Sunday, January 15, 2012

2012

So it is now 15 days into 2012 and I find myself discovering/analyzing what I want to focus on for the upcoming year. I don't want to do resolutions - for they most always fail, but I do want 2012 to be a great year.

My brother was just down for a weekend.. It was nice to see him and his family. His daughter is growing into such a little lady. I enjoyed their visit, but as they left I also found I enjoyed the silence that followed. Don't get me wrong, I'd love for them to have stayed another few days. I just noticed the silence once they were gone, the peace of it and the fact that my spirit found rest and joy in it.

So I guess my first thought is I want 2012 to be a year of quiet reflection. Of soft moments of pleasure and contentment.

I also find that I want to do more with my time. I want 24 hours to be streched into 30, but since I can't do that I just need to figure out how to do more. Don't get me wrong, I still love my days of rest... those days where you do nothing but veg and read a good book or have a tv marathon, but I also want to accomplish more that...

- I want to work around the house and do several projects that are burning in my mind: closet, stain decks/bridges, build laptop box, etc...
- Work on growing professionally
- Get more active with my scrapbooking either paper or digitally
- Finish uploading all pictures
- Do more of the books for our vacations
- Continue at the gym, ramp up my workouts and be diligent about getting both my cardio and my weights done.
- Get up earlier and have time for a morning Yoga and Time with God... this is going to be my hardest challenge.
- Get more serious about my bible studies
- Spend time with God daily
- Live my life as God would have me live it - including getting rid of my attitude issues, my grumpiness, my foul mouth, my self-centered expectations and etc...
- Learn to listen to my husband more, critize less - grow in our marriage. Continue to treasure the comfort of knowing he is there regardless. Treat him like the jewel that he is.

And with that I need to learn more than ever to sit quietly, enjoy things more and stop taking myself too seriously.

Have a great 2012 blogland... Love you!

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Goodbye 2011

*Typed at 5:30 PM 12/31/2011

2011 is drawing to a close and I want to reflect back on what the year has been. It is difficult to do though; it really hasn’t been a memorable year. Which in many ways are good, there were no major catastrophe’s in my life, no major upheavals that upset the balance of nature… we just were. If anything 2011 was a year of togetherness.

Jack and I bought the house in Grovetown in 2010 and this year we found most of our free time working on it. We learned how, or at least learned more of, how to work with one another. We learned when to push, when to pull and when to sit quietly and let the other one vent. We learned and we grew closer.

In January I got really sick for the second or third year in a row and decided enough was enough. We completely revamped our diet and joined the local Y. Other than during the Christmas season we have gone steady for this year and plan to jump right back in after the New Year. We eat more fresh food (less Hamburger Helper); eat more turkey and a lot more veggies… I take 4 vitamins a day now: Flintstones Multi, C, E and B12… My energy level is good, though not as good when I was on Steroids in Feb… WOW, I know how that stuff is addictive.

Major projects on the house were done this year: Jack installed the back screened in porch for my anniversary, We had sod and a sprinkler system installed, painted the front porches with red and green, had rip/rap laid in the back, Mama cleaned out the front ditch and we finished the rock garden.

Inside things didn’t change much. Jack refinished the dressing table that now sits in my bedroom, awesome job and he stained a shelf we bought unfinished. I finally cleaned up the spare bedroom and now have a crafting area to call my own – one I rarely use…

We grew closer to Alice and Ty this year… I met her at work and they are really our only social connection down here, great people. Ty helped Jack with the screened in porch…

Jack and I went to NY for our anniversary only to have Hurricane Irene put a major damper on it, though I can now say I was in NY when it slept...

Other than that it was a quiet year. Jack and I find ourselves more in a rhythm than ever before. I just know without question he is there and he loves me. That in itself is source of quiet relief in my soul, but even better I know I love him without question or doubt. To know I have a partner in all things good and bad is such a blessing and a comfort. As I said on Facebook a while back, God is my rock and Jack is my walking stick.

And with that Jack and I bid 2011 ado and look forward to a bright 2012.

California Day 6

 5/23/24 I'm writing this the next day as I was too tired last night.   Yesterday was ok.   We left our Airbnb in LA around 8:30 and hea...