vegetables, piano, and malaria

A few weeks ago, Nate challenged us each to set three goals for this year (not that I've ever been slow to make goals at the beginning of the year!). In thinking over what is important to me, I am proud to have come up with three goals that I feel really encapsulate what I care about most deeply. 

First, a goal for my family. I want to give them more servings of vegetables each week. Plain and simple. Not sharing the specific number because I'm embarrassed by how low it has been in the past, haha. 

Second, a goal for me. I want to play the piano at least 3 days a week for any period of time. I sat down the other day and pulled out my Star Wars piano solo book, and played Rey's Theme. It is hard, and yet so beautiful. The notes are more than inspiring to me; they feel like they pull something foundational to my being closer to the surface. They remind me of who I am and who I want to be. I can't really describe it. But, playing the piano - particularly learning and perfecting difficult pieces - makes me feel smart, a feeling that I haven't gotten to feel as much in the last season of life (pregnancy and postpartum brain)!

Lastly, a goal for others. There is nothing I love in the world more than my children. Nursing my baby day after day, I have often been staggered by the fear of losing him, as unlikely as that is. But for some, it is not so unlikely. I looked up what is the leading cause of child death, and one of the top results was malaria. I did research into what organization would best use funds to help save lives, and the Malaria Consortium rose to the top. Each $7 protects a child for a year with bed nets and health programs, and every $5,000 saves a life (which, apparently, is one of the most cost-effective ways to save lives in the world!). So, this year - somehow - I am going to try to earn as much as I can to donate to the Malaria Consortium. Because if I was a mother who risked losing my child to a preventable disease, I would give anything to get them back. I would only hope that someone on the other side of the world would help give me my baby back. 

So that's 2025 - if I can hold to these goals, I can't wait to see how the year unfolds.