My top 5 goals for 2013!!

Out with the Old and in with the NEW!!

 

Okay, so most of you might be thinking "What the heck?? Why is she putting up a blog about goals/intentions for the New Year?  Isn't is almost February?"

 

With that said, I am usually a person who reacts to things and who wants to get things done quickly and check them off of my list. I am not a very patient person (just ask my hubby) and I want to explore new things right away, take off at a moment's notice, get things done in a timely manner (or what I consider to be RIGHT NOW) and then just get frustrated in the process!

 

However, here is to not only a NEW YEAR but a NEW ME!  I have spent the last month looking at what I would consider to be "Goals" of my life during this coming year. Health? Family? Fitness? Finances? Job?  Wow, who thought that making goals could be so hard??

 

So, here they are... my GOALS for this year, actually written down!  I am hoping that this will not only help me to remember (which I have a knack of forgetting quite a bit lately) but that some folks will even hold me accountable and not be afraid to ask how things are going for me when they see me out and about or how I am doing with a particular part of my life. I am not a shy person and even though I am totally putting myself out there and which is totally out of my comfort zone, feel free to make me uncomfortable!!!

 

 

Goal # 1:  Care for myself- physically, emotionally and spiritually

This goal encompasses anything and everything that I feel it means to be a good mother, good wife and overall good person. I will use this goal as a way to focus on myself and my overall health, by way of exercising and diet. I will use this goal as a checkpoint on where I am at on an emotional level and might even share some of my "downfalls" in the process and as a way to learn more about my love for God and all that He has planned for my life

 

Goal # 2: Appreciate and love my marriage
I am happy to say that my hubby and I have been in love for over 11 years and for 7 of those years, we have been married. In my life, I didn't always have the best role models for this area of life, so this is a brand new realm of being for me. Should be interesting! 

Goal # 3: Nourish my relationship with my children
As many of you know, I am mother to a wonderful 2 year old daughter (who will be 3 this coming month) and she is one of the most interesting human beings that I have ever come in contact with. But some of you might not know that I am also a STEPMOTHER to two grown boys (well I guess they could be considered men, as they are 21 years and 18 years) and I became a "mother" before that which I had planned for my life. I will definitely share some interesting things about these relationships and how I can learn to better nurture all of them.


http://myquoteshome.com/



Goal # 4:  Learn to be a better steward of the resources given to me and my family
A few years ago, the hubby and I went through what is called Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University at our church (http://www.daveramsey.com/home/) and it has since changed our life dramatically. HOWEVER, we still have a TON of work left to do and I want to use this year as a time to focus completely on our overall financial and resourceful goals for the coming year. Call it "crunch time" as I am currently unemployed or just fate that we need to finally become better stewards of not only finances but other resources that are available and given to us on a daily basis. 


Great website to check out: http://somegirlswebsite.com/showing-love/2011/06/are-we-being-good-stewards/



Goal #5: Recognize and create meaningful work
For many years, this completely meant going to a job every day and working to do community projects, interact with business folks, serve on boards and such. However, today this means a TOTALLY different thing to me during this stage of life. It means creating meaningful work as a mother, a wife, a community person and so much more. This is going to be a hard one for me to grasp in life!

My hands are just way to clean (in a figurative sense)!!





Grandest Goal of them all: To learn to love my life, no matter what I or others think it "should" look like, by being open to ever present possibilities

 

 

Question of the Day:

Do you set goals for yourself? What do you find easiest to accomplish and how? Do you already have goals that you feel like you have failed in?

 



 



Mundane Marriages

Mundane? Ever think of that word in terms of your marriage? Ordinary, common, unimaginative??  Okay, might sound a bit dramatic in terms of negativity, but that might be just the drama that I need to keep myself and my marriage "in check"!

This past Friday, the hubby and I heard a great message regarding the fact that you and your spouse are so different, yet must be on the same page with life and goals. There are certain ways you can react when your spouse does something that you do not like or that upsets you, but you must decide what is actually going to be effective and what might not be.

What about validating the fact that your spouse is differrent from you and it is okay? But is it really? I mean honestly... I hear that it is the differences that attracted you to that person and blah, blah, blah. But arent these the things that end up just ticking you off more?

However,  I don't want it to be MUNDANE, so aren't these differences helping in to keep our marriage interesting?  Well, I guess that makes sense but I could do without those things that I might find to be annoying or frustrating or all together unnecessary.

