First Michigan Holiday!

Well we are settling in and with that comes our first Holidays in Michigan.  We went out to eat for Thanksgiving even though we did have a lot of offers to join friends.  Charlie has been a Champ with the move, but after returning from California to get our stuff she has needed more one on one time with Mommy!  She loves going out to eat so this was really a treat for her.

We put up our Christmas tree and my Girlie Girl is loving wearing her Christmas dress.  Below she is deck out before we even had time to do her hair she wanted pictures.  She keeps telling me that this is the best Christmas ever.  Love seeing the world through the eyes of babies!

She is loving the snow!  We had quite a bit of snow before Thanksgiving and it has since melted.  She can't wait for it to snow again.  Mommy on the other hand isn't as excited about this fact, but we will figure that out too.  She wants to go skiing...a girl after my own heart.

The craziest thing at the moment on this adventure is we are looking at buying a house next year.  Just praying for direction and making sure it is the right thing to do,  As exciting as it is I have been a little overwhelmed by the entire process.  I think it is just all the change which has been for the good, but will take some time to get use to.

Now to figure out how to update my blog title from Idaho to California and change it to..Idaho to California to Michigan!

Being Real!

I was trying to spell a word that was just outside of what spell correct can pick up with my very limited spelling skills and I thought to myself..."Self just be real"

I like to think that I am a pretty real person, but there is room for improvement always.  One thing I have really tried hard to do the past few years is when I tell someone I am going to pray for them that I actually do it.  Something I am a bit ashamed of is I will stop right in that moment and say a heartfelt prayer, but then move on with my life.  I may not even pray about it again or follow up to see how the person is doing after praying for them.  How heartfelt is that?

So tonight I write and I want to be more intentional with my prayers and love for others.  Life is only as busy as we make it!  There is always time to stop and pray or love on someone.  If there isn't that what is the purpose in life?

Michigan

Well after a quick trip to Boston I turned around and jumped on a plane to Michigan the home town of Derek Jeter Kalamazoo.  Nice to have such exciting opportunities in my life but now I am tired, very emotional, and have some big decisions to make in the very near future. I really enjoyed my trip to Kalamazoo it felt like going home.  I love the idea of moving out of the city and hopeful that I could be a home owner at some point in my life.

That being said it is going to be something that has happened a lot faster then I planned.  Which in all honesty is a good thing so I don't over think it too much.

The next few weeks could prove to be interesting and exciting for me!

Bean Town

What a view! What an adventure?  Interviewing on the East Coast for an Amazing job.  I would almost go as far as to say my "dream" job, but how do you pack up and leave everything you know.  Ok when I was 24 I did it but at 40 with a 2 year old doesn't it seem a bit crazy? My belief is that God has a plan and I May not understand it but he could be opening doors I never imagined!  Doing my best to live for the day and trust that all will work out as planned!

Boston, Michigan, Seattle, San Francisco....OH MY!!!

Once again it has been forever since I have blogged. It is safe to say that the last four years of my life have been a little crazy and while I probably should have documented them I didn't. So now after going to Africa, having a child, being laid off from my job, moving and working a crappy job for a year, going back to the job I was laid off from as a contractor I find myself in an exciting phase of my life. Next week I will be off on a series of job interviews to see where my next adventure might take me. It is a bit scary and very exciting to see where this next chapter of my life takes me. The love of my life turns 3 in November and I can't believe how fast she is growing up. I hope whatever change takes place I can get her settled and some sort of routine in her life.

My Daughters Laugh!!

Just when I think I am through wondering why I do what I do I hear infectious laughter come from my daughter's room. Her and her dad are upstairs doing whatever it is that makes her giggle from her belly. I have been praying a lot lately about my future where it will take us and was reminded today by a friend that my prayer is flawed. Instead of praying for God to remove the obstacles I should really be praying for strength and guidance to conquer the mountain I need to climb to get to the other side. A different friend encouraged me with this "God has everyday planned out for us. Why fret and worry about tomorrow if it is all planned out anyway? EVERY DETAIL of the day is already planned." I am not in control God is, yes he allows me to make my own decisions but he wants me to chose to follow him and let him be in control. He will not force his will on me he wants me to ask for his will and let him take control of every situation. Why do I find that so hard to understand? So many times thinking I know more than God does? I am reminded daily of just how awesome of a God I serve at 37 I never thought I would have a child of my own and he stepped in and said see what I can do? She is my joy! Also a reminder that we shouldn't put God in a box...I am guilty of this everyday. I pray for God to give me the strength to overcome and not run away. "The harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph." With God on our side we will have that triumph!!

New Year = New Start

When thinking about the title of my post I realize that everyday is a new start and a blessing from God. I didn't set a New Year's resolution this year but instead to set a goal each day as to want to accomplish. It took some time for me to really decide on what I wanted to do and come to realize I feel so much failure when I set resolutions only to not see them come full circle.My message from God App today said "You have to face problems however difficult they are. Having the bravery to face your difficulties is the hardest step; working through the problem is often easier than you think. The first step is always the hardest." Most the time I take on a task and instead of taking baby steps and focus on the finish line. Don't get me wrong I am not saying you shouldn't have long term goals, but for me sometimes I take on too much too soon instead of trusting God and enjoying the process. Today as I was at the park with my daughter I just sat back and enjoyed watching her run, slide, and swing. I loved that it brought her so much joy. Life's simple pleasures all to often get missed by day to day stress. The stress of finding a new job, paying bills, what to do for dinner, or just keeping up with the Jones never crossed my mind. As I realized this I realized how happy I truly am at this point in my life. Everything isn't close to perfect and I have a lot on my plate, but I am praying, trusting and believing God has a plan and it is bigger than anything I could ever imagine. I have spent the last 40 years of my life trying to control everything, make things perfect, or the way I think they should be. You know what it hasn't worked and I have be unhappy doing it. So I have a new approach, it's God turn and I want his will in my life whatever that might be. Am I afraid sometimes? Everyday, but I know I am in good hands. This is the first time in a long time I have even signed onto blogger. Today as I did I was thinking in my head that I am going to do this everyday and use it as my journal, but then thoughts of failure and not being true to that crossed my mind. So I started to write and decided that I am going to take one day at a time, enjoy this time with my daughter, and document moments as often as I can. Sharing blessing, failures, successes, and frustrations. Starting there and seeing where it leads!!