A life worth living

Warning: I'm going to get all personal and gooey for this post.

Rhetorical question- what do you believe in? 

I believe that we have been given a special opportunity.  We were born wealthier than most people in the world, we are healthy and free.  We have agency.  These are gifts the were bestowed on us, we did nothing to earn them.  I want to live a life that makes the world better on some small level.  I want to be a good custodian of the things entrusted to me.  I want to live a life of purpose, to do things that fulfill me because they have meaning.  I want to have a family that loves and respects each other.  I want to be present in the moments of my life.  I don't believe in droning along, checking out or living in my head.  I used to be like that and it was horrible.  If I have a purpose and know where I'm going then I'm happy.  I have things to look forward to.  I want to know myself and live by a set of principles that preserve peace in the world but understand desperation and suffering.  This is my own little mission statement and these are the things that guide me through life. 

I never make new years resolutions.   Instead I like to have goals and plans.  Purposeful, right?  My favorite kind of plan is the five year plan.  Oh how I love five year plans!  So exciting!  The great flaw in the five year plan is that sometimes I don't think far enough ahead.  Like when I married H and was only really thinking of the first five years so the 'move to a small German town and then say goodbye to your husband for five months' part really took me by surprise.  Nevertheless, it's time to make a new five year plan and think up some short term goals between now and then to make that five year plan work. 

Here we go!

Sara's five year plan:

Have another baby in 2014.  This means getting pregnant sometime later this year.  Ugh.  Not looking forward to being pregnant again.  I need to lose the last five pounds of baby weight and get into shape first.  I know without a doubt it's going to be another psychically trying pregnancy.  Short term goal- be able to run five miles by Sophie's first birthday and fit into all my pre-baby cloths.  That means I need to lose about three pounds a month for the next two months.  I'd better get started on this asap.  I think I'll do Pilates on the days the weather is too bad to run.  Better something than nothing.

Move to the US.  I love Germany but my career prospects here are stunted.  When Sophie is old enough to be in school I don't want to putter around feeling meaningless.  I have a bachelors degree that I worked my butt off to attain.  I considered bringing my German level up high enough to go to school here and maybe eventually working in Germany but it's so much effort.  The job market isn't as flexible.  H and I agreed it is only fair I get a chance to do what I want with my life so we're moving back.   Short term goals- save money for the move (four plane tickets plus shipping sentimental belongings over the Atlantic) and get H's visa by the time his contract is finished so he can come with us :)

Buy a house.  I really want to buy a house when we move.  Owning a home is a big life achievement for me.  Sometimes I look at properties around the US and calculate how much a down payment would be.  Right now I believe we could do it.  Short term goal- save money for down payment.

Get a job I like in my field.  This will require more education, either becoming certified or going back for my master's degree.  I'm really excited about this.  Short term goals- decide on a career and get my qualifications.  Make sure we move to an area in the US where I can go to school and get a job.

Appreciate our last years in Europe.  Like most expats I complain about living in a foreign country a lot.  That doesn't mean I don't love Germany.  I'm going to miss it terribly when we leave- the food, the peaceful Sundays, the beach, all my international friends.  My focus right now is loving my family, being the best mom I can be and supporting H.  We might have to move again because of his career.  I also want to hit as many places on my travel bucket list that are closer to Europe than the US: Morocco, Turkey, the Seychelles, Kenya, Rome, Ireland, India, and Norway. Traveling might effect how much money we save but I think it's worth it. 

Anyone else make five year plans?