Holiday 2010 Recap

Hello lovelies!

How was your Christmas?? Mine was awesome.

I thought I would post a few pics from my NEW CAMERA!! Yep, I know you are jealous. But my sweetie got it for me and I have been on a picture taking rampage ever since. You can only take pics with your iPhone for so long :(

Anywho...the best part of the season for me is giving gifts and seeing the reaction on the faces of those I love.

Here are some of those reactions from young to younger!

YOUNG

My sweet Daddy opening his gift from Daniel and I, The West Wing on DVD. The entire series!

He loves Aaron Sorkin and politics and has been asking for this gift for ,oh, maybe five years.

His face says it all.

YOUNGER

Sam wants everything Star Wars and so we gifted accordingly. He got a wall clock with Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker on it and a huge book containing all the information about Star Wars that anyone could ever want to know. Needless to say, he was pleased with this gift!

Here is my super cute Momma showing us her new sweater Uggs. Comfy cozy!

I got Daniel new TOMS, cologne and aftershave and the TRON soundtrack. I think his smile says it all.

My soon to be nieces Lauren with her Toy Story Memory game and Asia with her V-Reader. Lauren also got a bike and they got pillow pets from yours truly. I tried to post a video of their brother but I need to figure out this formatting first! Their sweet Mommy was sick so I did the nice sister-in-law to be thing and didn't take photos. Next time Hosanna!

Me, my noodle Rachel and Li!

How cute is my Mom!

Thanks again to everyone who gave me a gift, hug, kiss, plate of food or sweet treat!

Now, let's finish this year up cause I am itching to start 2011!

A change is gonna come...

I miss blogging. And even though I am not Lo Ash in El Salvador anymore, I still like that this represents that time in my life.

This next year is going to be big. A lot of change, a lot of transition and I am excited but also anxious.

Part of that change will be here on the blog and part of that will happen in my personal life.

Stay tuned...Christmas is in 2 days and then, I'll be back to writing and sharing.

Until then, enjoy the day of our Savior's birth!

Testing, testing

Do you ever feel like you are being tested?
A situation arises and you have this overwhelming feeling that someone somewhere is sitting behind a curtain filming your response. I think I've seen too much candid camera or something because that is the first thing I think of.
And all I know is that I am not going to be the lady who freaks out or starts yelling or crying or anything like that. I choose to be joyful and I choose to remind myself of the truth. Cause the reason we get trapped in life and in those candid camera shows is that for a split second we start to believe a lie.
The truth hurts sometimes, but it doesn't leave a mark.

First things first.

Some things, like running and reading your bible, require you to prioritize them in order to fit them in to your day. Both things keep you healthy and start your day right but if you skip both and get in the habit of skipping both, fitting them in again is a challenge.
I was reminded again today how life is really about each persons journey. I saw a man jogging on the trail in front of me that was obese. Some people have a few extra pounds on them, but this man was obese. And instead of slipping into the usual, judgmental self, I started thinking about his journey. How did he get here? What is his plan? Where is he going?
I've never met him and I probably never will but in that moment I was proud of him. I was proud that he was working towards something other than where he was yesterday. And that is what it is about, really. It's about taking every day and making that day count. Sometimes I feel like I survived a week, but I want to get away from that. I want to thrive.
I can stress about money and not having money til I'm blue in the face but I am so rich. And really, who cares about all the trappings that come with money? The older I get the more I realized that I really don't care about that stuff. And learning to live with less is one of life's greatest lessons.

A piece of peace

True peace only comes from God, and maybe that is what this is all about, giving in to the fact that He has control and I don't and that is perfect.
But I have never really felt this, I guess, settled?
I am a chronic stress case. Nothing is ever enough, or good, or how I think it should be. I am always thinking ahead and worrying about what will happen 6 months from now.
And yet, for the first time in probably my whole life I feel content. I see my life and where it is now and it is good. Not because everything is figured out and I have all the money that I need or anything like that, but because it is just a simple life. I don't have the tragedy that so many deal with, and I think that is starting to sink in and I can just BE. I can be someone who is loved by God and that makes my life enough.
Well, that and red velvet cupcakes from Brite Spot!

25 years and counting.

Tonight we celebrated my Aunt and Uncle and their 25 year marriage. It's pretty awesome to see such a cool couple that still really love each other.
It makes me wonder why other people just can't make it. I think a lot of people think that love happens to you, instead of something that requires work. Yet again, I've never been married so I can't really say. But it was cool to see some old friends and family and you know, when you are family, you just gotta show up to things like that.
It's late Sunday night and all I want to do is fall asleep but I am finishing making spaghetti for lunches this week and also waiting for a load of laundry to dry.
I was always in such a rush to grow up as a kid and sometimes I will be doing something really responsible and grown-up like and think to myself, " Why was I rushing into this?" hehehe.
I miss blogging and I wish I had a computer at work. But as I was told last week by a supervisor, "You aren't high up enough on the food chain"
Yep, she really said that to me, and I KNOW she meant it. Ha, aren't people funny?

Unemployed but not undone

Trying to get a job stinks. The whole process is degrading and makes you feel desperate.

Like today, for example, where I walk into a situation thinking I am actually going to have an interview and I don't get to talk to anyone at all. I am handed an application ( they already have a copy of my resume with all the same information) and told that if they are interested they will contact me within a week or so. And if I was really honest with myself, I don't want that job. If they offered me the job I would take it because they have great benefits and I need something to pay the bills. But how do I sell myself if I haven't sold myself on the job.

I have been through a few interviews recently where I realized I am too interesting for the job. It's not only over-qualified, it's that my rich life experiences can't really fit into a cubicle.

I can't sell myself well into a cubicle. So what do I do? Where do I go from here?

I know that God has a plan for my life and that I don't see the details until He is ready for me to see them, but that sucks too. 

I'm not giving up on Him, so I guess I shouldn't give up on myself either.