Promises

I don't believe in New Years resolutions but, I do believe in making promises to yourself. So, that is just what I did!

Last year I promised myself that, 1. I would chisel away at our debt. 2. I would lose weight and get healthier 3.I would spend more FUN time with my family. 4. I would work on being a better person. I am happy to say that I have worked really hard on all of these things.

I have paid off two of our credit cards and about to pay off the third and last one. This will leave us with three bills, not including utilities and such.

I have joined Metabolic Research Center and I have lost almost 30lbs. While I still have a lot more to lose, I can honestly say that I feel better than I have in years and I am excited about losing even more!

I have always spent a lot of time with my husband and kids but, that time has not always been fun and relaxed. This past year we went to the beach twice with the whole family, I went with the kids mudding and I have spent a lot of one on one time with them. I have enjoyed real conversations with them as well. My oldest got married and even though there were moments of stress (it's a wedding!) I still enjoyed the special moments that wedding brought to us.

I have worked this past year to be a better person. I know that is a very vague statement but, I knew in my mind what I wanted to be. I wanted to be a kinder, more thoughtful, happier and less stressed person. I have tried to focus more on others and their needs rather than my own issues. I have tried to remember birthdays, special occasions and important things going on in the lives of others. I have worked hard not to let the stress get to me and even when it did, I tried not to let it spill onto others. I have gone out of my way to make sure I let some people know how much I appreciated the things that they do. Some people I just gave a hug to. You would be amazed at how a simple gesture like that makes not only you, but the person getting the hug feel. I have said the words "I love you" more and meant them. We so often assume that people know we love them but, just to be on the safe side tell them any way! I have also tried to give an encouraging word when I knew someone was not having the best of times. Sometimes people just need to know that someone does care!

In the last year my life has been so much better. You will never convince me that it is not because of the things that I promised myself last year. I hope to chisel away at those last three big bills and put more money in savings. I AM going to continue to lose weight. Losing weight has allowed me to enjoy more of the fun time with my kids and there are so many things I want to do with them and I know losing weight will allow me to do that. I am not the person I want to be yet but, I like the me that I am now way better than the person I was before. I am still a work in progress.

Now, I have worked really hard on all of these things but, I am no where near finished so, I am going to promise myself those same things again this year. While I have many challenges ahead of me in this new year, I know that with the right attitude and the support of my family and friends I will get through it.

Happy New Year to all of you and if you see me out and about remember............I am a work in progress!

Who Am I

Have you ever asked yourself "Who am I?" I have found myself doing just that more and more these days and I don't know the answer. Am I the person that other people see or is that just a disguise? Can you pretend to be someone that you are not?

There is the obvious of course. I am  a wife, mother, sister, daughter and I hope friend. That is the easy answers. Who am I really?

I don't know who I am really but, I know who I want to be and I know who I try to be, but.....am I?

I want to be an encouraging person........I try to remember the things that others are going through. I try to let them know I am thinking of them and that I do remember that they are going through a trying time. Isn't it important for everyone to know that someone remembers them and their trials?

I want to be a thoughtful person....I want to remember birthdays and other important days. I try to remember the dates that friends and family have lost loved ones who are important to them. They need to know that they are not the only ones who remember.

I want to be a loving person.....I want the people that I care about to know that I love them. I don't want to leave this earth with any doubt in their minds that they were well loved by me.

I want to be a good friend.....I want to be there when my friends are in need. I want them to know that I am there for them. I want them to know that when their heart is breaking......mine is breaking with them.

I want to be a good wife.....I want to be supportive of my husband. I want him to know that I have his back and that I am his biggest fan. I want to be his best friend but, mostly I want him to know how much I love him.

I want to be a good Mother......I want to be there for my children. I  want them to know that they can come to me for anything. I want to be the kind of Mother that my children never have to wonder about the love I have for them.

Mostly, I just want to be a good person. I know I am not perfect and never will be. I can try though!

So, the question still remains.......who am I?  I don't know but, I know who I want to be and I strive every day to be that person. Maybe if I knew who I was then I would no longer try to be better. Maybe I don't need to know who I am.........maybe I just need to know who I want to be!

