Things I learned this week

~ I have one of the BEST life together groups EVER!!!!

~ Coughing fits are scarey...when you have to poop!

~  Even when I have less people to buy Christmas presents for, I still find myself frantically searching for at least one gift at the last minute.

~  "While You Were Sleeping" by Casting Crowns is one of my all time favorite songs...Christmas time or not.

~  I am SO over paperwork!

~  My Dad is the most amazing Dad in the world!

~  I don't like Chris to say "Hey Jack" to me.  #duckdynasty

~ People who have never been through the adoption process and/or have the capability of having children biologically, have NO idea how hurtful their words can be to people like me.

~  After 8 years + of marriage, Chris still doesn't really like old stuff (thankfully he doesn't consider me "old").

~  Lung function cannot be guesstimated...and even if you feel fine, it can still be down :0(

~  My Pulmonologist LOVES me (he told me so)...I love him too (that part I already knew).

~  The school staff needs Christmas Break (and every other break we get) more than any of the students do.

~  My God is bigger than any problem I will ever have...I have to remind myself of this Every single day!
 

WINNER!!!!

Okay, I didn't really win the lottery (I don't even play)...

And I realize that there's a lot of not so great things that can come from winning the lottery...but barring all of those bad things happening, if I had won the lottery, here's the positive side of what I would do.

After taxes it was what, a mere 385 million payout (just enough to live off of for a lifetime)...

1.  Tithe 10% = 38.5 million, but I'll round that puppy up to 40 million (God's blessed us quite a bit, I'd probably give WAY more than that actually).  Crosspoint's permanent home will be built (you're welcome all you peeps on the load-in and load-out teams).

2. I'd give a good chunk to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation...I'm thinking that would help with making the life sustaining drugs and help find a cure for sure. Because there would be so much funding behind the drugs, it would decrease their cost for the consumer (BONUS) so they wouldn't be the most expensive drugs EVER!!!!  You're welcome CF peeps.

3.  Our adoption would be funded, and our non-profit organization to help others fund their adoptions would be funded as well.

4.  The Red Barn Retreat would be built and up and running.

5.  I would put in the rest of the new windows on the house, finish our basement, and add an awesome master suite, complete with HUGE walk-in closet, full bathroom with walk in shower, a scrapbook room for me, and a dj room for Chris with more speakers than he could possibly imagine (this room will also be sound proof ;0) ).

6.  I would buy us new cars.  4 of them to be exact.  2 practical cars for every day use.  A mustang for my Hot Husband, and a corvette for me ;0)

7.  I'd buy a new refrigerator...because I HATE the one I have.  Goodbye 1983 model with immovable shelves!  You know what, I'd probably replace all my appliances...and my kitchen.

8.  I'd pay off the house and student loans.

9.  Our parents, siblings, nieces and nephews would probably get some nice swag!

10.  Chris and I would go on some AMAZING vacations!!!!  We may take some friends and family along for the fun.

11.  I would go to the Container store...I'd probably buy some stuff ;0)  Currently Chris won't allow me to go to that store.  This isn't him being mean, he just knows my illogical LOVE for organizational supplies and is aware that sending me into this place would be like putting a crack whore in a room with all the drugs for the taking.  Come to think of it, he may be even more opposed to me going to the Container store if we'd won the lottery... 

12.  I'd probably still work, but it would be part time...I'd spend the rest of the time doing (insert Napoleon Dynamite here) whatever I want to do...GOSH!

But most of all, first and foremost, I would thank God for the amazing blessing of always providing for us....and giving us so much more than we could ever imagine.

65 Roses Adult Prom

It's funny how life can make a near complete circle at times...at least when it comes to people you've encountered.

This past weekend we held the first annual 65 Roses Adult Prom (a fundraiser to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis). 

*Note:  In case you didn't know this, many children (and adults, I'm sure, too) have a difficult time pronouncing Cystic Fibrosis, and it comes out sounding like 65 Roses.  There's your little, "you learn something new every day" fact...you're welcome ;0)

July 2011 I was sitting at the entrance to my garage, with my lovely little sister, reading my facebook feed when I was invited to an event to raise money for super cute Boston.  I click, I start reading, I'm curious because I do not recognize the name of the person that invited me  AT ALL.  Come to find out, MY high school junior prom date is Boston's Dad, and Boston was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. 

