2010 in Review!

1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?

Hmm...I am definitely in no way athletic, but I hiked in Big Bend up, down and around a very small mountain this summer in 110* weather, that is a first in all kinds of ways!

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't make any last year, and will not this year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes! My friend, Sarah, brought her sweet little girl into the world! Also, my step-sister-in-law had her sweet girl this past Wednesday. :)

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Hmm...2 close friends had miscarriages, and though I did not "know" the babies, I ached for them and with them.

5. What countries did you visit?

Not this year, sadly.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

Better personal over-all health.

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

May 10th...I had a hysterectomy that day. It obviously was necessary and has changed my life so much for the better in so many ways, but was such a difficult day emotionally. I knew after having Hannah that I shouldn't get pregnant again...but when you have your uterus taken out, there's no turning back. No reversal surgery or even small percentage for God to work a miracle of more children. Apparently I'm still healing, emotionally..lol

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I'm proud of myself that I set out to train for a 5k, which I did not do; but I learned how to run for longer distances that I'd ever had before! (3 miles was the longest I'd gotten) (BTW, see #1 again..lol) Also, I was asked to direct the drama for our Christmas Cantata at our church this year, which I did an amazing job at (if I can go by what people say) as well at ended up in starring in when my actress(es) backed out! So much stress and pressure, but in the end, it was beautiful and worshipful for me too.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I guess not doing the 5k I set out to do, but I don't really see that as failing or anything else this year for that matter.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Well, that's kind of what last year was all about for me...but it got better!

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Hmm...Daniel bought me a Kindle, which I LOVE! And we bought ourselves a new TV after our 8 1/2 year old one died this past Christmas.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Oh man, so many. My friend, Tara, who has an amazing real faith as she walks through life in obedience. It's not my place to tell her story, but I am so blessed that she shares it with me. I have another amazing Christian friend who has gone through her first year post-divorce/single mom of three. Yet another friend who is a growing baby Christian living out her faith with a new job, alcoholic non-Christian husband and 3 amazing teenagers. (All of these women are an inspiration to me!) Also, Daniel, of course. He is still fighting for purity and our marriage, working so hard to be a good husband, father and youth minister in ways that often make him feel alone and "weird." He helped and loved me through hormonal roller coasters and the death of dreams and wishes, and came out on the other side of my insanity (that NO ONE else ever really saw) still loving me. Really loving me. And I know it and feel it.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Sometimes some of our students. They make such poor choices sometimes and I just want to shake them!! Then God reminds me of the grace I've been given, and that because of that, I can freely give grace too. And mine at times too, of course. My heart was really bitter for awhile there.

14.Where did most of your money go?

Exactly where we told it to. We were debt free with no payments on anything whatsoever. I had to have surgery in May, which was very expensive, despite that we had savings stored up. So we are still paying off my hospital bill, but otherwise, we budget well, and have always had money for everything we need and some of the things we want. We live a different kind of life in how we spend our money, but we have peace that few people have when it comes to their finances because of it.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Christmas vacation. :) Lots of time to just hang out with students, which we did. Also, we got to see a lot of our family, some of which we haven't seen in a LONG time, so that was soo good! I'd been looking forward to this time since last Christmas/summer when I started planning who was going to sleep where, etc!

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

"Hello, Hurricane" by Switchfoot

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Definitely happier, despite how things are different than I'd thought they'd be...I sincerely feel very happy.
ii. thinner or fatter? at this very moment? Fatter...I'm blaming it on hormones leveling out..jk
iii. richer or poorer? Ummm...praise God, Daniel got a raise! Um....but our insurance rates went up...so, ummm..praise God for providing for insurance rates going up...lol

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Read more when my kids wanted me to. (they want to read a LOT!! But, one day I'll miss these silly stories I have memorized that no one wants to hear anymore.)

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Eating when I felt stressed out/sad. lol

20. Did you fall in love in 2009?

Yes, always and again with my Daniel. But also with the community we live in...there are some amazing people here that have dramatically altered my heart.


21. What was your favorite TV program?

I don't really watch much tv, but I did like"The Biggest Loser"

22.. What was the best book you read?

Here is where my inner-teenage-dork comes out...I read the Twilight series for the first time last spring and have re-read the entire series at least 4 times since then. I'm also Team Edward, I knew you were wondering....lol I also read the newest Rick Riordin book and liked it as much as Percy Jackson.

23. What was your greatest musical discovery?

They're not new, but I really like Tenth Avenue North. Not the normal sound I listen to, a bit too mellow at times, but I like their lyrics and depth a LOT.

24. What did you want and get?

A TV!! Which looking back was something I wanted last year! We were patient, we had a need and God provided for us to do that!

