2009 ends today! As I reflect on it, I'm so thankful for God's amazing Grace! He always supplies just what we need to keep us going. Each year brings joys and challenges that show forth God's mighty power. 2009 had it's share of both!

The challenges that stand out in my mind from this year are health problems. Hubby had a triple bypass in Dec 2008 with some complications. But we looked forward to 2009 bringing restored health to him. Unfortunately, by November 2009 he needed stents placed in the main artery again because the bypass had failed. So once again, we look forward to his improved health in 2010. A surprise call from my sister early morning on April 13 gave news about my brother's death during the night; he was only 51. About a week later, his son's wife delivered their still born baby. Then this fall my mother's brother and sister passed away. 4 new graves in our family cemetery.

Blessings for 2009 include a very special trip to Seattle Washington in May. God provided this small get-away and surrounded me with His love in some very special ways throughout the trip. Just what I needed! Another blessing of gigantic proportions is the opportunity to obtain a small ownership percentage in the accounting firm where I work. We have negotiated, worked through some situations, and arrived at an arrangement satisfactory to both of us. Our agreement becomes effective Jan 1, 2010 when I purchase a minority interest. A final blessing for the year, is finding a house to purchase which is much closer to my work. It is a nicer home, although smaller, and has a much smaller yard. With all my boys gone, we needed a smaller yard. We expect to finalize the purchase in January and hope to be moved in by Feb 1.

So it looks like 2010 holds some new and exciting adventures!

Started Packing!

We started going through some of our stuff last night, deciding what we no longer "need or love" to discard before moving. We put the stuff deemed "needed or loved" in boxes. It's going to be a very busy month. We already came across some "memory triggers" reminding us that moving can be an emotional experience. The new house is significantly less square footage than we currently have so we must find a lot of things that we no longer "need or love." Unfortunately, hubby and I both tend to have pack-rat mentality. We both seem to think we might need it someday. I tend to want to hold on to the sentimental items as well. Something tells me the unpacking part may result in further discarding.

Brief escape to normal

Christmas weekend was so much fun....enjoyed my kids being here for Christmas Day so very much. We've also enjoyed some time with some special friends over these last few days. I've also spent a couple of days of pretty much relaxing and just "down" time.

So now Monday is here and life goes back to sort of normal for a few days. Then next weekend is a holiday too. We're planning to spend it with hubby's extended family. Looking forward to that time.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!

Contract Signed!

God is so amazing! He found the house and we have a signed contract within hours.

House Hunting on Dec 23rd

AM I InSane?!!!!!

Most definitely!!

I know Jesus is preparing an eternal home for me in heaven, but I also believe He has a place for our temporary dwelling place while we're still here on this earth. I'm asking Him to guide us to it and to prepare the way for a smooth purchase process. Please join me in praying for His direction in this important decision.

Christmas Celebrations

We enjoyed having my extended family here for our annual Christmas gathering this past Saturday. There were 14 of us here. We just had finger foods/snackie type things, but so much and it was all good. We mostly just snacked and visited. We enjoyed a time remembering Christmases from our childhood.

My hubby surprised me with an early present on Saturday. Friday night we were talking about Christmas and Christmas music. I mentioned an old LP album that we had years ago by the Statler Brothers as being one of my favorite Christmas music albums. Of course, like many we no longer have a way to play LP's so I said, I should try to get it on a CD sometime. Shortly after I went to bed 'cause I had a long list yet to be done the next morning before my family arrived. On the other hand, hubby stayed up really late. Then about 5:30 Sat morning while I was making Christmas Goodies in the kitchen, he walked through the living room and turned on the CD player with THAT album. He had purchased and downloaded the entire album and then burned it to a CD. Now wasn't that sweet!!

Take a listen to this song, Christmas to Me.



Now what is "Christmas" to YOU? I'll post some of my definitions of Christmas tomorrow.

Have a wonderful Christmas week!

Classes for 2009 End Today!

Tonight at exactly 6:15, my last class for 2009 will begin! My FINAL, Final Exam for the year! I've studied and feel pretty good about it. I'll review my study guide a couple of times today, but I think the major work of exam prep is behind me.

It's been quite the journey this year! And I promise not to relive it (whine again about it). But looking back and summarizing.....