What the?

So I immediately sent Josh a message to let him know that if there's anything they need or if they want someone to talk to (who lives out life with CF every stinkin day) to definitely hit me up.

Schedules got in the way but we were all finally able to get together in December.  We had a lovely dinner at Applebee's and chatted for hours...and so began the reconnect for he and I, my hot husbands new found friendship with Josh, and my new found friendship with his amazing wife Ashley.

Fast forward to this summer, and Josh and Ashley call us up and are all, "We want to do an adult prom to raise moolah for CF.  AND we want you two in on the planning of it.  Oh yeah, and we have like 3 months to plan it!" 

Our hard work paid off. 

Prom went off smashingly, and we had around 125 people show up, eat, dance, take silly pics, and raise money to help make CF stand for Cure Found!

Here's Josh and Ashley:

Here's my super HOT husband and me:

We completely spaced and didn't recreate the prom photo of Josh and I from Junior Prom (Ashley and I are kicking ourselves for that one).  Next time, FO SHO!!!!

But as much fun as Junior prom was, I must say, I enjoyed my Adult Prom date a whole lot more (sorry Josh, NO ONE can compare to Chris)!

Josh informed me yesterday that although I didn't win prom Queen, I did win Prom Princess.  I didn't get a crown, but an excerpt from my last blog post was the whole inside of the prom program (next to a pic of Boston, my friend Dawn, and one of me), so I do feel a bit special.  I can live without the crown I guess (at least for this year) ;0)


*A special thanks to Claire Olvey Photography and Jen D with Budget Florist for being so tremendously awesome and donating your time, energy and services to the prom.  Your support means the world to me.  Mwah!

Saltiness is Good!

I know I've kinda of gotten away from my regular blog posting since we've started the adoption journey.  But I think sometimes I just don't feel like I have much ado to blog about ;0) unless I think it's something deep and witty to relay to you all.

 

But this morning at church, one of the scripture passages kind of got to me, and I felt like I had something to say about it.

 

This blog post is of course intended for all my readers (thanks Mom and Heather), but more specifically for my friends with/or who live with CF on a daily basis. 

 

I would consider myself a pretty upbeat person.  I don't tend to let my CF get me down too often. 

 

I mean, don't get me wrong, I have my days. 

 

We all do.

 

When I cough for 4 hours straight and can't seem to get the bronchospasms to stop no matter what I do... 

 

3 percussion sessions in a row with the vest at night and 2 cough drops later, and I'm finally able to go back to sleep, just to have my alarm clock go off in 30 minutes to do my morning treatments...you can't blame me for letting my frustrations with it get to me.

 

I usually spend that ENTIRE time praying to God, just asking him to take the bronchospasms away and let me sleep. 

 

He does, though it may not be in the timing I want him to, He does answer.

 

Sometimes it makes me question why I had to be one of the 30,000 children and young adults in America that are living with this disease. 

 

Trust me, I was diagnosed at 5 days old, have lived with CF my whole life, I know what living with CF is. 

 

And as much as I hate the ups and downs of CF, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

 

To be perfectly honest, as much as I hate the ups and downs of CF, I would gladly take on all the CF in the world if it meant no one else had to deal with it ever again.

 

I have NO concept of what my life would be like without CF in it.

 

So while I've accepted what I was handed when I was born, and most days I roll with the punches, and on those off days I know that it's just one bad day in a sea of more good days right now...sometimes I still question, "Why me?" Or for that matter, "Why me and all the other great people in my life affected by CF?"

 

And then Crosspoint happens...and out of nowhere (or so it would seem to me) just what I need to hear is said from the stage.

 

So...for me and all the other people living with CF (whether personally, or dealing with it via a family member, friend, spouse, whatever)...I hope this passage helps you, like it helped me today.

 

 

There are some groups of people that believe the reason a person is born with some type of affliction, disease, whatever, is because of past sins in their lives.

 

Some believe that if you have a disease or some "blemish" you can't do certain things, or hold certain status, or have certain jobs.

