Year End Review

This year has been filled with love, laughter, tears, stress, fun, sickness, blessings, and much more.  Here's my recap...

This year began without any major bumps.  Our health was good, jobs stable, nothing that I can think of that is a highlight.  As it went on, Pete found out that his company would be closing later this year.  I was asked to sell my art at a community event-had it all planned and ready but it rained so a no-go.  I got a new job- the best yet!  We visited Pete's side of the fam and had a blast.  Two of my best buds moved back (yay!).  One of our fav friend couples finally got married!  We began planning for a trip to Africa...which fell through.  We spent time with Pete's parents in Williamsburg, VA and celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary.  Pete was laid off, had some health issues, and got a new job (in another state).  His health is better.  Mine is up in the air??  Another of our fav friend couples got engaged and yay, I'm in the wedding next year!.......Okay, as I read all of that, it sounds like a year that could use much improvement!  :o)  Maybe it won't be one of our better years.  haha  I'm sure I left out a bunch and will be editing here and there as I think of things I forgot.

There are many surprises and opportunities that could pop up in 2010 for us.  We have to make a decision on whether to move or not which would lead to more job changes.  We find out my health status and keep a check on his.  We need a vacation!  We plan to try to start our family.  We make this year better than the last!!

I want a nap!

I think if I could nap for 2 hours a day, then I would not always feel tired!  I think napping should be a law!

NeW YeAr'S ReSoLuTiOnS

(In no particular order...maybe more to add...even if I always say I never make resolutions cuz I never keep them...maybe I can keep a few of these...)

1. Read my Bible at least twice per week.
2. Go to Church at least once per month.
3. Pray more.
4. Drink more water.
5. Exercise 3 times per week (whether it be yoga, an exercise dvd, or just a walk).
6. Participate in at least 2 volunteer activities this year.
7. Make it a point to call my friends and family more (and visit when possible). (Call at least someone different every week.)
8. Keep track of birthdays better!
9. Continue to work on paying off my student loans and saving money.
10. Eat better (yes I should be more specific...).
11. Live more simply--buy less stuff, focus on the joy in the little things, declutter, etc etc.
12. Go on a vacation!
13. Go on mini-vacations!  (Yes #12 and #13 do not go along with the saving money resolution so much but are much needed to keep my sanity!)
14. Live under the same roof with my hubby again VERY SOON (hoping and praying)!
15. Make a baby. ;)
16. Become less obsessed with how clean my house is and having everything "in its place"--this may be a gradual process!

A dream I had last night...

I just thought of this, and since I am counting down the minutes till my workday is over, I will share!

Last night, I had the most interesting dream.  I will recap what I remember...
A girl broke into our house.  She had short brown hair and glasses.  Her name was Jennifer.  She was very upset and had either a gun or knife, not sure which.  I remained calm, as did my husband (he sat on the couch).  Jennifer sat on the floor and I sat with her.  I asked her what was going on.  She started crying.  She then began to explain how she thought that she was a lesbian and that due to that reason, she would not go to Heaven.  I prayed with her and went on to explain that I didn't think that was the case b/c no matter what "sin" we commit, as long as we accept Jesus, we are saved.  Even when we're saved, we will still sin b/c we aren't perfect.  She put down the weapon and we hugged.  Then, I woke up.

Isn't that interesting?  hmm  Interesting b/c I am not the type to really pray aloud...maybe a short and sweet blessing before dinner every now and then but that's it.  I had such an awesome feeling in the dream b/c I was praying with and for this girl.  I don't know what it all means but it was a cool dream.  I never felt afraid in the dream, either.

I have read more books this past year than in lots of years combined! :)

I finished the MJF book.  It got a bit better but not high up on my list of awesome books.  He seems like a very inspirational dude, though, I must say!  Props to him!

Today, I began reading The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf. 

It's a slllooowww day today but no complaints!  Just makes me sleepy.  1 more hour to go! 

Is Christmas over already?!?

Hi Everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!!  Mine was so nice and relaxing.  Spending time with my husband is the best gift! 

Today, it's back to work for me but only a 4 day work week again.  Woohoo!  Any exciting New Year's plans?  I have to work on New Year's Eve so no plans to go out on the town for me.  I could but have no desire, as I will most likely want to curl up on my couch and watch the festivities on tv.  Yes, I have already turned into a boring old lady. ;)  New Year's day will probably consist of putting away Christmas decorations.

Does anyone have any resolutions in mind?  I never really make any.  I am pondering what they would be if I did...

Merry Christmas Eve!

This may be my last post for a few days b/c I am preparing to spend a long weekend with my honey! 

Today, I'm at work and trying to make it till 5pm.  That's okay though b/c it's pretty quiet and peaceful here.  Lots of time to read and internet surf!  Although, I am running out of things to look at on the internet.  Any fun suggestions??

