because of the baby's due date, along with the fact that I saved up 52 days of my PTO, I will more than likely be home with our little one for five months! Depending on when baby arrives, and how many snow days we have, I should be able to take the entire rest of the year off and go straight into summer. It will be so nice and means we won't have to take them to daycare right away! 

8. Companion Pass Adventures with Baby

Even though traveling won't be happening for us in February or over Spring Break, we will still have our Companion Pass through the entire year of 2017. With me flying free, Baby flying free, and Aaron flying on points, we'll likely still be doing some trips this summer and fall. I'm hoping to visit Seattle, and also maybe somewhere in the Caribbean (baby needs a passport!).

9. Continuing Home Decor Updates and Projects

I always have a lot of fun dreaming and planning new updates for our sweet home. This year I'll be finishing up the nursery (reveal to come soon!), as well as white-washing our fireplace and tackling our bedroom. I have yet to do anything with our bedroom since we moved in nearly four years ago, so I'm thinking we'll start with paint and some new decor, and then Aaron may build us some new furniture including a King bed frame! Stay tuned.

10. A Trip to Colorado? 

Since Aaron will be spending a week or two in Italy this year on an EF Tour, I'm thinking that may be a great time to take a little trip to Colorado with my family. Baby K definitely needs to see the mountains, and it would be fun to have some extra hands while Daddy is away.

 

11. Watching our Parents be Grandparents

Speaking of extra hands, we are SO blessed to have both sets of our parents living within 15 minutes of us. I am not taking that for granted for a second, and I know it will be so nice for them to be so close. Our baby (and future babies) will be so blessed to have grandparents so close, and I'm grateful for the willing babysitters we will have around. It will be so fun to watch them love on our kiddos.

12. Aaron Getting His Master's

I'm so excited that Aaron is starting work on his master's degree! It's in administration, and all online so it will be totally doable with Baby. I'm grateful for an amazing man who loves his family so well and provides for us!

13. Fun Adventures with Friends 

Even though I'm a little worried our friends won't want to be around as much when we have a baby, we're pretty committed to making sure that we still make time for fun adventures with them. I know for a fact that we do have some great friends who are also excited to love on our child, and I'm looking forward to watching them in that new role. Adventures definitely await!

14. Slower, More Intentional Days 

Although I'm well aware that maternity leave won't be a walk in the park, and that I'll have lots of eye bags from sleepless nights, I am looking forward to the slower, intentional days with our sweet little one. We live pretty full lives right now with school, coaching, YoungLife, church, and more, and as things shift and change a bit for us, I think it will be good for me, both as a mama and just as a woman in general. It will also be nice to turn off the work email and just focus on our family for a while.


15. Reading for Pleasure 

With all of the time I won't be spending reading essays and grading this spring, I'm looking forward to reading some books that I actually want to read. Last summer I did a whole lot of reading while we were traveling, and it was so great. Anyone have recommendations?? 

16. New Year's 2017? 

We hosted a New Year's Eve Party in our home this year and it was really fun. It was the first year in a long time that we hadn't traveled or been elsewhere for the holiday. It was nice to be home, but I also wouldn't be against a little New Year's Eve trip next year- maybe even without baby at that point. We shall see!

17. Figuring Out What I'm Being Called to Next

While we were on our Nashville Babymoon, Aaron and I spent a lot of time talking about life, marriage, and what the Lord is calling us to next. And I realized that, other than becoming a parent, I wasn't really sure what I was being called to. I'm looking forward to spending more time with God this year, just listening and taking time to be still and figure out what excites my heart and how God can use me in that.

Cheers to a whole new year full of life, love, and lots of laughter. I hope your 2017 leaves you just as excited and grateful for the new year as it does for us.

Currently,
Kelsie

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44 comments:

  1. You've got a full 2017! Can't wait to "meet" Baby K!

    www.justmurrayed.com

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  2. I love that almost all of these revolve around baby! I am so excited for y'all and this new adventure!!! :)

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  3. It looks like it is goint o be a great year for you. Enjoy every moment of it. :)

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  4. What an exciting year you all have ahead of you!! Enjoy every minute of it!!

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  5. This year is going to be MAGICAL for you, Kelsie! SO many huge milestones...A BABY!!!

    Coming Up Roses

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    1. Ahh, thanks Erica! We are so excited and sometimes I still can't believe it!

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  6. Congrats on the new baby and the new blessing you have coming your way.

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  7. Life just gets better and better! I'm so excited to see y'all welcome your little one.

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  8. Becoming a mom is the best thing ever! And so great that you'll be able to spend so long at home with your new little one :)

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    1. I'm so excited for it, Abby! And yes, I'm so blessed!

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  9. Loved reading about all the things you're looking forward to in 2017! It looks like you're set up for the year and ready for a year of some amazing milestones! Congrats!

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  10. You have so much to look forward to this year - I'm so excited for you! All the best to you and your expanding family in 2017. <3

    Christie's Take on Life. xx

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  11. It sounds like there's a lot of really exciting things ahead for you in 2017! It'll be a busy year, but a good one. :)

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  12. You and your husband are so adorable <3
    This year is going to be a great one for you and your family! This baby is going to shake up your world - in the best possible way :)

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  13. You have SO many exciting things happening this year! It's so great that both of your parents live so close to you guys. That will definitely help out a lot! My favorite book right now is "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It's a novel that offers a raw perspective on life as an immigrant in the US. It's a love story, too. :)

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    1. We sure do! We are so blessed. Thanks for sharing!!

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  14. You have so many amazing things to look forward to this year. I'm looking forward to reading all about it!

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    1. Thank you, Courtney! We are so excited. Thanks for following along!

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  15. you have so many wonderful things to look forward to this year! Wishing you all that and more in 2017 :)

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  16. What an exciting year ahead for you! Baby K will be here before you know it!

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  17. Sounds like 2017 is going to be even better than 2016 for you guys--this makes me super happy. I look forward to being part of it through your blog!

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  18. So many special milestones this year! You should be proud! Excited to see your precious little one :)

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    1. Thanks so much, Shane! I'm excited to see them too :)

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  19. You have a lot to look forward to this year! Babies are surely a blessing.

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    1. Every day I am reminded of how much this baby is definitely a blessing!

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  20. This sounds so sweet! Have a wonderful 2017!

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  21. Five months off will be SO nice. I went back to work (and only part-time) at four months and while physically I felt fine much earlier, I was getting zero sleep those first three months. I don't know how people go back to work at two or six weeks. Hopefully, Baby K will sleep better than my Phoenix. ;-)

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    1. I am so looking forward to it! I'm a little nervous about the sleep, and seriously don't know how people do it either before at least 8 weeks! Fingers crossed for Baby K ha!

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  22. You have so much to look forward to in 2017! I'm trying to continue to make reading a habit. I love it so much, but constantly find myself making excuses why not to. Have fun during your 5 months off! Super jealous :)

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  23. It's going to be such an exciting year for you!! And how awesome you'll get to be with your babe for 5 whole months. We're planning a trip to Seattle for this year too, hopefully it happens!

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