Each year, we get together for a special tradition called our State of Our Union. It’s kind of like the marriage spin on the State of THE Union address. What can we say, we like a theme.

We use the SOOU to look back over the previous year and analyze what worked, what didn’t work, what we want to do again, and things we want to change in the upcoming year. Also, this is where we sit down and create our list of family goals for the year. We have broken things down into six categories: family/marriage, social, financial, spiritual, fitness/health, and business.

This year, we were lucky to be able to take a vacation for our kick-off. We went to Seven Springs Resort just outside of Pittsburgh, PA and got to ski, snow shoe, and relax as we looked forward to 2015. Each year, we go through and do an individual look back before we come together and discuss the year ahead. This way we aren’t influencing each others opinions and we can honestly process our view of the year. 

Here are some of the goals that we have set for 2015!

Family/Marriage: Take Brinkley on more walks and to the dog park more often, go to a marriage retreat
Financial: Create Adventure Fund, increase tithing
Social: Start having a Dinner Club, spend more time bonding with our small groups
Business: 5 new Fox Den Woodshop projects
Spiritual: Begin a new married small group, find a place to speak about issues that are part of our story
Fitness/Health: Mandy – Finish a half-marathon, try aerial silks; Conner – Complete a Spartan Trifecta, find my elusive abs

Those are just a few of the things we are working towards this year. What are your 2015 goals?