to feel like Christmas. I haven’t put a single decoration up, or purchased a single present. I haven’t a clue where we are spending the holiday, nor any idea what we will be doing on Christmas Eve or anything else. No earthly fathom of what we’re eating, or even how I’m going to manage it all. But suddenly, my attitude has shifted into knowing that this is the time of year that I am reminded needs to be on my mind all year long.

I’m thankful for the sacrifices made. The ones that people make this time of year – not just for me and my family personally, but the ones people make for the people they love in general. I’m thankful for sacrifices made thousands of years ago, when a little baby came to earth to live a human life. Without those sacrifices, the little things that I’m thankful for are very pale and unimportant in comparison. Lucky for me, in the light of those sacrifices, I can be even more thankful.

• I’m thankful for my new home.
• I’m thankful for my little family.
• I’m thankful for my big family, too
• I’m thankful for my friends.
• I’m thankful for fresh starts.
• I’m thankful for forgiveness.
• I’m thankful for laughter.
• I’m thankful that we have everything we really need.
• I’m thankful for my work – that I get to do something I love.
• I’m thankful that my daughter is adjusting so well to change.
• I’m thankful that I’m adjusting pretty well to change, too
• I’m thankful that I get to learn new things.
• I’m thankful that God doesn’t change.

I hope to get some decorations up soon. But even if I don’t, it’s Christmas where it counts, even if you can’t tell from the outside.

There are tons of ways to finish this question….Can it already be December? Can it already be past Thanksgiving, and the family be gone? Can it already be my second month of living here in Ohio? Can it already be this long since I’ve been in a routine and creating projects? Can it already be this good – all of it? Man. Talk about a lot of change.

Melanie is LOVING school. I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s still one of the weirdest things for me, taking her and picking her up instead of working with her all day…but it’s so good for both of us. I heard from her teacher today, and she’s doing great, which is so fun. She loves picking out clothes for each day and setting things aside. Today she wore her first skirt – a little denim number and a cute little shirt and sweater, with tights and her tennies – and she even let me do her hair without much fuss. She looked stinkin’ adorable. Did the mom take a photo? Nope. She forgot. But hopefully I’ll remember to do so more often. She’s a good egg.

I have tons of product half finished that needs to be finished up tonight and tomorrow. I do love getting things accomplished, and I just want to be done with it. I’m ready to start on something new and exciting!

Well I’m off to get to work! Hello, no one who reads my blog

I’m not going to break out into The Mama’s and The Papa’s, but the song is definetely playing through my head.  I could probably break out and quote the scripture too, but well, since they took it straight from the book, we’ll let well enough go.

We are all moved in to the new house. There are still a few boxes here and there as we wait for furniture to unpack the afore-mentioned boxes into, but we’re pretty close to being settled in. Cable is on, internet is on, we have appliances, Melanie is going to school, and we have mail being delivered. I guess that means we’re settling. I am trying to get into some sort of a routine as well, and honestly, that’s not going too badly either. I love my evenings here in the house. Hearing the washer and dryer go, and seeing the dishes dry in the drainer after cooking dinner; listening to music or watching tv with Brian while we relax on the sofa; all of these things seem like little pieces of gold to me; blessings beyond what I could imagine. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Tomorrow will be Melanie’s first day in a building school. She is so excited and I think a little bit nervous. I’m the opposite. A little bit excited for her, and a LOT nervous for both of us. This will be the first time that I’ve not been with her all day every day as a regular part of our routine. I know that’s going to take some adjustement for me. I hope that it becomes something that we both enjoy. Heaven knows that she loves to learn; hopefully her little bossy nature won’t get her into too much trouble, although I guess we just deal with these things as they come. I’m looking forward to seeing her grow and learn, and I’m looking forward to keeping home a place of safety and rest for everyone so that when they come home they can let their hair down and relax and know that this is a place of peace. That’s one thing that I’m really looking forward to being able to provide.

Every day seems filled with little tasks that must be done but don’t amount to a lot except for a checkmark on my piece of paper right away. I know that it will all add up as the time goes on, but it’s hard to measure it all at this point. I’m still plugging away at the little details though, and trying to make dents in the big details too. It will all smooth out here in the end.

I’m looking forward to making time to create again very soon. I miss the art of it. Hopefully tonight and tomorrow I can take a little time to do so. Have some other fun things up my sleeve as well, which hopefully will benefit my family and I and help to be a blessing to others.

Living life in the moment, one moment at a time….

I got to spend the day today with my brother and sister in law, and we did a little trade-a-roo with the kiddos. Edwin and I stayed at home and he took a nap (while I pretended to work *rolling eyes*), and Melanie got to go bowling with her cousins and aunt & uncle. It worked out great for everyone involved. Me bowling = disaster waiting to happen. Trust me people; this is the woman who fell down the flight of steps today at Rob’s house, and had her pants fall down twice in one day. Jeans. It was NOT my day to display grace and poise, that’s for darn certain! So it’s good for me to stay away from the 10lb sports equipment!

