Happy Birthday to Me!

I am trying to remain positive~ I am trying to remain grateful and remember how blessed I am. I do not want to complain, I want to rejoice in God's hand in my life. But today, I am having a hard time doing it. I am somewhat envious of those whose strength and faith surpasses their life let-downs. I try really hard, but today is tough. So I will continue repeating my "emergency numbers" until this to passes, because it will.

Today is my 32nd birthday...
So many will tell me what a baby I still am! Others (like Cam) will say WOW! ;)

I am not a numbers person, the number itself never bothers me. But I try to take each birthday to reflect on my life and the past year and the decisions and choices I made or did not make. And focus on the choices I can make in the year to come.

At 32, I never imagined myself unemployed, beyond comprehensible debt, not married, living in an apartment in Birmingham trying to figure out which step God wants me to take next. So I am going to reflect on the previous year, month by month, to remind myself why I am where I am today

March 2011 -
 Hailyn's first birthday, a week in Palm Beach for my birthday, Homeless4aNight
March 31 message to myself: a quick reminder to us all - The secret to successful communication is to be understood. It's not what you say, but what the other person hears

Always look for the blessing in every hardship. I would not be enjoying this beautiful day if I already had a job!

April 2011-

Surprise B over spring break by taking Sa and the girls to WPB!
18th - God's simple revelations amaze me. Today he showed me I have not been unemployed for 9 months bc of a tough, struggling economy. I am not working bc HE has chosen me for another kind of work!
21st - GP HOA egg hunt at the park
Landis and Ryan's engagement fiesta at Lindsey Raulerson's
25th - Easter at the Singletarys

May 2011-
2nd - Fairy Tale Ball
6th - Mothers Day"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts." ~Washington Irving
12th - Mom and Pryor get married in Jamaica

12th - lifestyle changes~ Cam becomes my manicurist
14th - Allen and Kendra's wedding in the monsoon
20th - Matt and Kelly close on their first home
21st - visit Crestview
Lots of substituting at HES
Splishy, Splashy day at HES with Cam

June 2011-
hostess gifts for Shea for her engagement party
6th - Blanton flies to Dallas for US Open qualifier
Introducing CORNHOLE TABLES
Cam loses 2nd top tooth
Gavin visits while mommy is sick
forest fires in Waycross
Enroll in VSU- Statistics and Calculus
11th - Glasser wedding in Vail
16th - Offer on house accepted
June 19th - visit in Crestview
Vacation!! St George Island ~ two whole days, NO POWER! a week we will never forget

July 2011-
Apply to UAB Optometry school
7th - Move in with Saralyn and Chris
9th - moving day
17th - Hailyn breaks her leg
Crazy, huge wedding in Moultrie I worked with Covingtons
21st - flight to Vail for Blanton's birthday
22nd - closing day
CAMPING!

August 2011-
6th - Huge garage sale after cleaning out Singletary trailer and Connell house
10th - man take picture up skirt at Belks ~ he was never caught
11th - Landis' bachelorette party St Petersburg
24th - finish re-doing bed
Start Fall classes VSU - Physics, Chemisty, Microbiology
Start with trainer
nightly bed partner, who liked to sneak in after everyone was asleep
Landis birthday dinner El Cazador

September 2011- 

7th - finished first window
8th - Avery's second birthday
15th - Blanton and Drew start drive back to GA
Shea's bachelorette pary in Biloxi

October 2011 -
Breast Cancer Awareness month
Launch Shabby & Chic facebook page
decide to register for Honeybee festival and Merry Marketplace
Landis and Ryan's wedding

Mama birthday~ wine glass "always hold my hand"
morning snuggles in my bed before school
Trip to Crestview
first annual Trunk or Treat
LONG moving trip to Bham resulting in wreck and lessons learned hard way

Nov 2011 -
Shea and Joe tie the knot
Vote No to School Consolidation
first Thanksgiving in new apartment in Birmingham
MERRY MARKETPLACE

December 2011 -
Christmas
sleepovers in my room on weekends
Move to Birmingham
Mrs. Pat's funeral
2 Bs and a C
Christmas gifts for Raulerson and Shea
staying home with sick babies
girls day at the movies and nail salon
My first NEPHEW! Lawson Thomas
Shea and Joe come for NYE

January 2012 -
start new blog
new classes - Org Chem, Chem 1, Chem 2 and Physics 2
Courtney Giglio ~ I heart you!
Bombed 2nd OAT
Sa and the girls and I surprise Aunt Whit!

