2012 where did you go?

I can't believe it has almost been a year since I posted a blog. Okay, maybe I can believe it. 2012 was a CRAZY year. But it was one of THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE!!!! Why do you ask was it one of the best years of my life?? This is why..... 1.

2. And this...

This was not the only reason that 2012 was a great year but I would say it was one of the top reasons. I learned so much about myself this year and about what is precious in this life. I have had plenty of ups and unfortunately some downs. I have learned that this life is too short to not make every day the best it can be. Each day will not be perfect but each day will be a blessing. I have so much more to share! There is more to come. It will take me a bit to get it all in, but it will be there. Besides I have to have something to show "E" someday.

Change is a comin'

It's inevitable...change. If nothing else in this world is constant, change is the one thing that is. And death. Okay maybe that's a little morbid to think about. But it seems that people have just as hard of a time accepting change as they do death. I like to think that I do well with change, that I can "roll with the punches" so to speak. But I have definitely proven to myself this week that is not the case. I'm talking about the time change. I think it has just about killed me! You wouldn't think that one little bitty itsy tinsy weensy hour would make such a difference! BUT oh the difference it has made! I feel like I have run a marathon this week and could sleep for a month! Don't get me wrong I enjoy having the longer evenings and luckily this week we have had warmer weather which has made the evenings that much more enjoyable. But oh how I missed that one hour of sleep! However, I have resolved myself to not being cranky about this lost hour and moving on. On to warmer weather, on to spring and all of it's new creations, flowers, thunderstorms, and other new exciting changes to come! I hope this week has found you more refreshed than depressed and open to everything new that comes your way!

New Year's Resolutions....Or shouldn't they be Commitments?

Well it's that dreaded time of year again....New Year's Resolutions!!! AGH!!! That time of year where everyone vows to be fitter, leaner, healthier, just all-around better overall, right? And then comes the ugly truth 3 weeks later that you have failed at maintaining your resolutions and you feel like a failure and figure blah, I will do them next year. Come to find out 35% of Americans fail at their resolutions. Why? Well as the article said it is because we set too lofty of goals. To grandiose goals. But isn't that the point? Isn't the point to reach for the stars? I like to think so. I also like to think that I will NOT fall into that 35%. (Here's to optimism!) So here they are....my resolutions (but I really prefer commitments...makes it sound more permanent, solid, real). Just a note, these are very similiar to my 10-year commitment/goals for my 30's. Coincidence? I think not. Obviously this means they are important to me! So here goes!

1. Be healthier. Period. However I need to achieve this whether it be fitness, diet, giving up caffeine and diet coke (eek!), learning how to relax, whatever. Healthier.

2. Grow stronger in my faith. This also falls under the healthier. Because lets face it, if a bible is falling apart, the person who owns it probably isn't.

3. Travel!

And that's it. I think the growing stronger in my faith and healthier encompasses so much of what I want to be that I really don't need anything else.
I hope that whatever your resolutions (a.k.a. commitments) are, you are able to stick with them and that at the end of 2012 you can look back and say "Man what a ride, glad I held on!"

Happy New Year 2012! Let's make it a GREAT one!

17 again?

I can't wait for this weekend...I'm going to act like I'm 17 again. Wait. Don't I already do that the majority of the time? Hmmmm...gotta think about that one! Anyway, one of my dearest friends is coming into town and we are going to cram so much FUN in this weekend that I will need a weekend to recover from the weekend! Shopping, State Fair, Katy Perry concert, oh my! I can't wait!!!!! WOOOO HOOOO!!!!

About this whole adult thing....

As I was walking outside today, I heard the cicadas making their funny little sound and it reminded me of when I was a kid living on 10 acres out in the middle of nowhere really (or at least it seemed that way to me). I didn't live there long, but long enough to have good memories. Memories of hot hot summers, cicadas singing their song, the ground so dry it cracked and made odd shaped tiles, a babysitter who refused to take me and my brother to the public pool in town, and of eating homemade ice cream while watching the fireworks shoot off behind the church. Those were easy, simple, good times. Those were times when all I had to worry about was if my brother was going to make a tarantula mad enough to chase us or if my dog would steal my powdered doughnuts out of my hand. Unfortunately we are still in the middle of a hot hot summer and the ground is so dry it's cracking to make those same odd shaped tiles. But fortunately, I don't have a babysitter telling me I can't go to the pool and the cicadas are still singing their song reminding me of that home and all the magic it held.

Rainy days....

I love rainy days. Love love love love them! Today I woke up to the sound of thunder (and to my in-laws new puppy, but that's beside the point) and I thought "no, that can't be thunder." Oh but it was. Thank you Lord it was!!! We are so desperately in need of rain right now in our state it's not funny any more. Unfortunately we still have at least 2 if not 3 very hot, very dry months ahead of us. But today was a nice reprieve. Maybe God knew I couldn't take much more sun and hotness and blessed us with this wonderful rain. The rain makes me ache for fall. As you all know fall is my favorite time of year. I can't wait to pick up pumpkins for decoration and feel the cool crisp air surrounding me. If I sit back, close my eyes and think about really hard I can sometimes forget how much I don't like summer! It's not that summer is a bad season, it's just really not my favorite. But thank God for rainy days to remind me that summer is just a season and not a lifetime! Hallelujah!!!

It's official.....I'M CREDENTIALED!!!!

They day has finally come and I am officially the Nurse Practitioner at the Acute Care Clinic for Employees! WOOHOO!!!! Let's hope my first patient is understanding and I don't have a full-blown panic attack during their visit! I'm so very excited for this day but I'm also very nervous. It has been a while since I have seen a patient on my own and made my own decisions without discussing them with someone else. EEEEeeekkk!!!
But it will be a good day. It will be a good week. It will be the beginning of a very good thing. Wish me luck!