One Word 2017

Happy 2017!! Another new year is here! Goodbye 2016 - you will not be missed! It was not the year I was expecting. But life is unexpected.

So with 2017, I am looking to becoming more settled in my new job (YEAH to having a new one). Really starting to tackle my debt (Welcome job 2 and 3). And taking more control over who I want to become. (Project organized has begun).

Persevere. That is my word for 2017. Life is busy, complicated, messy, but we can't stop. In December I worked 19 days straight. By the end, I was exhausted, but it was for a season and I finished. That is my goal - to finish strong.

Persevering includes this little blog of mine. Because I am working so much, I wanted to pick this back up to be my creative outlet. Sharing my goals out loud and not just in my head.

Here's to a fresh start and a great year - not matter what is in store!

Well, Hello There

It has been a little while since I gave this ol' blog of mine some love. Quite a bit has changed since the last time I stopped by to share some thoughts. The biggest is that I am being laid off from my big-girl, pay-my-bills job...and I am struggling to find a new one. Next Monday is my official last day and it is a bit scary looking into the future. I never knew how courage would play into my year when I chose it as my word.

This whole experience of being laid off has really been challenging for me. It was unexpected and hurtful. The process felt personal to me even if it wasn't meant to be so. It has taken me a bit of time to let go of that hurt and look forward to new opportunities.

While it is frustrating to not have a job direction on the horizon, I am going to try and take advantage of the time I have off to work on some things at home, like getting this home office/craft room in some kind of order so it doesn't like like a storage unit.

It will make me feel so much better to know that my home is more put together when I do start working outside of my home. I have a list going in my head of things I would like to get done. I just have to get moving on it.

Here's to looking forward to the new and what these next weeks and months have in store!

One Word 2016

Happy New Year! We are six days into the new year and life is still crazy.

I love the holidays and everything that goes along with it, but I also love January. I like the feeling of new that comes with the fresh start of the year. With the new year comes a new focus and this year it is COURAGE.

I have been thinking about this word for a few months and it is settled into my heart and soul. I have a tendency to sit on the sidelines of my life and let things pass me by. Year after year, I desire the same things and nothing changes. Part of that is laziness, but the other part is thinking that I just can't do it. I don't want can't to live in my world. I want to be a woman who can and does.

I want to take control of my physical health and my financial health. I want to try new things. I want my house to continue evolving into a home. I want 2016 to be my year!

That is a lot of expectation! But I am excited to see where this year leads me.

What are you looking forward to most in 2016?

Learning to Breathe, Pt. 12

Where has this year gone?? It is December! Christmastime is all around and I LOVE it!

There are so many fun Christmas activities going on around my area, so I am trying to take advantage of as many things as possible. It allows me an opportunity really enjoy the lights and music that makes this season so special.

Last Saturday night, my mom and I went out to Sauder Village in Archbold, OH for their lantern tour. It was so much fun! We rode around in the freezing cold on a wagon filled with hay bays and strung with white twinkling lights. We stopped by homes that reflected the holidays in the 1880s, 1850s and 1920s. I couldn't believe how new some traditions are. It was a great way to start the Christmas season.

December is often full of craziness! I hope that you find time to reflect on the true meaning and hope of this wonderful season. A tiny baby was born in deplorable conditions so he could grow up and die on a cross for a sinful people like me. We celebrate Christmas because we know that Easter is coming!

Reflections on Thanks

Reflections on Thanks

Reflections on Thanks