What Went Down & What's Going Out...

I'm not gonna lie, 2010 hasn't been the easiest year, but we still have much to be thankful for. And easy isn't really what life is all about is it? Life is about struggles and how you deal with them and the decisions you make in the process. And often times in between or even in the midst of the struggles the Lord chooses to bless you or perhaps just make you more aware of the ways in which He has already blessed you. For me this past year has really been about learning to be content in the now even if it isn't the now you had mapped out in your mind. I wanted to make a list for myself so that when i look back at 2010 i won't just remember the difficulties, as we have a tendency to do, but appreciate the blessings and be thankful for what we have.
This year:

I lost my grandma at the age of 92.
This was a huge loss, but I was lucky to have had her for so long. But i still miss her. a lot. of all my grandparents she is the one i felt the closest to. She was an unselfish servant, a prayer warrior and the best little italian cook you ever met. That and she buttered an english muffin to perfection. This is a fact.

We moved. Again. Third move in six years.
We swear this is our last move until we buy a house, which will hopefully occur in some time in the next decade. We found the right place at the right time, pay less rent no longer live on a main road.

We got a roommate.
Daniel's sister Amanda moved back to Cali and now lives with us. She is a huge part of what afforded us the opportunity to move into a nicer place. This transistion went even better than i could have hoped for and i'm so glad we all decided to go for it. Ruby LOVES having her Onnie at "her house" and i love having a partner in crime for my numerous ColdStone runs.

Daniel got a new job.
After almost exactly two years of praying for a new opportunity, he was hired on as a captain at STA Jets. PRAISE THE LORD!

My dream came true.
For as long as i can remember when people asked me what i wanted to do when i grew up, my answer was always the same; "get married and have kids." Let me say it hasn't always gone like i had hoped and planned for, but the Lord has given me my greatest desire, to be a stay at home mom. I would love to have quit my job the minute i found out i was pregnant, but it wasn't in the cards until April of 2010, two months short of Ruby's second birthday. I will be eternally grateful to Daniel who has taken this huge leap of faith and carried the burden of being the sole provider for our family. I am SO blessed to be able to watch my daughter grow and learn each and every day and i never want to take that for granted.

I started a new hobby.
I didn't get too far, but i have started learning how to sew. My mother in law has been a patient teacher and my first projects include crayon rolls for Ruby's birthday party favors and a cute little cupcake for her halloween costume. I hope to do more and more as each year passes.

So now that you know what i'm thankful for i thought i'd also share with you my resolutions for 2011. I am typically not one for New Year's Resolutions. I'd like to say that's because i have it so together, but alas, if you have known me for longer than 5minutes, you know that is not the case. Truth be told i don't make them because i know i won't keep them. it's almost as if i'm beating myself to the punch and choosing not to set myself up for failure. What kind of screwed up type of thinking is that, i mean is it any less of a failure if i opt not to put it down on paper or even worse, on the blog for the world (i use that term loosely, {5 faithful followers}) to see? Of course not!

Realistically i am not going to hold to all, or even just one of my resolutions 100%, but that isn't the point. The point is to try and learn, grow and become a better person for the next 365 days. Even if that's just a slight improvement from where i stand today, it's still an improvement right? So with that said, i'm putting my resolutions out there, for you to read so that you can help hold me accountable. Without further adieu, here we go!

To read my Bible, more consistently.

To spend more QUALITY time with my Ru Bear Pie

Patience. i'm already sorry that i put this one out there, need i say more?

Complain less.

Contain my anger in the car and keep my road rage limited to internal dialogue, rather than subject my poor unsuspecting passengers to the crazy!

To cook at least 3 meals a week.

Indulge in more spontaneity and let go of rigidity. (is that a word?)


Obviously there are in depth personal details that go along with each of those, but i'll spare you the gory details. I really look forward to having goals in the New Year, it seems rather ridiculous to have opted out of this tradition in hindsight, after all i have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Here's to doing my best and not giving up even after i fall short. Are you making any resolutions? What will you do better in 2011?