A New Year's Eve Reflection on 2011

20 Questions for a New Year's Eve Reflection
1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
I GOT MARRIED!!!

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

The single most challenging thing had to be the house buying process. Over the past year, there have been some major changes but the process on buying a house really showed how Adam and I worked out problems. Oh wait there is another challenging thing, I know it said the SINGLE one... but moving out of a house that I have lived in for 6 years was also quite challenging.

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?

Just the love that was shown by all of our friends as we were married

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?

I tried to think of this one....and it was quite hard.... but I would say that an unexpected obstacle would have been the house buying process again! I did not really picture Adam and I buying a house during the wedding process and even that before the wedding. The Lord was really trying my patience thru the entire process. The house buying process was an unexpected obstacle but I am so happy we did when we did because we found the perfect house for us!!!!

5. Pick three words to describe 2011.

wonderful, perfect, changing

6. Pick three words your spouse/best friend would use to describe your 2011 (don't ask them;
guess based on how you think they see you).

awesome, amazing, and perfect

7. Pick three words your spouse/best friend would use to describe their 2011 (again, without
asking).
Challenging, awesome, changing

8. What were the best books you read this year?
I have not read very much this year... but that is on the list for 2012 to read more.

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?

Adam is the most valuable one , but then my family... over this past year, we have seen each other alot more than we have the past couple of years because of weddings, birthdays, and parties.... I love them all!

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
My biggest change would have to be getting used to being married. I have been on my own for 6 years and I have certain ways that I like to do things... So I have had to make some changes.

11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?

Getting married was great and just going from living on your own to living with some one has its emotional moments. I have definitely learned what is most important and that is LOVE!

12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?

I have learned that the Lord has the perfect person specifically for you and you just have to let God pick the perfec timing fo you. I know that I wanted to rush things over the years... but I am so glad that I did not! I learned to give GOD control because HE does know best.

13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?

After we moved in, I started walking and sometimes running in the neighborhood but then came the rainy days and that went out the window. However, that is on the list for 2012... to exercise more often and to make it to Zumba.

14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?

I have spent alot of time with my family and those are the most important relationships. We have spent alot of time this year laughing, celebrating, and having fun. As for friendships, it has been hard to grow alot of those since I am married now,but for 2012 I hope to change that.

15. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (Both professionally and at home)?

The most enjoyable part of home is being AT HOME! I enjoy having a house to clean (even though sometimes I don't like to clean) and I enjoy cooking for Adam and I (and I need to learn a few more meals....but we are getting there) and I enjoy just being HOME (I don't go out shopping nearly as much as I used to) ... I am totally content at being at home.

The most enjoyable part of work is working with the preschoolers and the elementary age kids and well the youth age as well. I have seen alot of these kids grow up through our ministry at Woodlawn and well I love to see them invite Jesus into their heart and learn to serve HIM.

16. What was the most challenging part of your work (Both professionally and at home)?

The most challenging part of home is having the time to get things done. I have a long list of projects but there is not enough time in the days and weeks to get it done.

The most challenging part of work is not having the relationships with people my age.

17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

The computer or the tv.

18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

planning our wedding .... i loved the whole planning process

19. What was the biggest thing you learned this past year?

I learned that life does go by rather quickly but to savor every moment with your spouse and your family. I learned how to slow down and to savor all the moments of the wedding process.

And to always say I LOVE YOU to those you love.

20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2011 for you.
This year will never be forgotten because this was the year that my dreams came true and I had my dream wedding and married my wonderful husband.

UPDATE

Since I am now a married woman.. I thought that my blog needed a new name!!! "Keeping Pace with the Whiteners".... came from my hubby. I think it fits!!! My new goal is to keep blogging more often. So check back in with me in a few days.

My 30 before 30 list.... oh but wait

(I have marked some off and yes I still need to add some.)

Wow it is only 66 more days until my 30th Birthday. I am not really sure how I feel about turning 30. I have joked that I am not turning 30 and that I will stay 29 years old, but do I really want that.

As I have started really thinking about my upcoming birthday (3/2), I can really only think that my 30s may be the best days of my life. But before we get to the 30s, I wanted to just think back over the last 10 years. Being in your 20s, brings on so many changes and learning how to deal with those changes... oh and I don't do well with change. So for some of those changes that I had to make and learn from were: moving off to college and learning how to live on your own and get your schoolwork done without your parent checking on you, building new friendships that will last a lifetime, had my first real relationship that eventually lead me to walking down the aisle to my Prince Charming, bought my first car, became a homeowner, and just recently became a new car owner.

Now on to the 3o before 30 list ....oh but wait....

Let me start off with "oh but wait" part of the title.... so with only 66 days until my birthday I know that I will not be able to accomplish all of the 3o things in just 66 days because with my busy schedule with my job and just life in general. It just isn't going to happen. (Yes I know, I should have started my list when I turned 29 but at my last birthday, I was up to my eyeballs in wedding details and counting down to getting married and a 3o before 30 list was the furtherest thing from my mind. Not until the other day when a friend posted her list did I start actually making a list for myself.)

So my list is really going to be "30 things to accomplish in 2012"--- I figure I could probably make that work.

I will mark off the items once they are completed! (Oh but wait again.... I only have 23 items right now because I have had a hard time thinking of things that I can get done in a year....I will add more when I come up with them....) (Friends, please help keep me accountable to accomplish this list!!!)

