Goodbye 2009!

Sheesh! It's already New Year's Eve! Feels like I was just doing this last year. It's hard to imagine that the year is over, and yet that's what my calendar is telling me.

2009 has been an interesting year. I don't want to label it as a bad year per say, but it's definitely held its challenges. The year held some interesting financial challenges for our family as Tim's income was cut, severely taking out the option of my staying home with Mason for now. We faced surgery on Mason's ears and adenoids after chronic infections and health issues, which didn't help finances. You know how it goes, when it rains it pours. And of course there was always some sort of family drama somewhere to be flaring up, so in many ways the year has been difficult.

And if I look only at the challenges, it would be quite easy to say it was a "bad" year. When in fact, there were a lot of positive things to come out of all of the challenges. God's good like that, always working things out for good. Because of the scale backs and the cut backs, Tim and I grew closer in our relationship with God. We had to trust He would provide the money for the needs we had, because we could no longer put our trust in a bank account figure. We learned the importance of God's timing in situations as He showed His divine will when we felt impatient or unsure. We learned that God will always come through for us, no matter how bleak something seems or how trivial it might appear to someone else, He really does care for our individual needs. We cut back on all the unimportant things and invested our time and effort in what counts, and because of that we've grown.

This year held some wonderful changes as well. We switched churches, more out of need for change, than because of a problem, but it was a good choice. After a few weeks of hunting, we found that DC3 would be a good match for our family and our lives. The people there showed their slogan, "Real love, real people" is truly their heart, as they embraced us and welcomed us in. I started working in the 3 year old class at church, and while I was unsure about it, and have only done it a couple weeks, I felt an overwhelming love for the little ones in the class.

Mason's health has improved post surgery and we've been grateful for everyday of health he has. He's growing so much and so smart about so many things. It's a miracle to just watch him bloom. He was able to get into speech with a super kind therapist and she's helping him work through some struggles he has.

I could go on and on about saying goodbye to good friends and meeting new ones, job changes at work, etc.  but it just comes down to for every tunnel there was a light and for every valley a hill. God showed Himself all the time. I didn't always look, and at times I didn't want to acknowledge, but God was there through it all.

I know all years aren't full of sorrows, and not every year will hold prosperity. Life happens in cycles and we need to learn and grow from each one to prepare for the next phase. 

So goodbye 2009, welcome 2010. I don't know what the year will hold, but I know the One who holds it, and that's enough for me.

Why I Blog.....

I was thinking about why I blog...... Because I've gotten so used to typing that a handwritten journal would take too long for my short patience. Seriously, though, I blog because I'm very quick to forget about my past experiences both good and bad. But I need to remember them, because it's through them that I see God working in my life and I'm reminded of everything good He does for me.

I was going to blog about people tonight. I was going to rant and rave about how people annoy me when they want everything in life to be according to them, how they don't want to see the truth in front of them, blah blah blah.....

Then I took a look at some of my past blog entries and my heart softened. My spirit opened and God just gave me a sense of peace. So I blog because I need to remind myself of things in life that are worth remembering. Lessons learned and the ones that I should have learned. And I do it publicly because maybe one day someone who needs to read it as much as I do might actually see it and it will touch them. Because I'm not about hiding my life.

Nice start to the week

Ahh.... It's Monday morning and I didn't have to go to work. Such a nice feeling..... Mason has very nicely been playing which has allowed me to do two loads of laundry and clean the house.

We're now enjoying homemade smoothies :) I love break time. I don't mind housework when I'm home to enjoy the house, and be the one making the mess.

I've got a doctor's appointment later, then maybe the hubby and I will go out to dinner. I know this week is going to fly by because I want it to go slow, but I'm going to savor every minute of it.

Art Caddy Here!

So after finally getting a new card reader, I've uploaded pictures of the art caddy I made for Skyler's Christmas present. I'm still waiting for her to get her box and hear how it works out for her.

WHEH! It's Christmas

Now that the presents have been opened, the food eaten and naps taken. It's hard to imagine all the work is done and we're at the end of Christmas. Little Man was so overwhelmed with all the presents, yeah I'm the mom who wraps each little thing so he has millions to open, that we had to take a break, play for a while and then finish when Papa and Grammy came over for lunch.

It's been a great day. I was so excited last night about "Santa coming" and wanting everything to be great for little man, that I hardly slept last night, but oh well. Mason's winning presents were his super cool new Buzz and McQueen sippy cups, a red laser light for Mocha, and his talking Buzz and Woody dolls.

From 7 to 9 this morning we sat and opened presents and watched Mason oh and ah at toys and jammies and books. We stopped to open all the ridiculous twist ties and plastic boxes so Mason could get some toys in use. Everyone got ready for Papa and Grammy to come, and we had a feast of a lunch with some great Daddy grilled steaks and my yummy potato crisps. After eating for a few hours we then took a short nap and got to more playing.

I've been collecting little gifts for the past few months when I found them on clearance so it's been great. I had a ton of things to wrap, which was a pain, but Mason loved opening things. Of course some toys will get put away for later on, so that the novelty of everything doesn't wear off. And between all the family getting him gifts only a couple of toys were duplicated, so it's nice to not have too many returns.