I have completed (or will tonight) 5 accounting classes and 2 business courses this calendar year. That leaves 3 accounting classes and 4 business classes and an ethics class to complete before I can take the CPA exam.

I think I'm in too deep to turn back now...past the half way mark.

Semester is almost over!

I'm soooo ready for my break! I'll have about 5 weeks with no school.

Looking forward to:

cleaning my house
decorating and cooking for some Christmas celebrations with friends and family
looking at possibility of moving
getting caught up on some paperwork for home
working a bit more
getting to blog a little more
having some free time to just do something FUN
getting a hair cut
getting new glasses.

BUT before I can do all of those things...there's one more weekend of intense school studying. I have one "homework" type assignment to do in one class and one final for another class. The final is a two part final with one part of it being take home, essay style and then a 50 question Multiple Choice in class on Monday night.

So I must get in gear and go work for a while today and then focus on finishing everything up.

Christmas Tree

So I don't have all my Christmas decorations up yet...just too busy with school, BUT I did manage to get my tree up this last weekend.

Happy Birthday to Janice!

Today is my very special niece, Janice from Butterfly Gardens birthday! Please hop over to wish her a very happy birthday!

Follow Up

Here's a few clarifying facts about my snake adventure yesterday.

I freaked out pretty much as I do with all of my snake adventures. I have actually had several snake adventures. They seem to find me. One of my boys likes snakes and used to look for them. He says they find me! I live out in the country and the house is not sealed real well in several places. It really doesn't take a very big space for a small snake to get inside. We had a cold weather spell and I'm sure he was just looking for a warm place. I'm pretty sure he got into my purse from inside my house during the night Tuesday night. I had been looking for a flash drive in my purse the evening before, so I do not think it was in there then.

When we first saw the snake we were afraid it was a copperhead and determined to treat it as if it was poisonous. That's why it was killed.

I did not take the pictures. One of my co-workers, Susan, grabbed her i phone and started snapping away. I was in a different room when the pictures were taken.

After things settled down, Susan, my husband, and "snake liking" son looked at the pictures and compared them to some internet pics and all three independently came to the conclusion that it was a rat snake so not harmful.

I am being extra cautious in my house to watch where I step, sit, put my hands, etc. as I think it is possible that it has siblings. It was definitely a young snake. A few years ago, we had several small snakes over the course of about a month. They were a little smaller than this one so perhaps there are no others, but I'm being extra careful for a while.

I really was having a difficult time with putting my hands back into the purse, even though I know it is not likely to have another snake. So I did buy a new purse today!

I NEED a new PURSE!!!

Let's start this story with an emphatic statement about something I HATE!!!!

I HATE SNAKES!!!!! I don't care if they are poisonous or little or big or wild or pet or well, I just hate snakes!!

Now for the story.......I went to work this morning and as our office has a lunch order arrangement whereas there is a place chosen every day for us to order lunch from and admin goes to get it and brings it back to us. So this morning I wrote down my order and got out my purse to find money to pay for it. Well, I had to dig for change to have enough. In the process of digging, something inside my purse MOVED!!!! About 3 screams later my co-workers knew there was a SNAKE in my purse!!! So my co-worker grabbed the trusty iphone and took pictures in case I might forget it! It crawled out a bit and pretended to be trim on my purse. When it decided to go back inside, another co-worker took my purse outside and dumped it!!!

So what's in YOUR purse?
Then the knife that we used to use for cutting birthday cake cut the snake! Guess we need a new cake knife too!YIKES!!!!!!

Not sure how well I'll sleep tonight since I keep my purse beside my bed at night....Guessing that he got in overnight!

December is here!!

What happened to this last year? God has sustained us through a very difficult year. You know how there are those defining days in your life...those really big events...marriage, death of loved ones, birth of kids or grands, significant surgeries, change in careers, buying houses, blah, blah!

Well, we've had a few of those this last year! One of the really big ones has an anniversary coming up within days---Hubby's heart bypass surgery was 1 year ago this coming Saturday.

Those kind of dates cause you to look back and say, "Wow, it's been a year!"

Let me just say, I'm ready for this year to be over! I'm so very thankful for God's sustaining, ever constant presence throughout.

I am anxious to dig into the Christmas spirit, but I have another 12 days of school with several more tests, papers, etc to complete before I can get too much into Christmas activities.