1. Have a game night at our house!

2. Continue to grow my hair out... My hair has not this long in about 10 years or more.

3. Have ice cream for dinner

4. Try 4 Pinterest craft and gift ideas. I will try to do more.

5. Go a day without texting or internet. And that means Facebook as well!

6. To organize my scrapbook room

7. Start catching up on my scrapbook

8. To organize our office room, because even though we have only lived here 9 months, it has become a junk room. (I spent one of the last days on my christmas vacation cleaning and organizing the office. ---pictures to come later)

9. Enjoy a spa day

10. Make sugar cookies from scratch

11. Start exercising and make it to the Zumba class.

12. Watch the sunrise with Adam

13. Start blogging more often.

14. Enjoy our 1st Valentine's Day as a married couple.

15. Go thru my closet and get rid of some clothes.

16. Begin planning our 1st vacation

17. Learn how to cook some new recipes

18. Have a PJ day.

19. Have a reunion with the girls from college.(Monday, January 2nd, I met Joanna, Sarah, Kathryn, Kelly and Susan and some of their spouses and kids. It was so nice to hang out!!!)

20. Write letters to friends that I don't see as often

21. Have pictures taken of Adam and I

22. Host a 31 party

23. Spend more time reading.

24. Start sending birthday cards to the close friends and family... the snail mail way. I have already starting marking the dates on my calendar.

25. To really take a picture a day for 2012. I have tried this the last two years and I do really good until the end of the year. I have not posted a picture the last month. So I am going to try my best!

26. To keep my new car clean

Father's Day

(ok don't faint because I actually posted..)

On this Father's Day, I have been reading facebook statuses and posts about their fathers, grandfathers, etc. And well they all have me thinking about all those people in my life that have impacted my life in major ways. I wish I had pictures of them to post to this blog (because that would make it a better post:)) but I don't have any pictures of them on this laptop and since I am still in the process of unpacking some boxes they are MIA!

Let me start with my dad!

My dad has always been very supportive of all three of us kids. He worked hard and was always there to cheer us on, kept the pool up so that we could enjoy it each summer, or even watch those never ending dance recitals that we watched for 15 years. At the end of each recital daddy would give us a hug and say "well done!". Still even today, when he comes and watches programs at church that I have been apart of or in charge of, he still gives me a hug and says "well done."
You hardly ever see my dad shed a tear, but I remember seeing one on my graduation day! He was so proud! Thank you Daddy for loving me and supporting me in all my decision that I have made and continue to make. (I could go on and on about my dad, but I would be in tears and then it would not be much of a post.)

Then it is Granddaddy(my dad's dad), everyone knew him has the Optimist Man, hushpuppy maker man, bee keeper man, or even azaleas photo taking man, but I knew him as my granddaddy. I was the 1st grand child on that side of the family so I was a little spoiled for awhile. My granddaddy was a hard working man. He built the house that my dad grew up in and then I lived in for 6 years.He could about make anything in his shop. One thing that he was known most for was the honey from his bees.(boy, do I miss that!) He instilled the hard work ethic into us grandkids. He could sing and play the guitar. He even had a recording type machine that my sister and I would record our own songs on sundays after lunch. Granddaddy would always be willing to come to Career days at my school and tell about how to be a beekeeper. My granddaddy never met a stranger and he could even pinpoint exactly where someone was from by their accent. Granddaddy was always ready to go for a walk and spend time outside with us grandkids. He was also a little stubborn (maybe I got that from him!) Granddaddy passed away when I was in college, but I sure wish he could have met Adam. I miss him all the time. I remember him everytime I see an azalea bush and bee flying around my head.

Next is my PapPaw( my mom's dad), he was also very hard working, and had the best garden. PapPaw loved to go on trips whether it be with the church, friends, or family. He loved to go to the beach (even if he stayed inside and napped most of the time).At the beach, PapPaw would take us to the Pavilion and then we would go across the street and get ice cream dipped in chocolate!!!! He loved to spoil the 5 grandkids. He even loved going to the mall. My Nanny would shop and PapPaw would sit and hold the bags and talk with anyone that sat down beside him. PapPaw was always involved at church. PapPaw had a recliner that he sat in all the time, and he would snore..... but then he would say that he wasn't really asleep. The 5 grandchildren had him wrapped around his finger.... every sunday night before we would leave their house, he would give us a $1.00 bill. That was the greatest thing ever. Just the other day, I was thinking of PapPaw because I was at the grocery store wanting to buy a watermelon and cantaloupe, but I did not know how to tell if they were good or not. My PapPaw worked at MDI in the produce department for years and he could pick out the best. Then he would fix the picnic table in the back yard of their house with newspaper, watermelon, and salt and then we would have the best time. PapPaw passed away when I was a junior in high school. I miss him very much.



Now that I married Adam, I have added PawPaw Buddy and PawPaw Gene. They are both loving and caring men. I love to hear stories from PawPaw Buddy about when A was little. And then PawPaw Gene is know for working outside in the flowers.

Lord, thank you for all the men that have been in my life and that have helped shape me into who I am today! I am so very grateful!!!

30 Days of Lists: Day 1: A Few Things About Yourself

I am going to try and see if I can keep this going!!!

A Few Things About Myself:
*daughter
*sister
*aunt
*aunt
*loves my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
*getting married in 57 days
*just turned 29
*collector of stuff
*loves my camera
*multi tasker
*loves to travel
*loves to dance
*does not LOVE to move