Life is Crazy

A year and a half has gone by since I have even looked at my blog. It is a little sad to me. I look back at this blog as a record of my life...that is neat to me. And now I have almost two years missing from my life.
I went from being home full time, to one job that I stayed 6 months and then decided to go somewhere else. I have been at my "new job" a year now. It is good. It is a Christian Camp and Retreat Center. I couldn't ask for better people to work with. Yet, it is full time work. It is overwhelming to work full time and try to be a mom, a wife, and a person all at the same time.
I enjoy my work, yet I feel guilt that I am not home. I am not taking care of my kids to the standard I would like. I am not cooking, cleaning and spending the amount of time I feel like they need.
I don't have energy to grocery shop and plan meals. Somehow they are still eating, but I don't think they are getting many of the food groups towards the bottom of the pyramid!
The kids are growing so fast. Julia is 10 in a week and in 4th grade. How did my baby get to be 10? Harrison is 7 and in 1st grade. They are both wonderful in their own ways. They love my new job as they get to go to camp in the summer, ride on floats in parades and on occasion go to work with me.
We stay busy doing life. I am ready for a little break. Not sure that is going to come.
I do have much to be thankful for. I am trying to focus on that for now.
There is so much I want to cram into here. I want to update myself on 2 years of life. I guess I could summarize it all into Life is Crazy!

A New Chapter

I have gotten so bad about blogging. I guess the Facebook world has taken over. However, I like to keep up with this, just to have a record of my life. It is fun to look back over the years and see what I was doing and thinking.
I have hit a new chapter in my life. My kids are now officially both in school. It was a bitter sweet day to see both of my children walking side by side into the elementary school. I was so glad that Harrison had his big sister to be by his side. He has been a bit apprehensive about leaving his mama at home all day by herself! I was able to relieve his fears when I picked him up from school that day. Amazingly, as I was sitting in the carpool line to pick them up, I received a phone call offering me a job and I accepted. I think he was a little happy to know I wouldn't be sitting at home crying, not knowing what to do with myself til he got home!
So I am now employed again full time! It has been quite the adjustment. This is my first Saturday since I started working, and man I forgot how nice Saturdays were!
I am no longer in social work, which is ok with me right now. I decided to go a different route. I am working for a physical therapy office. I work directly with patients helping them with their exercises, doing ultrasounds, e-stems, etc. I am also doing administrative work, such as insurance claims, scheduling, etc.. I am not too thrilled with the administrative, but it is part of the job!
After not officially working full time in almost 9 years, and never working full time with kids, it has been a rough week. It is hard to get my brain functioning in a grown up world for that many hours a day! But I made it!!!
By Friday, I felt like I could maybe do it. It helped that I got complimented by one of the therapists on what a great job I was doing. I had forgotten how nice it was to get kudos for what you do. (not many of those staying at home)
My concern from the beginning was juggling work and home. Paul and the kids have done a great job this week. They have their responsibilities for the day and seem to be getting them done. I am grateful for Paul willingly stepping up and taking care of things at home. I am also very blessed to have my Father-in-law around who is picking the kids up from school everyday. I couldn't do this without everyone helping! It has made it easier to be able to focus on my job and not worry about everyone at home.
So turning a page in my book...hopefully this is a good chapter.

My Journey to Freedom

I started posting on my other blog again. Yes, I don't even keep up with this one, why am I posting on another? My Journey to Freedom is a blog I started in 2006 to log my weight loss journey. It is where I can post thoughts about my struggle with food and I also am posting my daily food intake to help keep me accountable.
It is a very vulnerable thing for me, but a healthy way for me to deal with my food addiction. I added a link on this site...check it out if you like.

Time keeps slipping away

I realized today how fast time keeps going. I remeber hearing my mom say that as you get older time goes faster...how true!
I think when you have kids and see them grow before your eyes it seems to go even faster. To look at Julia who is 8 1/2 and about to go to 3rd grade. It blows my mind. Harrison is almost 6 and will be going to kindergarden in the fall. Where has the time gone?
It also starts me on the path of thinking, what am I doing with my time? Am I making any difference along the way? Or am I letting things that matter go with the time? I would like to think I am making a difference in the world. I think as a stay at home mom it gets a little harder to see the fruits of your life. You have to look at the 8 and 6 year old and hope you have made an impact on them.
Life goes on despite how we feel. I pray that I will continue to seek out what it is I am here for and how to live that out.

Nashville Flood

My four legged babies

 

 

I usually post my children...thought I would share my other children.
This is a rare photo of Gretchen and Fiona. They normally do not get near each other!

