2009... here we go baby!

It's a New Year!!! How exciting!

New Year Resolutions... here we go...

1. Create a budget. Ever since I have been in control of my own finances.. I pretty much spend money when I want to. I want to take responsibility for my spending and create an environment that makes saving a priority.
2. Create and sustain a healthy lifestyle. Yep... this means healthy eating and exercise. Yuk. Haha. I'm joining in with the Bridge Community Church Biggest Loser Competition, joining Sun Oaks today, and I have a private competition with Michael going on. Good ol' competition hehe.
3. Manage my home.That means keeping the actual house clean, being consistent with my kids, and getting my laundry put away.
4. Discover more about who I am, what I want, and what my passion is. I've started going to school (I got another A!) to pursue my degree in psychology. I want to figure out what I want out of the rest of my everyday life. I want to discover my purpose.
5. Healthy relationships. I started this goal last year, but why not just continue it on. I'm off to a good start with quite a few of my friends and family members... but I still have a ways to go. It's amazing being able to pursue this goal daily with Michael and the kids.
6. Get Married. Haha jk jk... I threw that one in there for my Daddy. While things with Michael are going PHENOMENALLY I love him very much and would love to be able to commit to him I still have things I need to figure out before I would be able to marry him. Like... meeting these resolutions head on and creating a support system of women in my life. I pretty much suck at relationships with women... and I need to change that in order to have a healthy relationship with a man.

So... that's where I'm at... I'm going to head to the gym and sign up this morning. I'm really excited to get this all started. One day at a time. It's taken me a long time to build up all of these unhealthy patterns and mindsets. It's going to take a while to change them. I'm committed to doing this though. I surrender my life once more to God... give me the strength and direction to take on these challenges.

First Tooth

 

Christian pulled out his first tooth tonight! He did it himself. I am so proud of him, Michael helped him tie a string around the tooth... and then he pulled it out himself. I can remember when that first tooth came in... awwwwww...

So... how much is the tooth fairy giving out these days???

My A+

The past few weeks have been absolutely hectic! I am a full time student... and I FEEL like a full time student. I have AMAZING news to report though. I aced my class out at Shasta College! Not only did I get an A, I got a 99.37% in the entire class!!! I am so extremely stoked!




I love to strive hard and get good grades. It's pretty important to me, but with everything else going on right now... good grades are definitely not at the top of my list. I've been getting all B's in my classes at National (yes I took classes at National and Shasta at the same time). A couple B+'s but B's all the same. I know that's great... right? I work full time, I'm a single mom, I have a boyfriend who I want to keep around, and I am taking full time classes which I get B's in. It was just really nice to be able to get that A+!!!!

Well.. there is so much going on and I have so much new stuff that I have been learning and I would love to share. Honestly the only reason I have time to blog right now is because my teacher let me out of class early tonight. AND there are other things I want to get done before bed... so for now I will have to save the rest for later.

God is Good

Alright... so God has just been blessing my socks off lately. Yes, there has been some pretty tough stuff that has headed my way. The thing is God has been taking care of me through all of it. It blows me away... all of the little things that he has done for me to help renew my faith in his blessings. God is good all the time and especially in the tough times. So... I am sitting here counting my blessings and it just brings a HUGE smile to my face.

I have really been struggling with my Papa not being around lately. I had some pretty intense dreams with him in them... and it just hurts to not have him here with us anymore. Adjusting to the changes in the family have been hard, but I have a feeling that this next year will be easier for all of us. I know that we will still miss my Papa terribly, but it become easier as we adjust to the idea of it all. Most days it still just feels like it couldn't possibly be true. Honestly, I have been totally freaking out about the holidays... uck... lame... I really just need to place the whole thing in God's hands.

I got to talk to my AMAZING boyfriend Michael tonight. I have sure missed him since he started his new job. Lately though I have realized all of the wonderful things that this has been challenging us with in our relationship. The growth we have experienced already has been mind blowing.

I don't want to blog anymore... so I won't... I have some more school assignments to get done before the weekend. My final is on Saturday and my next class starts on Monday (it's an on campus class so please pray for God to continue to reveal himself to me). I sure need him through all of this. Even now I can feel his Holy Spirit with me... phenomenal peace... ahhhhhh.... God is good.

New-ness

A new challenge lies ahead and I am a bit nervous about it all. We are entering a new season yet again. Michael is starting his new job at Simpson tomorrow and I am so excited for him! I know that God has AMAZING things for him there. There is a part of me that is scared about it though. I have really been blessed by getting to spend so much time with Michael. Our schedules have been busy, but we were given time to connect on a regular basis. This next month is going to be challenging and is going to stretch us both as he juggles his new job and wrapping up his business. While I focus on keeping my life running.

My life is so much better when he is with me.. it is going to be tough to have to share him with all of these new people and responsibilities. We will make it through it though. I choose to surrender our relationship to God once again and trust that he is going to bring us even closer through these new experiences. I sure love my God... he is so good to me! Michael is such a great example of that goodness... I really am able to see how much God loves me, he would have to think the world of me to put a man like Michael in my life.

Enough mushiness... lol. In my personal life God has really been beginning to reveal to me some of the areas that he wants to use me. He is preparing my heart for the things ahead. It is scary and some of it involves some tough issues that I would rather not face, but once again I have faith that he will bring me through. I am discovering my joy all over again.

Election 08

So... Obama is our next President. I am definitely disappointed in the outcome of the election and am very nervous about the result that this will have for our country. However, I have to chosen to keep an open mind and trust the will of God. God is still in control of my life... even if Obama *sigh* is in the White House.

Hopefully the other issues that were important to me this year will have better results.

While looking at the unofficial votes, I find it difficult to believe that Proposition 4 (Parental Notification about Abortions) did not pass. Lame. At least our state was able to vote yes on Proposition 8. There is some hope after all.

The Wilderness

God showed me that the Israelites stayed in the wilderness because they had a "wilderness mentality" -- certain types of wrong thinking kept them in bondage.
- Joyce Meyer

I have really been stuck in the wilderness lately... and I definitely do not want to stay here for forty years. It is challenging to attempt to change my mindset, the devil has despised my efforts and is throwing down just about everything that he has to stop me. He wants to keep me stuck AND I feel stuck... and I HATE it.

Lately though I have been realizing more clearly something that I have known all along, the victory in my life, my heart, and my mind all belong to God! It is as simple as that! All I have to do is continue to surrender to him. **ha I use the term "all" lightly.. surrender is no easy task in my world**

God has challenged me the past few days with some serious issues that I need to surrender to him. Honestly, I didn't do a very good job of "getting 'er done" today. Mondays... bleck whatever. I still have a few hours before bed and I am making a commitment to turning this day around... and tomorrow I know that I will be even closer to the purpose God has planned for my life. I know it is a big one. There wouldn't be such a great struggle if there weren't such great blessings to come. =)I claim the victory of my Lord and Saviour.

Thank you God for always leading me through the wilderness.