It's Christmas. My husband and son are outside on the playground. My sister and brother in law are resting from the Mason whirlwind, and our home has been blessed by an abundance of love. In spite of the challenges this year, God has been abundantly good.

Off to go play with my boys and enjoy the rest of the day :)

A quiet moment for mom to think

It's quiet. Well almost. There's a car in the box of Mason's cars that randomly spins it's wheels and I' haven't gone fishing to turn off the battery yet, but other than that, my house is quiet. While I should have taken a serious nap, I rested and let my mind think and enjoy the quiet a bit. Much different than it was a couple of hours ago with a dozen or so 2 and 3 year olds running around.

We did our "Once Upon a Time Healthy Mom's Group" Christmas party at our house this morning. The group has evolved quite a bit over the 3 years. Geeze! We've celebrated 3 Christmases together now. Time seems to pass by in a blink of an eye. In the last 3 years we've gone from new moms following Vicki around doing all our Kegel exercises and obsessing over every baby thing, to more secure moms who will eat cookies for the holidays, work off the calories later of course :) to not freaking out about every cry and even to being a mom twice over. While our group has lost our founder, to a newer and better job, and even had to say good bye to our mother hen Wendy, we've grown a bit too. We've had some new faces and new babies join. We've been through arguments, hurt feelings and new beginnings. Through it all, we've just kinda been there for each other. Some of us have bonded better with some than others, but having had the support and openness of the other moms for the past 3 years has been a miracle.

I was at the mall with a friend yesterday and we were watching our toddlers play together. An older mom of school aged children was next to us alone and watching us and our kids when she remarked how much she missed the age of toddlers. How she missed the mom's groups and the getting out with other moms and all that. It made me think about how sad it will be when our kids grow up and are in school, but I hope that our mommy group will evolve with that change as well and we'll be able to stick together in some way to be there with each other as all our kids grow up. Because as much as our kids need one another, we need each other too.

So to Casie, Michelle, Katherine, Nydia, Callie, Julie, Molly, Melissa, Stella, Rachel, Amy, Jade, Amanda, and of course Wendy, thanks to a great three years. Thanks for the holiday parties, the tears, jokes, celebrations, birthday parties, girls nights out and in, support, love and of course cupcakes. :)

Happy and Frustrated

After a lazy weekend with the boys, well we were busy, just not productive with cleaning or household tasks, I've finally straightened the house, put away the craft stuff and finished my art caddy box!!!! I'm so excited. It looks so cute and if it wasn't in a color scheme that would match Skyler's room, I'd almost keep it for my own stuff.

I want to post a picture because while a few areas have a crooked stitch here and there, it was a crazy difficult pattern and took a day to figure out and two days to make, but it's done. Now my silly card reader won't work and read my card, so I can download my pictures. GRRR! Figures though. So I'm so happy to be done, and it look cute, but super annoyed that I can't post a picture!

Oh, well I guess that means I should go to bed :)

Christmas Vacation!

I've survived! It's finally here, Christmas break! 2 weeks of being home, no traveling to do, no obligations, nothing but what I choose to plan for the next 2 weeks! So with the thought of being a lazy daisy and staying home, I realized I've already book up my first week off! I've got a lunch date in Brandon with Cassie and Annelisse, Kids Christmas party I'm hosting with Moms Group, speech class and chiropractor appointments, birthday party, Christmas cookie baking, Christmas at Papa's house, plus family coming in for the holiday weekend.

Oh well, I love it. I'm not worrying about anything but having fun with my little man and just being a mommy and wife for the next two weeks. We're going to have fun on our day trips and enjoy sleeping in bed a little longer and smoothies in the morning!

I've made it through half a school year, and that just means I've only got half to go when I return. Until then, I'm loving the cool weather, the playground and the memories I'm making with my wonderful guys.

All of a sudden

It's always funny how everything happens "all of a sudden" in life. Things are nice and calm, and I anxiously await for something to happen and then when everything happens all at once, I can't wait for the calm. :) So silly of me I guess, but it's God reminding me again to enjoy the still moments and get ready for the chaos.

Just a few more days of work and then into my jam-packed, busy, "stay at home" but never going to be home, Christmas vacation. :)

10 Days till Christmas and I can't wait!

Happy Birthday to me :)

Happy Birthday to me! I love birthdays. Not just my own, but anyone of my friends or family. It's just a fun thing to celebrate and a great reason to party!

Little man slept in this morning, so no mid-morning wake up call! Tim started my morning out with a beautiful charm bracelet, and I had a great day at work with ice cream cake :) The kids even behaved in classes!

Then Nana treated us to a dinner out and Mason did a great job through the long ordeal at Outback. Now we're home and playing with Mason before bedtime. It's been a great day.

While the past year has held its fair share of struggles and challenges, I'm now a year wiser and have had a year of experiences to guide me through the next one. 25 was a good year, but this next one is going to be better. I don't feel much older, but I certainly feel wiser and happier about the coming year than I had last year. I have a wonderful God and look forward to what He's going to do for me this year and how He's going to use me in His plan.

So here's a big thank you to my parents for all they've done for me, my husband and my son for all their love and my God for being so good. I can't wait to write about all the great things for the next birthday :)