Christmas has come and gone fast this year

This past week was super busy. Here's a run down. Monday I went and got my new car. It's pretty awesome. I love it. Tues I babysat from 6:00 am until 12:30pm for my two nieces (4 and 2) and had a blast with them. I got an adorable frog for my collection from them. Then I had an appt and also the last advent bible study. More about Bible study later. I also gave my friend a new car for Christmas long story but funny. Weds we had final run through of the Christmas program with ROCK group and had their Christmas party and had a blast with them. I switched my car over to my name and made tons of homemade fudge and chocolate covered pretzles. I also went to a meeting. Thurs spent the day with my family. At 6:00 the kids did their last Christmas program and did wonderful. From there went into the other church and helped light candles and ran the computer for the church. Then went to my grandparents and hung my stocking and helped filled others. Christmas morning we opened at my parents. I got a Wii and a couple games plus Jessie gave me a key chain that says a bunch of encouraging things. It's pretty sweet. Then we went to my grandparents and opened stockings. From there went across the street to the funeral home and had dinner. My youngest counsin Christian took a fall and ended up with 5 stitches. I am extremely blessed this holiday season and I'm not talking about gifts I'm talking about with my family. My new moto for the upcoming year is A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

I am so very blessed

Well this morning was our first out of two ROCK group performances of their Christmas program. I was impressed with the kids because they did such an excellent job. I am truely blessed at this point in my life to be given the oppurtunity to run this youth group. A year ago I would have laughed at you had you said that I would run a youth group but now I see how much lately my heart has changed. Life is awesome and the kids remember all the time.

The Christmas Season is upon us........

Wow hard to believe in 6 short days Christmas will be upon us yet again. I'm excited but for the first time in awhile it's not about the presents or things like that but about celebrating the birth of Christ. Maybe it's because of running the ROCK group or being sober but I am looking at the true meaning of Christmas this year. I remember a few years ago I had to give a talk at the LDS church on What gift could I give to Christ at Christmas and I choose to actually expand it and made it include what could I give to him all year. What I had come up then was giving the gift of Christ yourself by giving him you whole heart. This next year that is what I am going to strive to do better. I went to a bible study this week and had a really good talk with a friend and I am begining to see where I am changing and what people see different from a year ago. It's just through the example I am leading now and through that I can make some of the ammends I need to make. It's truely been an amazing thing this past year to see all the changes that have taken place and more importantly I have noticed that my heart has really changed from being full of anger to being full of love more so in the last month. I am so excited for tomorrow as it is the ROCK group Christmas program that they have worked hard on for the last 3 weeks. Our rehearsal today went well and i'm very impressed with how hard they have worked. They are an awesome group of kids and I am truely blessed to be given the opportunity to work with them.

The journey that began 9 months ago

Wow had to believe that 9 months have passed since March 12. I never thought I would that long clean and sober. I have gone through a lot the last 9 months but I'm so very much grateful for the trials that have been placed in my life (this even includes breaking my ankle). I have learned that no matter how rough life seems to be that it is easier to handle it sober than drinking or doing anything. I am begining to even be able to look myself in the mirror today and smile to myself where even just a couple of months ago that wouldn't happen. I didn't do all this work alone there is one who has always and will always be with me and that's my heavenly father. It has taken me a long time to really find him but he is awesome! I'm just shocked at all the changes that have taken place, the ones that are taking place, and the changes that will take place. Life is good even when it's rough.

Life has many twists and turns and it all leads to gratitude

Well the past couple of weeks have been hard here. I went from driving some to not driving at all to starting to drive again. I will never take for granted walking or driving again. It's when you can't do it the most that you truely find where your strength lies and how much you have to be gratiful for. I am so gratiful for my family, my friends, and the people I have come in contact with. The kids in my ROCK group are a lot of fun and I find that if I'm not there one time it's like I have missed so much. I love seeing the kids who were shy last year when I met them have come out of their shell this year. I am so excited for the Christmas program that we are doing. One is on the sunday before Christmas and the other is Christmas eve. They are excited about this program as am i. I love watching them change and it changes me at the same time. I have gained so much over the last 2 and a half months and one of the lessons that I have learned is that GOD is truely my heavenly father and he loves me for me. He loves me during the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am so thankful for the challenge of running the ROCK group because it forces me to get out of my shell more too. Life around me is awesome!