25.What did you want and NOT get?

Hmm...my "wants" have changed a lot over the last year. Things have different priorities than they used to.

26. What was your favorite film of this year?
I don't watch a lot of movies, but I did see "Tangled" and really liked it. We also saw "To Save a Life" and really liked that too.

27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 30 this year, a milestone of sorts. Daniel and I went out to eat and to a movie, the staff went our for lunch together, and my friend, Jennifer took me "out on the town." lol This birthday wasn't a surprise party or huge celebration in anyway, but I celebrated it surrounded by people that loved me, and I couldn't ask for more!

28 What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Having my health problems under control sooner rather than later. (Thank you, Tara, for helping me see how important things were...though you may not remember that conversation!)

29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

Pshaw. lol I did add some different things to my wardrobe this year in the running department...and liked feeling cute and "athletic" for the first time in my life ever!

30. What kept you sane?

Truth. When things seemed to be falling apart all around me, and I felt bitter and alone, and life just kept changing in every way possible...God's word; Jesus the Cornerstone, became very real in my life. Also, Daniel and my friends and family that listened to my griping and bitterness and being lashed out at when they didn't deserve it. Being forgiven for aforementioned behavior helped tremendously know I was loved and not crazy. (thanks, Daniel and Jenni!)

31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

No one really...I guess Jillian Michaels some as I read about her views and research into hormones.

32. What political issue stirred you the most?

How illegal/legal immigrants are treated in the US, specifically Texas. Also, how the Church has responded and will respond are important and interesting to me.

33. Who did you miss?

My friends and family who are so very far away.

34.. Who was the best new person you met?

I'd met both of these women when we moved here, but WE have become MUCH closer in the last year! Letty is a new good friend who is an amazing godly mother who is raising 3 amazing teenagers to be real, authentic Christ-followers. She is real about who she is and how she struggles. She's lives out Truth in a way that will not allow me to let her call herself a "baby Christian" for very much longer...and challenges me to grow along the way. She is fun to hang out with as well, as we eat Olive Garden after watching the new Eclipse movie or keeping me sane at the Youth Christmas party! Jennifer is the other best new person I've met! She is my new bestie who texts me silly and serious conversations throughout her day of teaching freshman english and my 30th cup of imaginary tea. She makes me laugh every time we're together and I always look forward to our next Angelo trip or just sitting at each other's house doing nothing. We have both gone through a lot in the last year, her more so than me, and I will always be thankful for her (and letty's!) friendship during this time!

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:

I learned a lot about spiritual maturity (realizing how selfish and self-centered I really was...how concerned I was with how I felt, what I wanted, what I didn't have, etc.) I knew my life as a Christ-follower wasn't about me, but this year, I REALLY learned what it meant. My life is not about me, it's not about me not liking where I live, it's not about me wanting friends here, it's not about me wanting nicer or more material things, or even seemingly unselfish things like wanting to live near my family, or wanting to have more children...It's about God and what HE wants to with my life through His Son to bring Himself glory. It was a hard lesson for me to learn, and I fought it all the way for so long!! I am still learning...but I am learning to also be content. (Side note; thanks Sarah, though you may not remember the conversation and I don't remember exactly what you said, but something you said made me start down this thought process and I am grateful!)

1 Timothy 6:6-12 says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money* is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

I see "the love of money" as greed, wanting more that what you have...I think this kind of greed obviously applies to more than money, as I learned in my life, but can also "plunge people into ruin and destruction." I was very, very depressed this past year...part of it was hormones and part of it was my un-Christ-like discontentment.

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

We come returning all the things we can’t keep
We’ve spent all our time chasing empty things
We come returning all the earthly treasures
We’re setting our hearts on eternity

What good is it for man
To gain the world only to spend
Eternity from You

In You Lord; there’s nothing to lose, Lord
Our hope and our future is safe and secure with You

For You Lord, may all that we live for
Bring Glory and honor, to You!
In You Lord; there’s nothing to lose, Lord
Our hope and our future is safe and secure with You

37. The best thing you discovered this year?
How compassionate my children are. Don't get me wrong, they're still children who think the world revolves around them like all children do, but they have compassion in a way that I think is abnormal for their age, I certainly was not like this!

38. The best thing you lost?
The closeness I had with friends and family since we live so far away. :(

39. What are you glad to leave behind from 2010?

Sorry male readers for TMI, but girls, you'll understand: menstrual pads. ;D

40. What are you looking forward to in 2011?
I don't know!! I don't really have any plans and I'm not sure what His are exactly yet, but I'm excited to see what happens, though I may not deem it all "good" in next years "review"...I know "He's still got the whole world in His hands"