My Baby is Growing Up!

Recently I took the Princess to the Botanical Gardens and took some photos of her. It was a nice relaxing day. We had so much fun just spending that time together. After I got home and started looking at the pictures we had taken........I had to swallow really hard! Is that really my baby? That grown up beautiful girl?!

 I mean really what happened to my baby! When in the world did she turn into this?

I came to the realization that this last one......my baby and my only girl.....is getting so close to leaving home and going out into the world. I am so proud of the young lady she has become but, I would love to turn back time and let her be little again.......even if just for a day! I know, I know.......I can't have that so I guess........I will just enjoy the beauty, wit and wisdom of my beautiful baby girl!

Feeling Blessed

It has been a while since I have blogged. I know, I am a slacker but, life has just been so overwhelming lately. That is not an excuse, I know, but here I am feeling very blessed!

I recently made a comment on my facebook, about a coach who made the following statement after a hard fought win. "We are blessed.......it is a God thing!" I thought it was cool that he did not attribute the win to luck but, instead chose to give credit to God.

Boy did some people blast me. I was accused of saying that the other team was godless! I was also told that people should not just throw that out there like that because it trivializes the "true" blessings.

This got me thinking about feeling blessed. What does it mean to feel blessed? I guess different people see it different ways.

I was in a horrific car accident on December 23, 2007. I survived with major injuries that I am still dealing with today. A friend of mine who was sitting right beside me did not survive. Do I feel blessed to be here? Why yes I do! Does this mean that my friend who died was not blessed? Absolutely not! She had been blessed with a beautiful family, a thriving business and a wonderful life. That day God knew that it was time to bring her home with him. Honestly, she is more blessed now than she ever was here on earth.

Every day that I wake up and I am allowed to spend one more day with my family is a blessed day. I give God the credit for my every blessing.

Now, do I think that God is going to answer a prayer about a win or loss in a ballgame? No, I don't and we would be very selfish to even expect it. Do I feel like that coach felt that he was blessed and felt that God was with him.......yes I do!

The gas gauge on my car is messed up and I never know when I am about out of gas. I can fill up and five minutes later my gas gauge will show I am empty. The other day it was doing that and I knew it had to be close to being empty. I said a little prayer and asked God to let me get to a gas station before the car ran out! I made it and I thanked God for allowing me to get there. I gave him the credit. Now, if I had run out gas would I have been angry with God? Of course not. There would have been a reason for him allowing it and I may have never known what that reason was. I am blessed!

I am blessed and thankful for the presence of God in my life every minute of every day. It is up to us to find those blessings no matter how small or how large they may be.

Just because a prayer or a blessing may seem small to others, that does not mean that it is not a blessing just the same. We need to look for our blessings and count them each and every day.

Our blessings may come in the form of a big win at a ballgame.......it could be something as mundane as waking up and seeing a new sunrise.........it could be something as big as being allowed to spend a few more days on this earth with family and friends. Regardless of the size or depth of our blessings, we need to count them every day and acknowledge that God is with us in everything we do.

Was his team more blessed than the other team? No, not really but, this coach still chose to give God the credit for being blessed. Is there anything wrong with that? I don't think so!

Count your blessings no matter how big or how small. It may seem trivial to some but, it should never be trivial to you!

Have a Blessed Day!!!

Southern Snow

There is snow in Southeast Alabama! Yep, I am telling you the truth. I wouldn't yank your chain like that! It is the end of November and we have some southern snow! Take a look!








Southern Snow!





Okay......it is a cotton field but, it is about as close as we get to snow down here. Now admit it.......it does look sorta like snow......doesn't it?







There are several bolls of cotton on each plant.....





This is a an open boll of cotton and the black thing beside it is a closed boll....
















We have so many fields of cotton around here, I think sometimes we get used to them and forget to stop and look at how pretty they are. We may not get snow around here like our Northern neighbors do but, I think our fields of cotton are just as breathtaking!