Okay, so with all of that said... Here is a goal for me this year (I told you that I have been working on them):

** Appreciate and love my marriage **

I know it is broad but my focus will be on a monthly basis and will include all sorts of ideas, activities, thoughts and much more

Now mind you... I write this AFTER the hubby and I had a huge fight this afternoon... but we did end up talking it out and our feelings were heard and I felt validated in the end. :)

What can you do to improve your marriage over the next year?

What do you already love about your marriage and what could be improved?

What do you have planned to focus on your marriage in the coming weeks?

What do you do to make sure that your marriage doesn't always end up feeling "mundane"??

For more information on the speakers that we heard: http://smalley.cc/

Okay, so here is our "normal" picture from the Marriage Inc Date Night (well except that it is so close to Michael's face)

If anyone knows me, I tend to stick my tongue out alot in pictures.. it's my "silly" side.. although not so flattering!

Okay, so do any other males out there find it funny to continue taking pictures of your wife after
 she has clearly stated that her hair looks a mess and then is trying to fix it before the next one??
Yea, that would be Michael! (notice the smirk on his face?)

Woohoo! Time with the hubby!

Preparing for date night with my hubby... Yeah! Time together!  It is nice to spend time just the two of us and learn new things about our marriage and enjoy some good laughs along the way, I am sure!

Great resource for those in our area: http://marriageinc.org/blog/

Looking forward to a great time with several other couples at the ONU Centennial Chapel tonight!

What do others do to keep their marriage strong and spend time with one another? Is it a top priority in your life? How do you keep it that way?

** still working on goals for this year, which will be sure to include some for my marriage! Keep ya posted!

Craft Day January 2013

My apologies for a few days away.. gotta love technology!  I was unable to upload pictures and who likes reading blogs without visuals?? Not me!!

So with that said, here is what Abby and I did during our last "Mommy/Abby" day!  She was so excited to do crafts and use her imagination. Does it count that she only made it about 20 minutes though??

Don't mind the Eeyore tattoo on her arm!! We like to start them young!

Thanks to a few other fellow blogs, I was able to get some ideas on projects to decorate my own for Valentine's Day, which is often a holiday that I forget about merely because I am just taking down Christmas decorations and being Irish, I look toward shamrocks and pots of gold!

However, I did do some projects...

My Valentine's "Button Heart" Project
For under $10 total, I was able to put together a really cute  decoration for my fireplace mantel
A Favorite Site for DIY Crafts and Projects: Tater Tots and Jello

Also, I saw a cute project that I could do with Abby and it involves some simple yarn, a canvas and some hot glue:

Some Red and Pink/White yarn wrapped around some wooden cutout hearts and hot glued to a canvas! So easy!
Credit: iVillage.com

Another cute idea to sit up on my fireplace mantel:

And probably my favorites of the day:

The Valentine's Day frames that Abby made for herself and Daddy!
(nevermind giving something to Mommy)

All in all, it was a productive day and a great way to spend with my daughter. I am hoping that she loves crafts as much as I do and even though we had hot glue all over the place, along with buttons and sticky hearts, it was great time spent!

Emptiness

What a great way to end a not so great day. In working on our new study for my small group, I learned things that I never knew before, gained a new perspective on the hardships that happen in life and that being part of a family doesn't always mean that we can't continue to grow in our life.

Although I have done studies before, I have never connected to the Word of God and to Beth Moore as I am now. I feel that God has been speaking to me over the past year and I feel like my eyes have been opened and it is finally time for me to get over my own insecurities, faults and other things that are holding me back and commit to the fact that I need to become fully immersed in His word and His plan for me.

One of the best things that I heard Beth say in the study, so far, is the following: (please excuse my paraphrasing)
"Life may be challenging but does not have to be empty. For that emptiness makes way for grace"

Profound! Profound! Profound! If there ever was a quote that I needed to hear at this time in my life... Boy, that was it! You're killing me God and Beth Moore!

"Life may be challenging but does not have to be empty. For that emptiness makes way for grace"

And I will leave it at that...

Living Proof Ministries blog: http://blog.lproof.org/
More about Beth Moore:www.lproof.org

Do New Beginnings Really Exist??

Okay, so I started this blog to give myself the freedom to express my thoughts, feelings and the like. I enjoy the way that it allows me to be creative and pushes me to go beyond what is comfortable and truly take part in and observe the outside world and how I fit into all of it.

With that said, I feel like I am sort of being constantly bombarded with things from every direction and have lost sight of what I have wanted to use this outlet for...

