A New Year .... a clearer focus

all day I have been thinking about the New Year
praying about what my focus should be
**do I want to resolve to lose weight
(all the weight I have added through out my thyroid issues/cancer) 70lbs
can't believe I even typed that... hurts to hear that number out loud
**do I want to focus on being a better wife...a better mother, spending QUALITY time not just the quantity of time
**do I want to work on being a better student, being more diligent in my studies, and managing my time more efficiently

I think all of these are important, and worthy of my focus
but when I saw this video on Leslie Ashe's Blog I knew that this would be my focus for this year

Loving .... even when that means that I have to step out of my box, my comfort zone. Loving my family, strangers, and even myself.

I loved this song. It plays on Air 1 all the time. I know the words and can sing along, but I had never seen the video. When I watched it this evening I immediately knew that it was what my focus should be. Almost as if I had been walking around without glasses and put them on and was immediately able to see CLEARLY.
You know that feeling?
The moment when you know that THIS is it!
I love moments like that.

many blessings to you and yours this year

12 days of Christmas

This year instead of doing a complete Advent Calendar
I opted to do only 12 days - thinking that would be a more realistic goal
This is a list of our activities (I hope to post pictures next week)

Dec 14th was Hot Cocoa
Dec 15th was a hershey's kiss
Dec 16th was Happy Meals for dinner
Dec 17th was M & M's
Dec 18th was ice cream after dinner
Dec 19th was watching Prep and Landing (a christmas show)
Dec 20th
Dec 21st the kids got to open one gift

and that's as far as we got this year... sadly I didn't even manage to get through 12days. I had surgery on Dec 22nd and failed to put an effective plan together to make sure the FUN ACTIVITES and SWEET TREATS were handed out while I was dosed up on Percocet. The kids still had a great time and hopefully when they are in their 30's and in therapy tales of their mother's inability to follow through will not come up. A mother can dream right.

I know, I know
I have been a horrible blogger.
I really don't have a good excuse, just
been busy with school, family, and life in general.

I made it through midterms....barely and now finals are next week.
Really trying to focus on school right now as I have an 81 in A&P (not to far from a C). I have never had a C before and only a few B's so I will really have to study hard for the final. I am barely holding onto an A in History so that is another one that I really need to prepare for. My other classes are doing ok so as long as I stay the course with those I will be fine.

Not sure how this happened but it seems I forgot to post that I MADE it into the NURSING PROGRAM. I was ecstatic to learn of the news. My A&P grade suddenly dropped from an A to a B right before midterms so I was afraid I wouldn't get in but by the GRACE of GOD it worked out. ASUB only accepts about 24 students per year so they have pretty stiff requirements. Feeling very BLESSED and so EXCITED! So who will be the first to volunteer to be my guinea pig for IV's ;)

In all seriousness though, thank you so much for all of your support and encouragement. It has been a long road to get to this point and I still have a lot of hard work to do.

Lastly I leave you with a layout I made with the December Doubleshot Kit from The Scrap Room I love WOODGRAIN so this is my attempt at free handing it onto a chipboard house.