What is everyone up to today?  Hopefully you're enjoying time with friends and family, celebrating the birth of Jesus! 

If you're not a believer, then I hope that you are enjoying this time, as well, and am always curious as to why people do not believe.  I do not ask this to stir up trouble or cause arguments but just wonder what brings people to have the beliefs that they have.  I think that being raised in a Christian household has been the ultimate factor in leading me to where I am today.  However, some experience that and once they leave their parents' home, they develop their own beliefs that may completely contradict how they were raised.  My thought is always this...Even if we, Christians, are wrong, then maybe we just die and there is nothingness. BUT, if we are right, then we go to Heaven if we are saved.  The scary thing can be that if we are right, then it would be scary to think that if one does not accept Jesus as his/her personal savior that they may not see Heaven but the opposite??  Now I am not one to ever tell anyone that they are going to Hell b/c that is not my judgement to make so PLEASE do not think that I am suggesting this if you do not believe!  And, sorry for this heavy thought but isn't it really relevant to the reason for Christmas??  In addition, being a Christian and having faith is just such a comforting thing.  It's great to know that when you have nothing else or no one else, you are really never alone and never doomed.  Even in the face of death, it is not doomsday...it is an even better Eternal life ahead!  Christmas is so special b/c God sent baby Jesus to grow and then die for us on the Cross to save us from our sins and give us eternal life.  (Thank you, Jesus.  I love you!) 

Merry Christmas and God bless!!

Gingerbread Man Ornament

I found this pattern for making a gingerbread man Christmas tree ornament and made 2, 1 for each of my nephews.  Very cute if I may so so myself.  Sorry for the bad photography, though.

It's Christmas Eve Eve!

Woohoo, all of my tests are done and I find out the results on Jan. 5th! I am just relieved to have gotten through all of the testing. Thank you to my wonderful parents for being here for me during this time and always and to everyone for the thoughts and prayers. Also, thanks to my hubby for the support and for putting up with my grumpy self-he always gets to be the one to have to hear me complain and deal with my bad moods (so sorry for that!!). Now, time to enjoy my Christmas! I hope you all do, as well!

So, just to update you on what books I am reading now...Lucky Man a memoir by Michael J. Fox. I'm halfway done and well, it's sorta boring. No offense, Michael, but I guess I'm not that interested in the details of your career and more interested in you, as a person, your family life, and how you've dealt with your diagnosis of PD. Maybe you're getting to that if I would just keep reading?? And, I will cuz I can never seem to stop reading a book even if I'm bored with it. I always have hope that it will get better and have some amazing ending!

The other book that I'm reading is a gift from my mother-in-law called Fear Not by Max Lucado. With all that I've been going through, it was such a thoughtful gift. It is filled with verses and notes to remind you to not be afraid but instead, put your trust in God. Very appropriate for me right now and for us all, anytime!

Too bad I have to work tomorrow BUT that is okay b/c I am thankful for my job. I plan on going out after work tonight and getting all that I need to cook for Christmas dinner and the rest of the weekend. It's just going to be me and Pete celebrating, which sounds oh so nice this year. I've always thought that it would be cool to go someplace for the holidays-a Christmas vacation! Maybe one day...

Well, guess I will read some more of Michael's book while awaiting my phone to ring.

Happy Holidays everyone and may you be filled with the love of Christ this season and always

How ironic that one of my Thanksgiving thanks posts was about health and now...

A lot has been going on with me lately that I have hesitated to write about but finally feel like sharing.  (Who knows if I'll delete this later??)  I had written awhile back about how I was having headaches and had an MRI.  Well, the headaches also involved left neck, shoulder, and arm pain along with left arm tingling.  Sooo, the MRI came back and showed a tiny lesion on my cervical spine (neck). 

I went to a neurologist who found that my reflexes were a bit off, especially in my left leg.  Therefore, she ordered a lumbar puncture (aka: LP or spinal tap) and another MRI but with contrast to evaluate my cervical and thoracic spine (my brain MRI was clear so yay!). 

I had my LP on Friday and it was a breeze.  The doc was awesome and I hardly felt a thing!  The annoying part (to some degree albeit laziness and being waited on are sorta fun things) was having to lie flat for 24 hours after and still feeling the need to take it easy b/c I'm terrified of getting a spinal headache.  But, so far so good! 

Hopefully, sometime in early-mid January, I will know what is going on with me.  I think the primary suspicion is Multiple Sclerosis but so many things are possible with my symptoms that the neurologist would not speculate.  Being a nurse has made this even more stressful I think b/c I can think of so many possibilities of what could be wrong.  However, I have begun to feel more of a sense of patience, less worry, and more optimism, which I believe the Lord has given me.  I have prayed and prayed and know that something good will come of all of this.  Heck, it already has b/c I am spending more time and talking more with friends and family.  I think I haven't told everyone or posted anything about this b/c I don't know what is really going on and thought how maybe I should just wait to see if it is anything at all. 