I have decided that my life is going to look how I want it to look and it is time that I truly reflect on some personal, professional and spiritual goals over the next year. I have been reading blogs and websites that outline the goals of others and I think that it is finally time to write some thoughts down, begin to work toward them and hold myself accountable. Regardless of my fears, my limitations and whatever else might be standing in my way, I vow this is the time to put everything into perspective and start to journey toward a life of fullness and along the way, I am sure what will become a life full of grace and mercy.

Sound to good to be true? Try me!

My first agenda item: Construct a list of goals (in whatever format might come to me) and gain focus on what there is to work toward, complete and celebrate in my life! To carve out time for myself, in order to reflect on what will help to make me a better wife, mother and true life seeker- exactly what I "brand" myself to be!

Stay tuned...

Image credit: http://www.seanseahsg.com/goals-that-work-s-m-a-r-t-e-r-goals-for-2013/

Pure Heaven

Does anyone else have a crazy obsession with planners and organizers?  Do you love the time of year when everyone is highlighting NEW planners and better ways to organize the compartments of your life and of your world?

Okay, so maybe I am just a complete weirdo, but I LOVE organizers. Actually, I am guilty of buying multiple ones thinking that they are the next best thing and that my life will be completely and utterly organized in one binder!  I do think I have switched between 3 different ones in the past 6 months!

Thanks to Kyle Roma, a fellow blogger (http://www.kylaroma.com/), the new and happening planners have already been reviewed!!

Alas, she also makes her own!! Maybe that is the solution for my crazy addiction to finding the right planner after all!

How do you best organize/plan your life?? 

In Who Do You Trust??

 

Have you ever felt blindsided by something??

 

Just when it seems like you have everything together, your life is turned upside down and it is NOTHING how you planned. This basically sums up my past year.

 

January is a time for new beginnings, new goals, changes and a different way. For many, it may be personal or perhaps professional or may even focus on others. It is a time when we look back on the past year and basically decide what we did not like and what we need to change in order to live a better life.

 

Although I am not one that typically admits to making "resolutions", I can see the value and I love to see the spark in the eyes of others at the time of year. However, I find it daunting to have another list of ways that I want to change about myself.... Is it just me?

 

Sitting in church service today, I was reminded that God has a different way of showing us a plan for our lives. Often times, what we might consider to be successful and what that looks like is totally different from what He has planned. We always hear that there is a plan for our life and we must be open to it, but do we really live that out? My past year couldn't have been a better depiction of this type of trust and faith. In losing my job after a long and often tiring battle with those around me, I became an unemployed wife and mother. For many years, my identity depended upon my career and the influence that I had in the community. Call it what you may, but that experience will forever be one of the most humbling.

 

Needless to say, I am constantly reminded of His grace and His plan for me and that I need to be just like my 2 year old daughter who stands on the floor, reaches up her arms and says "Uppy Daisy Momma"! I am done accepting misery over surrender, done trying to control what I think or feel should happen, done basing my worth on how others might have seen me in the past. I am to live a life of dependence and one that is a living sacrifice.

 

What holds you back from completely surrendering to that which you cannot control??

To Do or Not To Do...

That is the question!

So, in between moving totes from the garage to the basement and then shuffling through bills and budgets to then finding some time to eat, what great timing from Oprah! Okay, so many swear by Oprah and some others loath her (maybe out of jealousy, perhaps.. But we won't go there!). Either way, my O Magazine arrived in the mail today and on the cover, the headline reads "Your Ahhhh! Moment!"

Really? Seriously? I am supposed to find an "ahhh" moment in all of this? I can't... I have laundry to fold, dishes to do and I am sure that a shower should be in order. However, a few minutes of my time were well worth it!

In an article, time manager Julie Morgenstern, talks about "to do lists" and how to better manage them. Is this an oxymoron? Perhaps, but I should just read already... Do you get to the point where you write down 10 things and just cry? Well fear no more!

Her mock list included things like Kickboxing, calling someone, book flights for a trip (I wish), checking bills, reminders for other people and the list goes on and on...

Just a few of my faves:

• Stop worrying about reminding others to do things. If they are adults, then it's not your problem
• A good list includes connecting with at least one other person, which helps to keep you energized (this is the one that I have to work on the most)
• Never put off anything that could cost you money. Look for deals and then snag them when you can!
• Do something for yourself- whether it be physical, mental or spiritual. It doesn't have to cost alot of money or be a time-consuming, but will make you happy!

