Heartsill Family Lunch

For many years, my mom's family had a Christmas lunch together at my Aunt Jackie's house.

We always knew to plan the last Sunday before xmas to be in attendance in Bethel around noon for food, fun, and festivities.

When she died, unexpectedly several years ago, we didn't want the tradition to end. I organized a get together at our fellowship hall at our church building. It was a decent alternative to Aunt Jackie's home, but not the same feeling in the hollow, echoing of the hall.

This year, we were able to host the lunch in our home and it was such a good time. There is a different feeling that comes with gathering as a family in a home as opposed to meeting in a hall. It just felt more right. It will never be the same as it was at Aunt Jackie's, but it is now running a close second.

I hope to host many more family events. After all, what in this life is more important than family? Not too much on my list tops that.

Eating Frogs

I found an exerpt from a book named Eating Frogs. It is all about procrastination and how to start new habits to avoid putting things off.

The author explains that tasks are varied. Some are distasteful and others are less so. One must place all their tasks out to be categorized daily. You find the one that is the most distasteful and tackle it first. Not very easy for a procrastinator to do. So you look at the tasks at hand, knowing they all must be done. You envision them as dishes of food from favorites to the most abhorred, the least desireable task is a frog! Since you know you HAVE to eat them all eventually, you choose the frog first. In doing so, you get it out of the way and off your mind. You gain "nutrition" from it by attaining a feeling of accomplishment.

Most "frog" tasks are of the 20% category. These tasks generally reap big rewards, some immediately and some down the road a short way. The 80% category are the ones you don't mind doing or possibly even like to do. They will generally not benefit as much, although every task provides some benefit.

So one of my "frogs" today is to go through the xmas stuff and do a downsize. I LOVE Christmas so this is a very difficult task for me. None the less, I am in the attic today, eating my frog! And I must add that, so far, it is not a very tasty dish. I am hoping that the sense of accomplishment will more than make up for the nasty frog I am consuming. Eating frogs is NOT very much fun.

My Very Young Husband and Some of His Family Members

Michael

More photos!

Some Old Photos

My husband's family has not given my many photos to date, but his Aunt Kathy has graciously sent me these photos of his childhood. I have more and will post them one set at a time.

Wishes

I am wishing today for many things.

I wish for peace worldwide, but also for peace in my heart.
Storms are always near us. It seems that we are just getting through one or about to face another, at all times. The sunshine and blue skies are temporal, at best. One of my blog friends talked about "dancing through the storms". Wise people realize that storms are inevitable. Wise folks also realize that the end of the storm is just as inevitable. They can hold up their head, knowing that no one is exempt from the storms in life, and be confident that the sun will shine again...for everyone. Their faith is amazing and I wish my faith were that strong. Wise people know that beauty comes from the trials of life and even joy is forged that might never have been realized any other way. My faith is a work in progress and my goal is to not only face the storms that life tosses my way, but to dance my way through them with the full knowledge that God is in control, that He cares what happens to me, and that He is ever faithful, even when my faith is weak.

I wish that I had no regret.
I wish I had been smart enough to make better decisions in many areas of my life. I have done nothing that has been so detrimental that I could not overcome it, but I want to learn to have the wisdom to avoid even the smallest regret from now, forward. I would love to be able to learn from other's mistakes, but sadly, I tend to have to "buy" my life lessons, instead of "borrowing" from other's experiences too often. How does one learn to shift hindsight forward and judge what is the best road to travel? How does one know when the Spirit is leading, as opposed to Satan getting a foothold in one's thinking, making one believe the Spirit might be pointing them in a certain direction? How can one be SURE? Is there such a thing as an absolute when circumstances are so varied and changing?
Having said all that, I think I would much rather reach the end of my life, look back and think, "Wow. I really wish I hadn't done things that way", than reflect and always wonder what might have been. Regret, either way, but one acts and apologizes later, if necessary. The other is just existing.

I wish that life could be simple.
Why does everything have to be so complicated? Maybe I bring on complexity by having too many irons in the fire, or procrastinate until it all piles up, or maybe life just isn't simple, regardless. I don't know, but I long for simplicity in all things.

I wish that I could control myself better.
Learn to act instead of reacting to my surroundings. Learn to master this emotional self that plagues me with its highs and lows. I have always been a passionate person, but the passion both good and bad, are wearing me thin. I would love to just get to a balance and stay there. It is exhausting trying to maneuver the emotional rollercoaster on which I find myself these days. Maybe age contributes to that. Maybe hormones? Whatever the reason, I find that more than ever before, I am ready for just a little straight, smooth roadway, minus the curves and the ups and downs.

I wish I could grow up.
I don't believe that I am suffering from the Peter Pan Syndrome. I don't want to be childish. Childlike, certainly, but not forever immature. I wish I could feel like an adult, but most of the time I find myself wondering how I got to be so old and not grown up, emotionally. I want to be self-disciplined, assertive, and proactive, but find myself lacking in those areas. Now, more than ever, I need those qualities. My family is depending on me, so I must find a way to achieve this. Just don't quite know how. Therapy maybe?

I wish I could be the wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and servant that I want to be.
I am pretty good in some of those areas but in others, not so much. Some of them fluctuate and alternate, depending on the situation. I am a good person, with many good qualities, but I know that I can do better and have to find a way to master my life so that I manage it, instead of it managing me.

My birthday is this month and I am keeping all these wishes to whisper before blowing out the candles. Maybe the birthday wishes will magically begin the growth process. Maybe another year of age will fill me with enough determination (or desperation) to acquire the tools necessary to accomplish my wish list in the near future. Reflecting on another year passed has brought me face to face with my wish list.

Here's hoping 2010 will be the turning point for me. Cheers!

Happy New Year!

I invited a few friends over for New Year's Eve for food, fun, and watching the ball drop in Times Square.

We played cards and chatted until well after midnight. What fun we had.

Then Callie got sick, next Gracie dropped with the same virus that Micah brought home from Exposure. Luckily, MT and I have been spared this one. Maybe we have already encountered this virus and it only got the children who have never been exposed to it. Who knows?

Above are some pictures of the cupcakes I made for the party. I piped out the numbers in chocolate candy melts. I garnished the cupcakes with vanilla icing, red and clear sugar crystals, and the chocolate 2010 perched proudly atop each one. Fun for my girls and me, in the making of these treats.

May peace abound, may comfort soothe your aching heart, may joy surround you and love enfold you, and prosperity be your constant companion in the coming year. May God's richest blessings be poured out on you and yours!

Happy New Year!