Anyway, I'm posting and your thoughts and prayers are much appreciated!  Also, if you or someone you know needs prayer, please add a comment to request that. 

Hopefully, everyone is enjoying their weekend and doing something fun!  I have watched Julie and Julia for the second time and Taken.  Today, I plan to clean up a bit (in moderation of course) and get off the couch cuz my body is sick of lying down! :)  But, I may watch some more Netflix movies.  Any suggestions??

Holiday Cookie Recipe

I just want to share a scrumptious recipe with everyone!  I made these peanut butter cookies for my work Christmas party and they were a big hit.  Visit Smitten Kitchen for this recipe and tons more.  Happy Holidays!

Yearning to feel closer to God

Lately, I have really been battling with why I feel as if I just don't feel the presence of the Lord.  I read the Bible, pray, go to church, listen and sing to worship music but just can't seem to feel close to him.  This morning as I was doing my daily blog visits, I visited http://lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com/ .  Today's post on Lysa's blog was speaking to me!  What I really haven't been doing is just "being still" and allowing God to fill my heart.  I know that I may not have an immediate "feeling" but sometimes we seek in ways that are good but they are ways in which we are trying too hard and attempting to control, instead of allowing the Lord to be in control.  I will be the first to admit that I love to feel a sense of control over all aspects of my life.  This is something I battle with everyday!  As I'm growing older and wiser (haha), I am learning more and more that I have no control and there's no point in trying to be in control.  It sure would be a great burden lifted from me if I would just give up completely and let God take the reins.  I will be still...

The True Meaning of Christmas

I remember as a child looking forward to Christmas.  I loved decorating the tree, our home, and presents!!  As I've gotten older, I still look forward to decorating, Christmas music, and celebrating the birth of Jesus.  As a child, I knew the real reason for Christmas and of course, my family and I celebrated that as well.  However, as an adult, I have come to dislike the aspect of gifts.  Yes, I believe that gift-giving can be great but feel that it is truly wonderful when a gift is given to someone in need.  The rest of the gifts given to family and friends just because it's Christmas and the time to give gifts has just become silly to me.  I feel that it takes away from the fact that our focus should be on celebrating the birth of Jesus and rejoicing in the fact that he was born to save us!  Why not donate to charities as a way of giving, volunteer at a soup kitchen, and if you must give gifts to everyone, give something that exemplifies the reason for the season!  I hope that if/when I have a child, I can take the focus of presents away and have my child appreciate the true meaning of Christmas.  I'm sure that it will be difficult when he or she will see friends getting tons of gifts.  I don't want to be a mean mom, a gift or 2 is fine, but to make the presents the big deal, no way!  Jesus is the reason for the season.  Amen! :o)

I'm a Pothole!

I was just talking on the phone with a patient, and at the end of the convo he told me that I sound just like the Geico pothole.  That cracked me up b/c I LOVE that commercial!  When I first saw it, I told my hubby that I could SO do that commercial and be the pothole!

Check it out for a chuckle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjMUfIKktWU

Random Thought

Why do the paper toilet seat protectors (you know, the ones you pull out of the wall thingy and lay on the toilet before you pop a squat) have to be so flimsy and rip as you pull them out of the wall before you even get to lay them on the toilet seat??

Sorry for not posting very often these days!  Life is chaotic at the moment, but I am thankful nonetheless for this crazy adventure. :o)

What am I reading right now?...and standing up straight on my soapbox

So I finished reading The Last Song by Nicolas Sparks and it was REALLY good!  I highly recommend it!  The movie is coming out next Spring, with Miley Cyrus.

Now I am working on reading The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards.  It is pretty good so far.

Any good books that you guys recommend, please let me know!

I still have a few more to read that were given to me by my friend, Rachael.  I was on a role for awhile, constantly starting and finishing books but lately, I have not been in the mood to speed read. :)  I always think that I want to go sit at a coffee shop or Barnes and Noble and just relax and read while sipping a chai latte but always seem to find something else that I think I should be doing (like cleaning or something that only I find fun cuz I'm OCD like that).  I am challenging myself and others to try to find time each week to do something that isn't "productive" but that makes you take time to relax and pamper yourself in some way.  Life is way to stressful and busy these days, don't ya think?  It's our own faults though.  Priorities are all wrong due to what society makes us think we should be doing.  Why do I always care that my house is spic and span or that it is decorated just right or that I MUST plan to do something that I really don't want to do b/c I am a people pleaser.  People pleasing is dumb ok??  Wouldn't we all be much more pleasant to each other if we treat ourselves every now and then??

Okay, I am done...not sure where that came from... ;)

When life takes you for a wild ride...

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10