So I don't know about you but the first thing on my "to do" list is TO DO LIFE!

What do you do to manage your "to do" list???

Joy versus Happiness

For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith. This is not from yourselves but a gift from God- not by works, So that noone can boast.   Ephesians 2:8-9

I am so glad that I listened to the "whisper" from God to not put off reading His Word anymore and to commit to overcoming barriers and inconveniences to take part in a Wednesday night Bible Study, once again... We always hear about those times when His timing is perfect and when our lives fit directly into what He has planned. This couldn't be more true than tonight!

Our study focuses in the letter from Paul to the Phillippians. It is based on the concept of joy versus happiness and helping to spread the Word of God even in the midst of troubling times. It is in regards to sharing in the Joy of Christ.

I realize that my professional life may not be exactly what I want it or thought it to be... My life is definitely not comprised of situations that I ever thought I would face. Even though my life may not be completely "happy" in many peoples' eyes, I have to be honest in saying that I have managed to find JOY and that I am at peace with things that have been happening and, better yet, not happening in my life during the past year.

What does happiness mean to you? What about JOY?

Not so "Hoot" Moment

Okay, ever have one of those moments where you think to yourself-- "what in the world was I thinking" or "what in the world just happened"??

Well, one of those happened to me yesterday!  Of course, I could continue to blog about all of the wonderful things about my life and about myself and throw a question out there once in a while. However, I told myself that I am going to be honest with those that read my blog and open up my life (the good, the bad and the ugly).

So, with that, I felt it only appropriate to make a category called my "Not so HOOT" moments-- enjoy!

To begin this part of my blog, I wanted to share the above picture from a moment in my life (yesterday morning) where I quite clearly was NOT paying attention, was a bit scatter brained and totally backed right into the mailbox outside of our new home. Now, please bare with me that I have not had to park my truck in a garage EVER and I am a bit off with my depth perception with all of it lately. Therefore, the poor mailbox took a good beating and my truck an even worse one!  To make it even worse, I heard a crunch but didn't think to look at anything and didn't notice this damaged spot until I was in the parking lot at Target and couldn't quite get my back truck gate to open!!

So if you see a bright orange Dodge Nitro driving around town with a damaged back end feel free to honk, wave and just shake your head-- I won't be offended!

So yea, definitely one of my "Not so HOOT" moments!!

I actually DO clean!!

Okay, so for those of you that have read my "plan" (shocking, isn't it?) in keeping my house clean throughout the week... I have actually followed the schedule (for the most part) for a couple of weeks now. My weekends are now FREE to spend how I wish and I am able to get things done before the family gets home and enjoy a clean home when we are all together. Nothing takes me more than 30 minutes to do each day and our house is staying clean (well according to my standards).

Now, if I could only get something that comes through my house and sucks up toys and clothes, sorts them and puts them away... that would be AMAZING! Maybe I can install some sort of vacuum system in our ceilings and set them on timers!! Hmm... there is a thought...

I challenge you to not let cleaning take over the time that should be spent with family and just take a few minutes each day to do something that I would consider to be "deep" cleaning (ie mopping floors, vacuuming, sweeping, etc). What can you do differently??

Okay, now on to vacuum before my family learns my secret and their thought of me as a "Mom that does it all" starts to fade! ;)

 

It's finally here!

Thanks to my husband (who is obviously the older but also sometimes wiser one in our relationship), my blog has a NEW name!

Obviously, some past blogs this week have been about owls and to be honest, I just liked the template by Leeloublogs.com and a really cute ceramic owl statue that I saw in some random catalog that is sitting on my coffee table at home.

However, little did I know that it would lead to the future name of my blog! Of course, owls are thought to be night-time predators and although I would have classified myself as being that in my college days (well maybe without the predator part), those days are long over!
However, since having a child, night-time wanderer seems more appropriate of a label.

Owls are also thought to be mysterious. I am not sure if I just like to think of myself as mysterious because it sounds cool, but it also leads to a desire to go "deep".

Owls are also considered to be "wise"... Which, of course, is the description that I like the best! Of course, I am wise! I am a wife, a mother, a friend, a sister, a daughter and so on... I HAVE to be "wise" every day in order to survive!

Which leads me to the thought that I look forward to sharing my wise (and I should probably also admit that there is bound to be those moments that are unwise) viewpoints on motherhood, wifehood, the world and life in general.

Prepare to be enlightened and encouraged but also a bit perplexed... Welcome to what I like to say is my life- which is a HOOT! Enjoy!

