Bring it 2011!

I am not usually one to look back on a year and think "Wow! I sure am glad to see that one go." But I must admit that the year 2010 has not been a personal fave of mine. However, it sometimes takes the not-so-fab moments in life to bring out your personal best. We are determined to find the good in all these rather common yet difficult experiences.

We (Shan & I) felt many personal strains this year...emotionally, physically, and financially. We weathered an almost-layoff, but by the grace of God, Shannon found a great job in just the nick of time. With a job change and this DREADFUL economy we have learned to manage our money differently and "Dave Ramsey says" is the most frequently spoken phrase in our home. I suffered from (still am) some very annoying and sometimes debilitating health issues. I am hopeful that we can resolve those or at least get some relief in the new year. I have also had some personal struggles that I shared with all of you through my blog(s).

I was on a quest to get organized (still am) and even devoted an entire blog to it. That was WAY too much for me to keep up with. So I am learning that for me, organization is a state of mind. It's little steps everyday that keep me organized, not a few weekends or late nights of major tasks.

I have struggled with returning to work to not only help financially, but to use my $$education$$. We decided to continue making sacrifices to allow me to be at home with my boys. We also decided to focus on my home-based business for extra income and for a creative outlet. i have gained many new clients and loved serving my returning clients who continue to support me.

I had many worries about family members who were dealing with life changing issues. I am in the process of handing those worries to the only one who can truly handle them. I realized that sometimes problems are much bigger than we are and that's all we CAN do.

Don't get me wrong, there was lots of good in 2010, but the not-so-good was extremely prevalent and seemed to be the headliner of this year. Having to deal with all of these pesky issues has caused a great deal of frustration and anxiety in our house. BUT we are learning to trust God more than ever and listen to our hearts. Through fighting all this anxiety, we are praying more and counting all our blessings. We have leaned on our amazing families, realized who our true friends are, and have grown closer as a family. Also, in blogging about all this over the year I have met some fantastic "blog friends" who have also been super supportive. I just love this community!

We are going into the new year with positive attitudes and hope for a better year. We pray that all of you have a happy and safe new year's eve and that 2011 brings you much joy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

from What's Bakin'?