Lessions

Hey friends, yes it's been way too long since I posted last. I can't believe it's already mid December. After Thanksgiving, work kind of went crazy and so not only have I not been able to do my Couch to 5k workout but I have not blogged in a while. I also haven't turned on the TV hardly at all this Fall and ya know what...I haven't missed it at all. There are so many other quality things that I want to spend my time doing. There used to be a few different shows that Matt and I always watched and now it's so low on my list of priorities.

The most stressful thing going on right now is making travel plans for my sisters wedding next month. I LOVE weddings but the only time we've traveled with Addison was to my brothers graduation from RICE in May. It was a 5 hour drive and Addy cried the entire time. It was horrible and I felt so bad expecting a baby to sit perfectly still for that long. She is older now, she will be 15 months at the wedding. She is an active toddler so driving 14 hours to Tennessee will be interesting! Oh and I know what your thinking...just fly! Unfortunately money is the most important thing right now and It's much cheaper to drive then to fly. I have a great car that gets great gas milage. I did find a one-way ticket for $65 which sounds like an awesome deal. BUT when you multiply it by 4 (there and back for matt and I) it ends up being $260 not including extra money for bags and renting a car once we get there. Gas for my car is about $40 for a full tank. We can make it over half way on a full tank. So, after all that math...driving is much better for us. We will be leaving around dinner time and driving through the night because Addy can sleep the whole way! Which is totally worth a groggy day afterwards after driving all night.

I had to ask off work pretty far in advance in order to get just two days off before her wedding. I work in a small hospital and there aren't any ton of extra people to staff when someone is gone. I have only been at this hospital for less then a year so I don't have a ton of vacation time built up. ( when I had mono in March it completely wiped out all my vacation time!)

Something I've learned recently is I have to do the best thing for MY family where we our in our lives right now. I am a people-pleaser and so I automatically want to please my family and friends. I still have to pinch myself sometimes to remind myself I am an adult and I have my own family now that I am responsible for. The decisions that Matt and I make might not be the most popular but learning to say no and learning to prioritize your families time is so important. We can't go through life changing our plans to fit other peoples expectations because you will die from exhaustion. This has been a difficult lesson but an important one. It makes me upset and frustrated when people comment on how they think I'm selfish for making decisions based on MY families needs and not trying to include others in my decision-making process or conform to what everyone else is doing. I am responsible for my family. (That goes for work too....I am the only one looking out for me, no on else really cares or pays attention, so if I don't want to get taken advantage of, I have to speak up and protect myself....cause no one else is sure gonna do it for me.)

At my women's bible study this summer a friend told me to write out the some priorities in my life. Here's what I wrote off the top of my head....

1. Addison (fulfilling her needs/ spending quality time with her)
2. Spending time with family and friends (pleasing others...)
3. Spending quality time with Matt
4. Spending quality time with God, reading the Bible.
5. Getting housework/grocery shopping done, writing emails, baking, laundry etc.

Here's what my priorities have changed to since then...

1. Time with God

2. Time with my Husband

3. Time with Addison

4. Others

5. Getting housework/grocery shopping done, writing emails, baking, laundry, photography etc (hence the reason I haven't blogged)

I want to make a sign for my wall and put this up so I can remember it. Sometimes things get screwed up...some weeks this is what my priorities look like....

1. Work

2. Addison

3. Rest- watch TV, take a hot shower/bath, shave my legs (how exciting!)

4. Sweet talking my husband...haha!

and last......

4. Reading my bible

You can guess how those weeks go....they are usually so draining and stressful. I have found if I keep my priorities straight, everything else will fall into place.


Enough of the heavy stuff....

Here are some pictures I've taken recently!

Can I just say again how thankful I am to have a wonderful husband who is so amazing when it comes to taking care of our daughter day in and day out. I am so glad they are going to have a special bond for the rest of her life.


Matt and I have been married 5 years this Winter. I still can't believe it's been that long. I am still loving married life.





ps- My grandmother is still not doing well. The hospice nurses have started to give her morphine to help with her breathing. I don't think she's in any pain. Please pray when God takes her it is quick and peaceful.