2025 Mid-Year Goals Review

We’re halfway through the year, which means it’s time for a goal update! I’m grateful for a chance to look up, celebrate what’s gone well, and reset for the second half of the year. You may recall that I had a larger-than-usual slate of goals for 2025, so let’s dig in — and I’ll try to keep it brief!

Big Goals

Goal No. 1: Achieve a VO2 max of at least 38

Progress I’ve made: After discovering that my V02 max was “below-average” thanks to my Apple Watch late last year, I set out to run once a week in the hopes of improving it. I did so for about two months, then started to suffer from knee pain. I resolved to strengthen the muscles around my knees to better support my running, so stopped running (and basically all cardio, oops) and focused on increasing strength training instead. 

After my bloodwork wakeup call at the end of June (see below!), my new goal is to strength train three times a week (often with the Peloton Strength app) and walk briskly every morning for 30-40 minutes. The chance to catch up on my favorite podcasts has been more than enough to get me out of bed and I haven’t missed a day yet. My current V02 max is 30.6, up just a bit from 29.9 at the beginning of this year (though it now qualifies as “above average”!).

The next six months: Keep rolling with my morning walks and three-days-a-week strength training.

Goal No. 2: Plan and enjoy our 20th high school reunion

Progress I’ve made: We celebrated our reunion weekend at the end of June and it was everything I could have hoped for and more. I’d relive it a thousand times over if I could. 

The next six months: I have reflections in the works for both Em for Marvelous — a rundown of the logistics and special details — and The Connected Family — some reflections on friendship before social media. For me, an experience like this isn’t complete until I’ve had a chance to capture it in words.

Goal No. 3: Refresh our master bathroom

Progress I’ve made: Thanks to a few conversations with an interior designer friend, we pulled inspiration, decided on a new layout, and started to select some finishes. We also interviewed and got estimates from three contractors — only to choose one and learn that they’re pausing all bathroom projects until they can hire a new trim carpenter. Argh!

The next six months: I’m hopeful our contractor will be back on track soon and we’ll be able to complete this project before the end of the year. While they’re in the house working on the bathroom, we also asked them to build a cased opening with built-in bookcases in our main room, to add a bit of separation between our dining and family room areas. Very excited about that, too!

Goal No. 4: Launch the TCF audio course

Progress I’ve made: Almost none, and honestly, it’s hard not to feel pretty pathetic at this point. I did make a decision about shifting the focus a bit, and that feels good, but it’s been hard to find time to work on it.

The next six months: As much as I’d love to make a big push now, summer — with the kids home from school and frequent travel — is not the time. I think my next mini milestone will be to have the revised outline ready to review with John before our anniversary trip in September.

Goal No. 5: Celebrate “The Year of Dating” 

Progress I’ve made: This is a vague goal, and so it’s hard to track progress — but I do feel there’s been some. I’m thinking of some hard-but-fruitful conversations we had earlier this year, especially.

The next six months: An important task in the back half of this year is to secure a new regular babysitter. Our beloved babysitter as well as our back-up babysitter are both off to college next month, and though I know it’s not the last time we’ll see them, we do need someone to help out on an ongoing basis. I have my eye on a new gal — she lives in our neighborhood — so I feel hopeful it will work out, but I need to close the deal :)

Small Goals

Goal No. 1: Complete June and Shep’s baby books

June’s is complete! Feeling confident I can wrap up Shep’s before the end of the summer, too.

Goal No. 2: Transition Annie’s room to a big-kid room

Annie is out of her crib and happily ensconced in her gigantic queen bed. We’ve also replaced her dresser, swapped out the lamps, cleaned out the closet, and arranged her belongings in a way that’s helpful for her but neat-enough to accommodate occasional guests. The piece de resistance was hanging her new name banner from my friend Alli — one of her fourth birthday gifts! — on her door.

Goal No. 3: Host a potluck party

A date is on the books for September!