 

I've never believed any of that.  To be honest I think that's just more of Satan's lies meant to push us down. 

 

So when I saw this passage on the screen this morning, and I sat back and read it, I thought, "This just gives me further proof, in a way, that God created me just as I am.  He gave me purpose, even within my disease, and gosh darn it, he thinks I'm pretty special."

 

Matthew 5:13

The Message (MSG)

Salt and Light

¹³ “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

Now, I don't believe this passage is about people with CF specifically.  I don't think if there's a cure for CF that we're goign to "end up in the garbage."

But I can't help but think that it's interesting that people with CF are a little extra salty...

And God says we are here to be the salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth.

There are plenty of other people who can bring out the saltiness for God, CF or not.

But I guess when I read a passage that talks about saltiness, and I'm a salty girl, and I've had a few days of extra coughing, and trying to figure out what the purpose of me dealing with this disease is, it kind of feels like it's been written just for me.

"Hey Holly, Let me tell you why you are here.  You're here to be the salt-seasoning (literally, tee hee) that brings out the God-flavors of this earth.  If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?"

CF makes me salty, and I'm here to be the salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. 

And maybe God gave me CF because through it I can show others his love, his faithfulness, his grace, his blessings.  Because in spite of my CF, I can see all of those things that God is.

Maybe the salt crystals on my forehead when I sweat are supposed to be a physical reminder to me that I am here for a bigger reason. 

Maybe God recognized that while I live and breathe with a little more difficulty than everyone else,  I could show Him to others in a way that maybe someone who isn't quite so salty (in the same way as I am) couldn't.

So as a reminder to me, and to all my CF peeps...

God made us this way on purpose.

We are meant to be salty.

We are meant to show our saltiness to others.

And we are meant to be the salt-seasoning that brings out the God flavors of this earth.

We're getting closer...

Many of you know we've been in kind of a holding pattern with our Adoption process.

Holding pattern may not be the right word...we've purposely been holding off on signing off on our Homestudy. It was approved and once we sign off on it and pay our next fee we will be active.

We were holding off not because we didn't want to go active...we were waiting to raise some more money so we don't fully deplete all of our savings (we're very financially conscious in our house...which sounds sort of silly if you know how expensive adoption is).

This past weekend we had a garage sale and raised $700 more for our adoption fund.

Woo Hoo *hands waving in the air (clapping in sign language)

 

So...Where does this put us in the process?

Chris and I both feel we should wait until after our next pay day before we sign the next check.

You have no idea how hard it can be to write that huge of a check and hand it over... we are SO excited for where it's taking us, but like any big amount of money that leaves your bank account (no matter what it's for) it can kind of make you nauseous when you first hand it over.

We have been faithful in following the path that we feel God has asked us to take, and of course HE is always faithful and blesses us abundantly. We've definitely seen this in this past weekend. 

So, I can safely say that we will be active this month..and I will for sure let you all know the day our faces show up on the website ;0) * We'll be looking for them as soon as that check makes it to the agency.

Thank you for supporting us. Whether it's been financially or by prayer. We are without a doubt so thankful and blessed to have every single one of you supporting us along this crazy journey.

You can continue to support us by:

1. Praying for us and our adoption journey. Once we go active we can begin applying for grants and funding. We're also looking into some other fundraising opportunities (school starting has slowed down my pursuance of these opportunities, but now that I've gotten back into the school routine I can begin this process again). We'll keep you updated on all of this information as we know more.

2. Praying for our Birth Mom. We still don't know her yet, but odds are she could be pregnant now, and may be debating between keeping the baby or not (and I don't necessarily mean parenting vs. adoption here). We know God will bring us the perfect child for us, and it will be in his timing...we want that birth mom to be bathed in love and prayers from us and our family and friends. Please join Chris and I in praying for a woman that we don't even know yet, a woman who is facing some tough decisions, and the future of a baby who is already loved by so many.

3. Pray that we don't go crazy waiting to find out if we've been picked after we go active. Chris said to me not too long ago, "I'm not gonna lie, if we don't get picked soon after we go active, I'm gonna be kind of upset. Because we're pretty awesome!" I don't disagree with him. Again, we know things will happen in His timing, but that doesn't make it any easier when we have wants/expectations for our timing.