Bath time=Me time

Aaaahhh.....

Okay, so you probably thought I was going to write a post about a whimsical bath time where Calgon takes me away to some far away land away from noise, turmoil and anarchy... Quite the opposite! Bath time, in this case, means my small toddler in the jacuzzi tub full of bubbles and bath toys. I sit on the floor with iPad in hand and a Starbucks on one side while enjoying a few minutes to myself and to think! Is it wrong that I like to contain my active toddler by allowing her to take a bath and enjoying the fact that she can't go too far??

What do you do to enjoy a few minutes in time of sitting down or even just catching a breath, as a parent? Oh come on, I know I am not the only one out there!


By the way, should I ever have that wonderful bath time to myself that I talked about above, in the near future, I will definitely be sure to let you know (minus any pictures, of course)!

Insomnia!

Ok not sure if I drank too much coffee or...

• just have too many ideas going through my head with what I can do with myself and where the next opportunity lies
• how I can work this blog more
• how I can maximize Pinterest and other social media sites WITHOUT becoming too addicted!
• what Im going to write about next 

OR

It could be the thoughts of what I am going to do with a 2 year old at the dentist tommorrow...Suggestions definitely welcome! But seriously, it is our second try at the dentist so open to ideas! ;)

I haven't felt this energized in a long time!

A True Inspiration

 
The honors of the first person in my series- A True Inspiration goes to...

 Danielle Dugan
(who happens to also be my sister)

Over the past year, Danielle has chosen a path in life that maybe wasn't the necessarily "popular" choice among some, which included the choice to raise her son as what would be considered to be a single mother. In the midst of that, she also helped someone run for political office who she whole-heartedly believed in and was confronted with the often nasty side of politics and the behavior of many during election time (which is definitely NOT pretty). In the midst of all of that, she has decided that her health is of importance and has since lost 80lbs and continues to go to the gym throughout the week, taking time for herself and her well-being, which has not always been a priority in her life.

When asked, she said that her goals include becoming even healthier and losing more weight while continuing to be a mother who provides for her son and continues to show him that he is number one in her life.

Danielle, you are truly an inspiration!

A desire to see the positive

It started with an idea on ways to look for the positive...

 

I have decided to choose local individuals throughout our community who are striving to become a better friend, a better family member, a better wife/husband, a better mother/father or just a better person overall. Those that I would consider to be "inspirational" in their own way.

I am often reminded that we tend to go about our day, which is constantly flooded with the problems in the world or what we do not like about our neighborhoods or those that surround us. However, I do know that there are folks out there that sometimes go unnoticed and may not be involved in high profile jobs or positions (or perhaps they are) but are going about each day trying to make a difference in their lives and those closest to them.

With that said, I will choose individuals that have inspired me already and hope to meet even more people that will have an effect, both big on small, on the remainder of my life.... will post the first honoree soon!

Simple Beauty

Outside our front window at home... so picturesque, isn't it??

Is anyone else smitten with the simple beauty of snow? It is merely frozen crystals of water but it can add to the feeling of comfort any day.

It also makes it okay that we are still in our pajamas, enjoying a cup of hot chai tea and snuggling under a blanket watching Caillou! Oh the life!

Although, we might venture outside and enjoy the snow at some point... Abby should really learn how to make a good snowball, at least!

What do you do on snowy days?

Gratitude...Are you grateful enough?

GRATITUDE

Heavy word isn't it? We always think to ourselves that of course we are grateful and of course our lives could be different, in either a positive or negative way, but do we actually reflect on what we are grateful for? Easier said than done for mothers/fathers who are merely trying to get out of the door in the morning, trying to maximize their time at home or work, trying to cook dinner and spend valuable time with family all to just lay down in bed at night and totally pass out without thinking!

Let alone even think about what to be grateful for during the chaos!

So a challenge: I will write in a "gratitude journal". At least 3 things per day for one month.
I promise to share those things for which I have found myself to be grateful.

Want to join? Get an inexpensive journal that is visually appealing to you and start writing! (great finds at the local dollar store or even our local Michael's is having a great end of year sale now) Would love to hear what others are grateful for over the next month. Can only help all of us, right?

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures"- Thornton Wilder

For tips and research on gratitude journaling: CLICK HERE

Buy an Owl, Help a Child.. Does it get any better?

Okay, so I obviously have the love of the cute ceramic owls and other decor... But did you know that you can be in style AND help a child at St. Jude? Does it get any better than that? Order your own today and please feel free to share pictures on here with your very own owl! Keep an eye out for ours! :)

Click Here to Buy an Owl and Help a Child at St. Jude!