Goal No. 4: Visit a PCP and complete bloodwork

Done! After throwing up my hands in frustration over my own pickiness at choosing a doctor, I finally called a newly-opened practice five minutes from our house and made an appointment for the following day. I got lucky, because my doctor (actually a PA) was lovely and seemed sympathetic to my functional medicine/Peter Attia-flavored preferences.

While booking the appointment ended up being easier than I anticipated, the results themselves turned out to be a bit harder. Most of my levels were fine, but two were slightly elevated. I’m working on a few dietary and workout changes (see V02, above!), and we’ll recheck in six months. While some of the data was surprising and upsetting, I’m ultimately glad to have it.

Goal No. 5: Buy an original piece of art

Our visit to Maine is coming up later this month. I’m excited to pop into a few galleries and see what I can find!

Habits

Habit No. 1: Practice the piano regularly

I have certainly fallen short of my original goal of 20 minutes four times a week, but I have practiced much more than in any year past — so I’m considering that a success. I average playing one to two times a week right now. Something fun: several people in our church community group are working on musical goals this year, and we’ve decided that we’re going to have a mini recital at group in December! Yes, these are adults, ha.

Habit No. 2: Keep a scripture memory ring on the table

Most of my memorization energy has gone to the Gettysburg Address in the last few months, but I did create a memory ring out of index cards and added the scripture we’ve already memorized as a family to it. Psalm 100 is on deck after I’m done with Lincoln’s speech.

Habit No. 3: Clean out my phone screenshots day by day

The plan here: each day of the year, I’d sort through and take action on just that day’s screenshots from every year before. For example, on January 1, I might view and take action on screenshots for January 1 of 2020, 2021, and 2024. It has continued to be a productive delight; it feels so satisfying to put every recipe, playlist, book recommendation, and inspiration image where it can be put to good use. 

Habit No. 4: Reflect the heart of the Father for the fatherless

My original intention was to support our friends and neighbors as they opened their home to a foster child, but since they don’t have a placement yet, I’ve shifted my energy to supporting needs through Care Portal. Care Portal connects families with specific needs with folks who can help, facilitated by agencies or ministries on one end and churches on the other. I try to fill at least one need a month, and so far we’ve provided things like bedding, roller skates, diapers, and kids’ clothing (either bought new or donated from our own gently-used stockpile).

Habit No. 5: Read the Bible daily 

Though I originally planned to rest from a chronological plan this year, I never got into a topical study… so somewhat impulsively started the Bible Recap again on July 1! I listen to the scripture and commentary on my morning walk, and sometimes when I get ready for bed, too. I will almost certainly not finish by the end of the year but that’s just fine!

Tech Goals

I shared six tech-related goals on The Connected Family at the beginning of the year. I covered two of them in the habits section above, and here are the others:

Tech Goal No. 1: Better understand our school-issued Chrome book

Thanks to a generous reader and friend, I am making progress on this! I have a request out to her to collaborate with me on a resource on this topic for TCF and have my fingers crossed she’ll agree. 

Tech Goal No. 2: Encourage June to bike to a friend’s home

Hasn’t happened yet but we’ve talked about it a bunch and I have hope it will happen before the end of the summer.

Tech Goal No. 3: Work toward a district-wide bell-to-bell school phone ban

I sadly can’t say we have achieved a district-wide bell-to-bell school phone ban yet, though our county did tighten their rules a bit — and will be forced to tighten them a bit more with new legislation that passed at the state level in June! (YAY!) It’s satisfying to feel I did what I could to support both, including appearing on my local news station in support of tighter policies (!!), emailing board members and governor’s working group members to advocate for more responsible policies, and encouraging my friends to take action, as well.

Tech Goal No. 4: Achieve active Wait Until 8th pledges in both our children’s grades

We have achieved one for Shep’s grade (YAY!) but not yet for June’s grade. I plan to raise awareness at the beginning of the new school year once again in the hopes of rallying more parents.

Thank you, as always, for listening, friends! It is a joy to share my goals here with you, and a joy to hear what you’re working on, as well. I’d love to check in on your progress in the comments, if you’d like to share! xo