Christmas at the Houston Home and goals for 2015

We had a fun-filled busy two weeks. The first week off was spent mailing off Christmas cards and doing that last minute shopping I promise myself I'm not going to do every year! And- cleaning. Lots and lots of cleaning, organizing, and throwing things away or giving away. Enjoyed visiting with my brother who came home from Austin. We had so much fun playing our 3rd annual game of Headbands. We also had a great time driving around and looking at Christmas lights. Our trip to Branson was postponed because they called my husband in to work. But, we were just thankful for his job so we don't mind putting it off a little longer. We did enjoy some closer out of town mini trips. And we just enjoyed spending time with family and friends. I had the joy of being the one who read the Christmas story this year. The second week was spent painting the laundry room and hanging up shelves to try to have a designated space for sewing supplies and craft project stuff. In a small home, you have to make every inch count. I'm not complaining. I've come to realize we are where we are for a reason. I've learned to embrace it and enjoy it!  My goals for this next year are
1. To read the Bible (all of it)  I'm loving the monthly calendars to help us do this in the Life Beautiful magazine.
2. To become more involved in our church
3. To not worry over things we can't change
4. To reconnect with friends that I've lost touch with
5. To forgive and be forgiven
6. To realize that everything in my life does not have to be in perfect order.
7. To embrace life's imperfections.
8. Schedule a monthly night out with the Taylor and Tracer
9.To start scrapbooking again
10. To have fun!

Thank You

Thank You from the bottom of my heart. The gifts that were given to me at Christmas time were so very much appreciated. It means so much that you think of us (teachers/aides) during this busy, busy time of the year.

Christmas fun in Pre K

Beautiful!!!!!

Mason's Mom, Ms. Dina, came to our class and sang the theme song from FROZEN. I just can't figure out how to load it all. Will try again soon. So precious!!!!!

Christmas in Pre K

Today when I go home, I know I will receive some strange looks. I literally have blue, red, green, and gold glitter glue in my hair and on my clothes! My watch has splotches of white, acrylic paint on it and I'm pretty sure that the white on top of my shoe is from glue and cotton ball pieces stuck to my shoe! Oh the joy of Pre K during Christmas season!

Blessed

It seemed like we had walked in a valley for so long. Financial, health wise, job and spiritual trials seemed all that we lived. It seemed that we were facing trials almost daily.   Since last March, my husbands job downsized and while he was blessed to be one of the ones to keep his, he only worked 32 hours a week. Going from 65/72 hours weekly to 32 hours a week was horrible. Looking back though, I can see where God never, ever left us. While we had to make some hard decisions during this time, God always was there beside us. Every time it looked like we just would not have quite enough paycheck, God always sent work for my husband.( He is a welder and an electrician but he loves the electrician part the most. )He was asked to wire a brand new house for a couple that go to our church. Then another pastor found out that he was working on that home and had him do work at his house and church! Another time, we were just sitting at home and he received a phone call for another electrician job and that friend told a friend and that friend told another friend! My husband said he didn't know where the extra hours were going to come from, or where they were going to be but he learned that God would send them. He even got a job offer offshore with a good company and he passed all of his physicals and exams and even had a start date. He kept telling me that he just didn't feel right about taking it and I felt the same way. He started fasting and praying about it and he called me and told me that he had turned it down. He said that he felt that that was not where God wanted him and that he wanted to be closer to our son and I. Don't get me wrong, a lot of people have spouses that work offshore and they make it work. Some even love it. It just didn't seem right for us at the time. It was kinda scary turning that job down but we just put our trust in God. It wasn't but a few hours later that a friend sent my husband a text about a possible job opening where he worked that might be coming available. My husband sent in his information and waited on a phone call. And do you know what happened a month later? He was given the job!!!!  A job not even a mile from his old one. The benefits- day job , more hours per week, climate controlled environment, awesome bosses, and more money per hour. Every other weekend he has Friday,Saturday, and Sunday off to spend with his family and to go to church. Does this mean that we won't still face trials? No, because this is life and trials are a part of it. But I can tell you that God is so good. Sometimes we just have to take a leap of faith and put our trust in Him. So if you are facing trials in your life, know that God is right beside you and in His time, not ours, everything will work out.