February 2012 -
Rejection letter from UAB
Whit, D and Avery come visit
roses and perfume for Valentines Day
Signed on with Stella & Dot
Meet Todd and Kayla Burford

March 2012 -
phone interview with Bausch and Lomb
bomb interview do not move forward

Camden and Hailyn come to Bham

A year in photos surprises me at changes that occur so quickly. The girls are growing way too quickly and this is the only way I can savor the precious time I have with them. I truly believe that is the ONLY reason I am unemployed. To be there when mom can't... to run them to dr and dentist and eye appts, to stay at home on sick days so mom and dad can save their vacations days, to eat lunch at school, to take pictures at splishy, splashy day so mom can join in from school, to babysit so mom and dad can have an anniversary getaway, to have days at the pool, the pumpkin patch, the grandparents, to take them to visit great grands because mom and dad have to work... I am unemployed so that these precious baby girls~ Camden, Caroline, Avery and Hailyn~ can know how absolutely much they are loved.

They keep me sane, they cause my insanity... they help me learn they kind of mama I want to be.

Saralyn, Whitney and Heather~ thank you for sharing them with me.  Emily Browning, Stephanie Kimbro and all my other precious friends who trust me with their children, THANK YOU
You can see by only a glimpse into my life that they ARE my life

My prayer for today
"Dear precious Heavenly Father, may I always continue to remember Your Hand in my life. I pray I never forget the love you have given me. I pray You help me to focus on YOUR reason for my daily, earthly walk even when I cannot see it easily. Thank you for blessings beyond measure. Amen"

Feel free to add into MY 31st Year...
It is always fun knowing what I missed and what you remember
xoxo

What's Next?

Short post today~ no major revelations or news to share!  Sounds boring, doesn't it?  I feel like I always have some quote to analyze or a motto for the day...

In the past week, I found out my "big news" was just too good to be true.  But I am okay with that.  I have also failed another Organic Chem test, so I decided last night to drop the class and retake it when I do not have 12 hours of other science classes to focus on.  I am diving head first into Stella & Dot, praying my commitment to this venture does not wane over the coming months.  I have realized that I have become commitment phobic over the past few years and keep asking myself "why?" and "when?"  I have never been one to not see something through to completion.  I think its that instant gratification need in my soul.  But lately, it has been very concerning to me.  I do not like NOT finishing something I started... and finishing it well.

Stella & Dot has a lot of potential for me.  I mean, who can complain about selling fabulous jewelry to fabulous people?  I am setting myself a goal of 10 trunk shows a month.  That is pretty high, but definitely doable.  And will keep me busy enough not to ask silly questions about my life!  I have 3 shows booked for next week, so I am off to a good start.  In addition to the S&D shows, I have been promoting Shabby & Chic a little more with a few new product ideas.  Have even gotten a few orders and that always makes me happy.

I told B this week that I have a lifelong goal to run a half marathon, preferably the Disney half next February.  He is supposed to help me start training (and work on this commitment thing).  I don't know why I struggle so much with running, it does not come easily for me.  I see so many who make it seem so effortless, I cannot help but ask myself what is the difference.  I have been doing yoga more though.  It helps so much to clear my mind.  A new studio has opened in Valdosta, so I am able to go to some great classes while at home.  I feel so renewed after an hour of replacing my thoughts with breathing and stretching.

So~ the question of the day~ What's next?  Who knows... hopefully a lot of trunk shows, some creative therapy and maybe a job interview or two.

I decided this week, life is a boxing match.  I just have to roll with the punches, taking them and giving them because I know God is my COACH and REFEREE.  He knows how I will win and will be the one to get me there.  But that does not mean I may not take a few blows to the chin...

Here is to another blog, another day, another prayer and another smile.  Because I really live a blessed life

xoxo