4. Check in with us periodically. Once we go active, it could be days, weeks, or months before we get picked...and so I may not have updates to post very often. Checking in with us, not only reminds us that we still have that support from our friends and family, but it helps us to remember to check in with the agency every once in a while too. 

Arteriosclerosis I do NOT have!

Today's been one of those days that stretches my faith. 

Sometimes it's hard to believe in the decency of God's people when you encounter those who, by the way they treat you, make it clear that they are not people of God. 

 Even outside of whether you are or are not a Christ follower, there is still such a thing as treating others with dignity and respect. 

I may not always be in the happiest of moods, I may have a bad day or be frustrated, but I hope I never make another person feel the way I was made to feel today, or speak to another person the way I was spoken to.  And if I ever do, I hope I have the decency to tell them that I was wrong in doing so, apologize, and tell them that in no way did they ever deserve for me to treat them like they were nothing. 

Update on the process

I'm sorry it took me a few weeks to update you on our Home Visit...

Today was the first day of School (for students, I've been back in my office a few days), so I've been a smidge busy getting the end of summer tied up, hobbling along on my still healing foot, and getting prepared for the start of another school year.

Our home visit went well.

We answered the same questions we'd already answered twice, AGAIN.

Chris gave her a tour of our home (I wasn't walking very well yet when she came).

It was nothing like we were expecting...

I mean, they told us they weren't going to come in wearing a white glove and check for dust on furniture.

And to be honest, with my undiagnosed OCD, I (Chris does a great job as well) keep the house picked up pretty well.

But, Chris said she didn't even step off the last step when he showed her the basement, and she barely set one foot into each room when he took her down the hall.

Now, I know we have no major safety concerns going on in our house.  I didn't worry that she was going to walk in and say, "OH my gosh, there is no way on earth I'm going to permit a child in this home."  But I figured she'd at least walk into the rooms and look around a bit. 

Whatever, it's done, it went well, and as of last Friday we received an email that our whole Home study was approved!

WOO HOO!!!!!

What does that mean?

It means that once we get our last few background checks done, and turn in those papers, sign off on the home study and send in a check, we are active.

Active = our biography (which turned out SUPER CUTE by the way) will be shown to possible birth moms.

And then we'll get picked...hopefully soon.

Let's face it, we're pretty awesome.  How could we not get picked soon?  ;0)

So that's the scoop.

Please continue to pray...

Pray for:

1. Us: We know a lot of people who have gone through this process.  We know it can have ups and downs, and the waiting part can be one of the hardest parts.  And we know that some parts of the process can strain a relationship.  So just pray for us and the continued process to go smoothly, with as few bumps as possible.

2. The birth mom:  Again, we don't know her yet, and she may just be finding out she's pregnant, or she may have been struggling with this decision for a while.  Whatever the case may be, we know that God is present in the situation, even if she isn't aware of his presence.

3.  That God will continue to provide the money to help us fund our adoption.  We are being very choosey about what we say we will do/be a part of/spend money on right now.  We know we have to tighten our budget some, and we know God will provide for what we need.  We have some fun(d)-raisers coming up soon, and I'll let you know as those approach what they are...but until then, I'm still scrapbooking to raise money, and I'm still willing to do other crafty projects for people as well. 

 I'll try to keep you updated as soon as we go active.

Thanks for all of your support.

Where we're at...

We've been super busy the past few months getting ready for our home visit. 

Most all the paperwork we had to fill out is in...just waiting on a few extra pieces of info.

Our home visit is tomorrow morning at 8:30am.

I shouldn't be nervous...but I'm not gonna lie, I am a little. 

After my recent foot injury I haven't been up and moving as fast as I usually am, and as I want.  So I haven't been able to get all the things done that I want too.

No matter, it will go great.  Our house is never really that messy (thanks to my OCD), and Mom came over and helped me clean yesterday.

So that's the update. 

They said 4-6 weeks after our home visit is when the home study is usually finished and approved.  At that point they will start showing our profile/biography to birth moms.

I'll probably have more to update you on then.

Please pray for us tomorrow morning as we answer questions we've already anwered and as we have our house looked at to make sure it's safe for a baby.

