Happy New Year

goodbye 2008... and good riddance...

It did bring some good things, such as bringing my Jim into my life as my boyfriend, and later my fiancee. It brought the opportunity to move to my dream city and follow one of my longest and dearest held dreams. The Lord has blessed me richly this year.

2008 wasn't all fun and games though. It brought the challenge of telling my employer and my family that I DIDN'T have a degree and that I still had to take a night class while working full time. It brought the constant battle of being in the car all the time. It brought on the realization of walking away from my dream job and dream city and led to a lonely existence here in Tennessee. I'm grateful for my coworkers who have been a God-send. They have loved me, supported me, and held me accountable to so many things in my life.

This year also brought the loss of my grandfather. It was really the first close relative that has passed away. We are still dealing with the wake that lung cancer left behind...

Then there was the cancer scare. After being tossed around from medical professional to medical professional and several tests, what they thought might be cancer, turned out to be nothing... That was... fun?

The there was the debit card fiasco... Nothing like having your only form of payment taken and used for all it's worth and then some the week before Christmas is a LITTLE unsettling...

And then there was the totalling of my car. I'm still feeling some of the physical effects of that as well as waiting (not so) patiently on a police report to be filed. 2009 will be rung in with insurance claims and hopefully, soon, a new car.

I'm grateful to my roommate who sat with me tonight and kept me company after my evening didn't go as planned. A puzzle and a few movies from Blockbuster were a great way to *almost* ring in this year.

To 2008 I say thank you, but I've had enough... 2009, please be gentle, life is about to get CRAZY(er)! In 2009 I will make the transition from bride to wife and I'm so ready.

I'm going to bed now... Before the ball drops, and well before the dawn of a new day in the central time zone. See you in '09.... May it be better than the last.

Merry Christmas

...The Lord gives and the Lord takes away...
Blessed be the name of the Lord!

I'm safe. I hurt. but I'm safe...

I lost my Christmas spirit last week after a Burger King employee helped themselves to my debit card and bank account... Sitting $800 in the hole when you know that you didn't do it and that the bank is working on getting it back is... well... trying.

Then I was faced with the challenge of starting all new traditions this year. Being watched as I opened gifts that were generic as can be because the family didn't know me... Ugh. Part of me wishes I could just sit and watch instead of receive sympathy gifts. Oh well. That is over.

But the kicker... Christmas Eve we were in a car accident that left my car pretty much immobile. Dad had to take us to Frankfort to be with Jim's family and pick up his car. My car will be totalled out probably tomorrow. We're looking at new cars to see what might be affordable at the moment. All with the stress of needing to get back to the office...

I'M SO TIRED.

Yet I sit up late at night and write... Because, well, it's Christmas. And inspite of everything, I'm blessed beyond all reason. I have a family that loves me. A new family that's willing to have me. And a man that loves me and wants to take care of me. Most importantly, though... a God who knows every hair on my head and knows how many stars are in the sky... that same God - He loves me, and knows where I'm at. He will take care of me. He will never leave me or forsake me, and THAT is the greatest Christmas gift of all...

Oh and... In exactly 4 months, I will be a wife. I couldn't be more ready...

Small Blessings (or big ones)

Some days I love my job. Some days I hate my job. Sometimes the love/hate relationship butts up - like Thursday... I hated my job. Friday... I loved my job.

I'm incredibly bummed about leaving in April if they make me. I love what I do. And *most* days, I feel like I have something to offer.

One of my favorite things about my job is trying something new and seeing the fruit of that labor. I realize that this is a rare occurrence in a lot of jobs, however - when I sent out our latest canvasing email and saw the facebook fan page EXPLODE because of that email and the ads we've been creating? That makes me feel great. :)

I work with great people. I thank God everyday for them.