Julia's Dress Up Tea Party

Julia had a wonderful birthday party. We did a dress up tea party with the girls in her class. She had a great day!

My ladies Man

 

 

 

Harrison got dressed up for Julia's birthday party. This is him and his "girlfriend" Emma. The two of them are really sweet together.

Monster Truck Jam

Yes, I have hit a new level of red-neck!
I have always wanted to go to the Monster Truck Jam. So, I used Harrison as an excuse to go!
It was a lot of fun. Not as red-neck as I expected either.
I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more crashing or flipping of cars. They show on the commercials lots of wreckage...we didn't see much of that. (yes, I am the person who would like to see fights at the hockey game too!) But it was still fun to go. We got lots of good video...when I got home I read the ticket that said no video cameras. Oh well.

My Cowboy

 
 
 

I have a new love for cowboys! Harrison got his cowboy wear for Christmas. I am loving it almost as much as he is.

Merry Christmas

 
 
 

Merry Christmas! We had a great family Christmas this year.
My parents came up from Atlanta to spend a few days. We had a celebration time with both sides of the family a couple of days before. It was great to have everyone together. I also enjoyed having Michelle with us (my sister by choice!). Thanks everyone for making this a great Christmas!

The tattoo process....

 

 
 
 

Half way to 70.....

I hope my birthday at 70 is as much fun as today was!
I always try to post a photo of me on my birthday. This year you are getting a "back" view! HA!
The tattoo was the big highlight of my day.
I have been planning for it for awhile and decided about a year ago that 35 would be the year. Why a dragonfly you ask?
Well, it has significance to me.
My mom once told me that when she sits outside on her deck the dragonflies come and land on you and they are incredibly still. She said that it reminded her of the scripture Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."
Since that time we have exchanged dragonfly gifts and even have matching necklaces that she wears everyday.
I decided if I got another tattoo that it would have to really mean something.
Throughout the past year I have continually come back to this scripture. I know that God wants me to let Him be in charge. Sometimes that is a difficult thing for me to do. Being a control freak (in recovery) it is so hard to not want to tell God what I think He should be doing and try to do His job for Him.
Hmmm...doesn't work to well, trust me.
So, after getting a good friend to draw this beautiful art piece, I now have a forever reminder that God is the one in control. I just need to be still and rest in Him!

Gingerbread House gone bad....

 

 

 

I thought it would be a fun thing to make a gingerbread house this year. I have never made one in my entire life (my mother deprived me, I mean she was smart). It seemed like a very simple project. I bought the one that comes already for assembly. You don't even have to make icing, or buy candy, it is all in there.
So, how hard can it be. Perhaps there is something to reading directions before hand....
It seemed like it was going well. I had the walls and roof all in place and we started the decorating part. Harrison was enjoying sampling the candy from each bag. Julia was being artistic in her designs. Then the roof started to slide. I fixed it and held it, and was getting frustrated that my perfect craft was not working. Mind you, I love crafts, but I don't do them with my children because I hate messes and I am a perfectionist and they just simply don't do them right!
(I am working on that in therapy)
Anyway, I thought the kids would be very sad that our gingerbread house was just not going to work. They however, thought it was absolutely great that is wasn't working because they so kindly offered to eat it instead!

Trick or Treat?

Here are some photos of Dorothy and Batman. We had a great night trick or treating. I have to say I was absolutely amazed at the event in Spring Hill.
It is such a family community and this was no different. Most neighborhoods have sidewalks and everyone is out and involved. Our community group gave out hotdogs, chili and hot chocolate. It was fun and safe....have I said how much I love SH?
It is just nice to be in a place where you don't have to worry all the time.

The prayers of a child

Julia has started a prayer journal. I discovered it the other night under her pillow. She wrote this prayer the night my parents had major flooding in Atlanta.
I love to see her sweet heart out on paper. Julia is pretty shy and never prays outloud with us and she rarely shares her feelings. Being the social worker (and very open about my feelings!)I worry about her. Finding this was the best gift to me.

Fiona

 

 

 

We have a new addition in the family! We decided to get Harrison a "real" dog for his birthday. Fiona (as named by the Williamson County Animal Shelter) is a 9 week old Beagle/Australian Shepard Mix. She has been a lot of fun. Harrison loves her. I however, forgot what it was like to have a puppy. Just wanted to share a few pics of our new baby!

That's my Boy!

 

 

 

First Day of Second Grade

Julia started Second Grade today! Can't believe how fast time is going.

Sunflower

 

 

We planted a few Sunflowers this year. It is amazing how something so big can come out of such a tiny seed.
I took both of these pictures today of the same flower just hours apart.