I also got to talk on the phone a few times with my friend Brian, and we had a great time. It’s so fun to know that you have people who know you well and who believe in you. I’m really, really blessed. I know that not everyone has the opportunities that I do and the friendships that I get to enjoy. I really try hard not to take the people or the relationships for granted.

Tonight I’m sitting here with my headphones on, listening to Landon Pigg. Weird name, GREAT music! He’s definitely on the top of my list of good finds.  I’m going to switch to Nick Drake soon though; I was just introduced to him yesterday – and woohoo!! His music is terrific too! Then I might do some Rosie Goland, or some Katie Herzig…I dunno know! But I’m in a music kind of mood. I miss nights like this where I can just relax and work and blog and listen…these are good outlets for me.

Thirty five is no longer just staring me in the face; I’m on the downhill slope of it. I’m not sure what to think of that. I am feeling more healthy and confident than I ever have. I’m also seeing (shhhhh!) grey hairs on my head, and wrinkles on my hands, and little crows feet kinds of things on my face. This is the part that I wasn’t sure when it would happen.  Both my grandmother and mother had GREAT skin – and it really never looked their actual age – especially my grandma – she took beautiful care of her skin, and it was just beautiful and flawless. But I remember their hands looking the same to me – and I always knew that my hands were going to look the same. The time is starting to approach. My hands are quickly becoming what I used to blithely call “old lady hands”. I’m hoping to reverse time here. Need to get on the ball!

You know, life is not always easy. But it’s always worth it. Maybe not in the moment, but in looking back, I can see distinct reasons why things that have happened in my life have happened. They’re all for a purpose. And they’ve made me who I am and brought me to where I am today.

I’m thankful.

That’s what my week has been like this week.  Taking small steps in the things I’m doing and the way I’m thinking, and experiencing some major change along with it. Not all of it is outright pleasant, I have to say. It’s actually a little scary in some parts. But the future is bright. I’m keeping my eyes on that.

I had the opportunity this week to proof read some stuff for a good friend who is getting his degree. He’s such a great communicator, and I was really honored that he even asked my opinion. I think I really forgot how much I love to write and to read and to just be all…wordy! Using new words, or underused words, and making them all fit together rather seamlessly is so much fun! It’s like a math puzzle – but without the numbers and stress for me .  In all the change and decision making that’s been going on, I figured I had probably better get my butt in gear and start documenting things as they happen. Otherwise my brain, with it’s many holes for thoughts to fall through, will surely forget most if not all of the process. And I don’t want to forget the process…it’s part of the journey. (Don’t get me started, or I’ll start singing The Climb, and then I might be disowned by several people!)

In other news, my handy new phone has an application on it called GigBaby, and it does some fantastic stuff. I can actually record 4 seperate tracks on it, and then mix and export them to my computer into a wav file. This is so great for recording a rehearsal or when I’m writing a song, and it was a free app. I’ve used it twice so far, and the sound quality is pretty good; I was impressed. I think that is something I’ll be using pretty often (along with the maps app, since I can’t find my way out of a cardboard box on my own!)

Mel is doing great in school. 1st grade so far has been a breeze for her. She’s reading and writing VERY well, still prefers science over handwriting, and would do experiments every day if she could get away with it.  I wish I could keep up with her, honestly. She is always asking questions and Googling things and just having a great time. She knows a lot of things that I don’t know, and that’s a little scary. I’m so proud of her though. She’s growing up too fast. I keep trying to convince her to let me put a brick on her head with some velcro, but she won’t buy it.  One can always try!

Work at ScrapGirls is going so well. I really love it there, and love the girls there – both site staff and the customers. They are so sweet and fun and loyal, and just really turning into a family. I’m really blessed to have a job there, and I don’t take it for granted. Can’t wait to continue to get to know them all and continue to invest in the site. It’s a great home to have.

My nose piercing is healing really well and doesn’t hurt at all (unless it gets accidentally ripped out, which it has three times now). The ear cartiledge is still pretty tender, but not nearly as bad as the last time I had it pierced. I can actually lay on that side of my head (the left), so I’m considering that victory. I won’t go anywhere else for a piercing again – I went to Columbia to Midnight Rider. Of course, then again, I don’t plan on having anything else pierced either! But if I was suggesting where to go, I’d definetely say go there!

I’ll try to think through some new tunes to suggest tomorrow for you all. Tonight I’m on an Ingrid Michaelson kick. She has one of her videos up for voting for top 20 on VH1.  Her new album is terrific, but then again, I like everything of hers. She’s my go-to girl for chill music.  I do have some new things in my library that are getting a lot of playtime as well. I’ll make a list and link it up tomorrow.

Hope that everyone is standing firm and pressing on.