Why the OWLS??

Okay, so you might be wondering why I chose OWLS as the main decor for my blog?? Is anyone else totally enamored by the whole idea of an owl being used in home decor? I just love the look of the owl and although I am yet to convince my husband that it is "in style" and that we should incorporate into our new home, here is a bit of information on the owl craze and shows that I am not just a bored housewife but yet a decoration connoisseur!!

http://www.colourlovers.com/home/blog/2012/01/06/home-decor-trends-that-will-lead-2012-by-storm-part-1

Always in search of something NEW... what about a new name for this blog?!?!?

Help me name my BLOG!! I want to come up with something new, exciting and something that entails all that it means to be a mother, wife and true life seeker! Winner might just get a special gift from me! :) All suggestions welcome! I hope to have something together by the end of this weekend!

Cleaning... Thats all I have to say about that...

Does anyone else have a "schedule" that they follow for cleaning? I have tried to set aside one day during the weekend when we ALL clean, but that just leads to everyone picking up a few items here and there and then I look back with broom and mop in hand and they are on their phones, iPads and even worse, someone else's blog!! So what I have decided for the New Year is that I will do only 1/2 hour each day when noone else is home or taking a nap (the joy of being able to be home) and do one or two tasks. However, my problem is that I need to stop myself there and move on to the next things in life. Those which are far more interesting than cleaning (but who doesn't love a sparkling clean washing machine?) Will keep you posted on how I feel when my weekends are free to enjoy time with my family and not with the cleaning rag... Let me know what you do! Always looking for new ideas!

Groceries... does the word make your skin crawl too??

Okay, so is anyone totally sick of going to the grocery store, spending what feels like their life's savings and then coming home and thinking to yourself.."What in the world are we going to eat?" or "I can only make peanut butter & jelly so many times in one week!" Those days are over for me.. I have tried to plan meals, hunt for the ingredients, make a list.. but it just seems to cause frustration and anxiety and I think what the heck, McDonald's can do it so much better!! However, I am going to take control of our budget (with what little we have for our grocery bill each month), take control of our health as a family and make mealtime a time for all of us to enjoy each other's company during the day... well, except for last night when Abby thought it to be a good idea to reach over and then fell off of the chair and hit her head right smack on the kitchen floor.. NOT FUN! Therefore, I have spent a part of our "budget" money and invested in the website Emeals.com (http://www.emeals.com/) and have picked a Gluten-Free menu mainly so that I can enjoy these dinner times and to see what might work for our family and not stress myself out at the same time! So here is to the last of my anxiety over groceries and to a year of home-cooked meals with my own touch.. doesn't matter that someone else put together the menu right?? I am still a good mother and wife, right?? LOL

Live Your Life... really, do it!

Wow, has this never been more true! It is time that I start to live life according to how I want and not others.. what about you?? Are you living a life that you truly want? What could change or be different to make it more according to how you see yourself? My first "line of attack" is to live a life full of love for my husband, daughter and stepsons by putting their needs before my own and before the needs of others. Even if that means that I have to say NO to something or someone... easier said that done, right?? :) Share your thoughts!

A New Year, A New Me...

A New year, a New me... Sounds so cliche right?? Of course the new year brings new goals, dreams, ambitions, determination and the like for everyone. Last year is a time that you can reflect on, make decisions about and vow to do better. To be honest, I am not entirely sure what happened this past year! I worked at a job and I didn't, I received help and I didn't, I had many converstaions with my Creator and I didn't... Most of all, I reflected on and made decisions about what makes me a person as a mother, wife, woman and true life seeker!
 
I have made the following decisions:

•  I love my family and I am to be a loving wife and mother who helps to provide for them in ways other than being at a job all hours or making a ton of money. 
•  I love my relationship with my daughter and want to be an active part in her life, which means that I must keep the flexibility of doing so close at hand
•  I love my husband and all of his goals and amibitions and I am not less of a woman by being a part of his support network and helping to balance the workload in our home
•  My health does matter and I should be thankful and determined that my life allows the flexbility to take care of myself before I can take care of anyone else
•  I am of worth to my Creator and regardless of what others might think or say, I have a purpose and although it might not fit into their "mold", it still matters

Most of all, I have learned that my past does not determine my future and for that, I am utterly grateful! Here is to a great and humbling year! Keep your eyes out for what our life brings...