A new day, a new hope

He has been inagurated and now the work starts, well, the work starts after the ten balls that he has to attend today. Poor guy will be dead dog tired after all the hoopla. If I were him, I'd be tempted to take off the first day on the new job!

But all that aside, I am so excited to see what this day will bring in the next four years. Living in this area and being a Christian, I've experienced all types of judgement and differences of opinions and I've learned that there are some people that you just can't have a discussion with. Many people believe that the reason behind discussion is to argue. I believe it is to present different ideas and possibly change someone's mind. I never set out to change someone else's mind. I do believe that he has been placed in office for such a time as this. God didn't fall asleep when he was elected nor did he neglect the polls. God's is the only vote that counts. There are several misconceptions circulating about Obama's views and what he stands for but if proper research is done, proof of these misconceptions is found, especially on the moral issues.

At any rate, there is a new president. There are new possiblities. Bush did with what he had available to him and, just like any other president, experienced ups and downs during his administration. Obama will face the same.

I am ready to see what Obama can do.

It's been decided

I have the cutest kid EVER! I love her so much and thank God every day for her. She teaches me so much and makes me smile every day!

And kids really do say the darndest things. Among my favorites:
Have you lost my mind?
I love you this much!
Everybody loves me.

This is why I call her my Angel Butt!

The lessons in chick flicks

We went and saw Bride Wars last night. . .I won! As it turns out, Anne Hathaway's character has a huge dance scene which according to him made the whole movie worth it and, okay, I have to admit, she is really pretty and she can also dance. But on the way home he told me that he was happy to have seen it because he learned something. I didn't believe him at first but he was really sincere. Unfortunately, I can't really give too much detail because I don't want to give anything away because it's a super cute movie.

It just goes to show that if you allow yourself to be open and receptive to different experiences you will learn something. Life is all about living. Profound statement, right? If you don't allow yourself to experience new things then you will never fully understand just how special life truly is. I've learned a whole lot just in the last year because I have allowed myself to learn and I've opened my heart and my mind to people that I wouldn't have in the past. I haven't lost my core beliefs but I have learned how to better relate to people.

So class, what have we learned here today? That chick flicks, as goofy and as pointless as they sometimes may be, can still teach you a few things. Oh, and Anne Hathaway can dance.

It's so not fair

Why don't guys ever just indulge a girl and take her to see the stupid, sappy chick flicks? We sit through countless hours of football, basketball, action movies. . .JUST TAKE ME TO SEE BRIDE WARS!!!!!!

Okay, I feel better.

In with the new

With the new year and the return of routine (yay!), I have found focus and a renewed sense of purpose. It's so cliche to have resolutions but everybody's doing it and, yes, I would jump off a bridge if everyone did that, too.

I am ashamed to say that through the holiday season I didn't attend church. The whole month of December went by in a blur and I didn't go at all. Not even Christmas Eve saw my little behind planted where it should have been. The first Sunday of 2009 gave me a different view. I went and our pastor spoke on setting proper priorities. Geez. I get it! There's no balance for me. My foundation was shaken and I need to find my footing.

I've always been notoriously tunnel-visioned. I go beyond focus to a blinder's view of what I want to do and what I want to have happen and only begrudgingly tackle tasks that have to be done. I'm learning to be patient (but I don't wanna!) and I'm learning that God holds things for us in His perfect time. I've always known that but I've never put it into practice. I can honestly say that I am content with the way things are. I'm leveling out and I'm reframing my life around the things that are proper priorities.

Another year gone

It's been a while since I've posted a blog, as my friend Kim has so helpfully pointed out. . .Thank you, Kim. . .and has also offered some topic ideas when I said I had writer's block. . .again, Thank you, Kim.

One of her suggestions was a look back over the year, as it has been quite a dramatic one for me and my daughter. Through a divorce, a reforming of routine, dating (eeesh), and learning to finance a Christmas on a shoestring, I've learned a ton about myself and how much I truly am blessed. I always knew it but I had always felt as though I was missing out on something. I felt stuck.

Rewind to New Year's Eve 2008, I was sitting on my couch by myself watching the ball drop while my little angel butt slept in the next room. There was no inkling that I would be where I am today. I knew things were bad and I was quite miserable but I was determined to change it. Two weeks later, my daughter and I were living with my mother. I felt I had lost at the American Dream. My life had fallen into shambles and I didn't know how to fix it.

This year I spent New Year's Eve with a man that I can safely call my kindred spirit. This relationship has been 10 years in the making but it was certainly worth the wait. All the experiences I have had in the last few years have led me to a place of understanding. I will never completely understand what motivates people to make choices they make or why I am so compeled to fix everything but I do know this: All things work for the good of those who love the Lord. I do certainly love my God and my faith is the only thing that has kept me thus far.

They say you should never look back in order to move forward but I completely disagree. The only way to really appreciate where you are is to look at where you've been. Remembering the dark times makes the future all that much brighter with possiblity. So here's to 2009. May the music be good, the food be edible, and the love be stronger than ever before.