Resolution: Wife

I will confess, being a wife is tough! Cinderella really has it all wrong, I guess that is why it is called a fairy tale.

Shawn and I met in 2001, married in 2003, and embarked on parenthood in 2007. We have had so many up and downs. Up to about 2 years ago I was what you would call the "nagging" wife. Those from the outside looking into my marriage they would say I was a "B" word. I was more like a mother to Shawn. I found myself bossing him instead of asking. He would do something wrong and I would be angry for a week. I supported NOTHING he enjoyed.

Over the past couple of years, I have learned to be more supportive, understanding, and loving. I often forgot that I was his wife, not his mother.

With this being said, I want to keep working towards being a better wife.

Resolution there?

Resolution: Wife.

This was such a GREAT day!

With this ring...

I do not think that I have changed much, but Shawn sure has! He looks like a baby here!

Shhh....It's A Secret

At my church, as with many churches, we have what we call SECRET sister.
What this means is you buy gifts for someone but you do not identify yourself for a whole year.

The concept is great but I have done this for several years and had decided that this year I was not going to participate. I really struggled creatively in deciding what type of gifts to buy or even what to buy. Our questioner was very vague and my "secret sister receiver" seemed to have filled her's out in a hurry because she gave one word answers (no offense sister, you know who you are).

What did make it a little easier was my secret sister was always a great gift giver. I loved everything I have gotten over the years.

As 2012 approached, it was time again to make the decision to participate in secret sister 2012. I picked up the questioner and folded it into my Bible.It always took me a month to think of the next gift I would get my secret sister. I carried her questioner with me everywhere I went. I thought a lot and prayed a lot about it and was thinking one day..you know, it was always so great to get a gift and even better to give a gift. It was heart warming to know that someone thought of me in the same way that I thought of them.

So if you are a sister in Christ and have the opportunity to participate in Secret Sister, may I suggest to think about what I said.

Resolution there?

Resolution - Spiritual Growth

res·o·lu·tion

res·o·lu·tion - noun - a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.

As I mentioned previously, I have many resolutions this year. Again, some personal others I want to share with you. 

I write my blog posts in my journal before typing them in the blog. This helps me to gather my thoughts. I skipped around a lot and forgot to even mention to you what my resolutions, or maybe I should refer to them as my "train cars" are. I will list them very broadly so that you can just get an idea.

Resolution - Spiritual Growth

Resolution - Work

Resolution - Forgiveness

Resolution - Family

Resolution - Motherhood

Resolution - Creativity

Alyssa writing Mommy, she just needed me to help her spell it!

What Can I Look Forward To This Year?

2012 does hold some resolutions that I previously spoke about in my Twenty-Twelve!? post but it also holds some milestones and hardships (yes, hardships).

In just a couple of weeks I will turn 29. To be honest, getting older does not scare me. I am not afraid of age, I am mostly afraid to look back on life and have regrets. Hint my resolutions that will change me mentally and spiritually. So here is to 29 years of age!

This summer, Alyssa will have another surgery on her foot. More details will come later but again she will be in a cast and not able to have much movement for about 8 weeks. We will have to get her a wheelchair. I am scared for her. Moving on from this topic because the tears are already flowing.

My sweet Alyssa will turn 5 years old in August and even more so, she will start kindergarten. Ok, enough of that, cannot stop the tears for real now. Maybe I should just move on from Alyssa all together. I think the emotions about her are so high because as you will read at a later date, motherhood and being a mommy is in my list of resolutions.

Just to hit the high notes:

10 year high school reunion - May 2012

9 years of marriage - June 28, 2012

8 years at my job - July 2012

Taking my Granny to Disney for the first time later this year - CANNOT WAIT!

I am looking forward to sharing my 2012 with you. Enjoy the following pictures that I took as we celebrated our new year with some GREAT people!

We played a home version of "Minute to Win It". It was so much fun!

Stacking dice on a spoon.

 One Minute to get all the tissues out of the tissue box.

 One minute to get the green cup back on the bottom.

 Bobble Head Madness.

The children of our future.

Genesis 27:2 2

Genesis 27:2 2 Then he said, “Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death."

No one knows when their time shall come. I think that is the hardest part of death. The easy part is knowing that we have the promise of eternal life, just as it states in the book of John.

John 3:15

New King James Version (NKJV)

15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but[a] have eternal life.

Eternal life you say? We will get to that a little later. When I think of death, I am often reminded of a verse in the book of Ruth.

Ruth 1:17

New King James Version (NKJV)

 ¹⁷ Where you die, I will die,

      And there will I be buried. 

      The LORD do so to me, and more also, 

      If anything but death parts you and me.”

As with many, when someone close to me passes from this life, a piece of myself dies with them. Though losing a loved one suddenly or knowing they are sick and leaving this world, I hold onto death like I hold my Bible in church. Just writing this post I begin to think of all the loved ones I have watched pass from the train ride we call life. A resolution for me this year is to find peace with death. Trust in the Lord and his promise of eternal life (there it is again, Eternal life). Don't get me wrong, I still remember the pain. Let's be honest, the pain is still there. The pain for my loss and the pain I feel for the ones close to me and their loss as well. 

It is "because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel" Colosians 1:5 NKJV This hope and promise of eternal life with all our loved ones that shall give me peace.

Acts 2:38

New King James Version (NKJV)

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

I am sorry that this post looks weird, I messed something up in my background color and I cannot figure out how to fix it without manually doing it.

Twenty-Twelve!?

New year, new you! UGH! I believe that is the phrase of a major weight loss industry. Everyone seems to make new years resolutions and I am no exception. But this year, I will be an exception because I am going to follow through. I am not going to make unrealistic goals but I am going to strive to reach the goals that I want.

I have made many personal resolutions that I will keep to myself but there are many that I think will help others so I have decided to blog more and share my train ride I call life with you.

My life has been turned upside down in more than one way these last couple of years. Many things have been good and others have been bad. Death, loss of friendships, betrayal, family (I think many will relate when I just say "family") you know that I mean. The list can go on and on.

As I wrote out all the things that have gone wrong and right the past couple of years, I realized they can directly relate to my relationship with Christ. The Bible can help you through anything.

Here I am, new year, new me. Sharing this train ride with you I hope will inspire. You will notice many ups and downs, and I am going to do my best to quote scripture and I love music, so incorporate song lyrics also. But in the end, through this ride of low valleys and high mountains, I hope I can continue grow myself and inspire others to stay on the train of life with me.

"All the noise all the pain every night same ole thing

Why don't you shut up train go on shut up train

I give up I give in raise the flag let you win

Why don't you shut up train go on and shut up train"

Read more: LITTLE BIG TOWN - SHUT UP TRAIN LYRICS

Adios 2011!

No blog you say since 2010 you say? I am so sorry about that, I like to think that everyone stalks my blog to see if I have posted anything new. I know that I stalk the ones I follow. With this being said, lets catch you up.

January 2011 - I turned 28! Logan and Lukus turned 2 & 3! I know I am missing something but give me a break! That was a year ago!

Alyssa with the birthday boys!

Shawn with the birthday boys!

Man, I was going to post something about every month but that seems overwhelming! So, Adios 2011 and Hola 2012!