Again, thanks for all of your support.  Chris and I are so blessed.

BIG News!

I know it's been a while since I've written a post...but I've been waiting for a reason.

Chris and I have been married 7 1/2 years...and they've been the best 7 1/2 years of my life.

We've had ups and downs, and all the in betweens. 

And we've weathered each of those storms together.

Last October we began looking into expanding our family through adoption. 

We attended an information meeting at a local agency...and to say we were completely overwhelmed after leaving would be an understatement. 

The next day I had an appointment with my Pulmonologist.  I was telling him about our meeting the day before.  He dropped the bombshell I had never expected.  He asked if we'd thought of having kids biologically. 

This was never on my/our radar.  My entire life I thought this wasn't something that would be recommended for me.

We talked about it, we had some tests done, we met with Dr. Eigen again...

He told me I'm not sick enough to say no, and I'm not well enough to say yes.  He will support us no matter what we decide.


There was a grief process I had to go through after that meeting. 

You see I had always thought it wasn't an option...then it was put on the table...then it was half way taken away again.

All the dreams I have for being a Mom...I don't want those to be lost because I'm too sick to do them, or not even here to share them with Chris and our child.

So we decided that adoption was the right route for us.


Chris and I signed with an adoption agency a few weeks ago.

We are very excited, nervous, scared, etc...to start this process.

Currently we're sorting through the mounds of paperwork we have to fill out.  In July we'll have our first interview and Home Study class. 

August will most likely be our in home study, and as long as that comes back fabulous then we'll be active.

There are a lot of steps to the process and as nervous as we are right now, we hope the process goes as smoothly as possible.


I'm sure you'll have questions...feel free to ask.

Right now, if you want to help us, here's how:

1. Above all else, please pray for us as we're going through this process.  We still have a lot of things to learn.  Pray for us to not be overwhelmed by all the information thrown at us.  That we can get everything (paperwork, changes to the house, etc) done when it all needs to be done. 

2.  Pray for the Birth Mom...obviously we don't know her...it's possible she's not even pregnant yet.  But pray for her and her baby...that she would know how strong she is for carrying this baby and the baby would be the perfect baby for us.

3.  Chris and I are going to be looking at our finances and finding places we can save money for this adoption.  The truth is that adoption is not cheap.  Please realize that there may be times we have to say no to things because we're working toward expanding our family.  I'm looking for ideas of things to make and sell to help with the baby fund.  Right now, if you know of anyone who is wanting a personalized scrapbook done, I'm offering up my talents ;0)  I'm a pretty crafty person so if you've seen something on Pinterest or in a magazine that you like but aren't sure if you want to try and make it, or you don't have the time to do so, I'm willing to give it a go ;0)


Thank you for your support ahead of time.  Chris and I know how awesome our friends and families are...and we know that you'll be behind us 100%.

Fun Stuff

Just thought I'd post a few fun things that we've been up to this month!

I can't believe April is already almost over.  This is when the busy part of our year starts...and to be honest, it really doesn't slow down until about January 1st the next year.  Good gracious.

Spring Break was the first week in April.

We went to Madison for a few days and hung with D&K.

When we got home we did some work around the house.

I visited my Pookster and FINALLY got to meet Alli and Ben

Roommates and Wombmates!  (Yes, this will be the title for the scrapbook page) ;0)

We spent two whole days working on our front flower bed.  Now we know why we put it off so long. 

Before:

The ducks helped...by help I mean they sat there (inside) and looked gorgeous:

Go Husband:

Lots of digging:

After:

For those of you wondering...NO, we are not available for hire.  If something ever happens to the flower bed we will pay for it to be redone. 


By far...I think my favorite April event was celebrating Chris and his Birthday.

After all, life just wouldn't be the same if he wasn't ever born.

SUPER HOT HUSBAND!

So, I did something festive that I found on pinterest (woo hoo, all those hours of pinning are not for nothing).

Here it is:

Chris turned 32, so  I did 32 balloons and attached to them were 32 pictures of memories we wouldn't have ever had together if he was never born.

He LOVED it...but I think he loved the turn tables I got him more ;0)

I love my hubby!

Deep thoughts by Holly

I was driving home the other day, top down (on the car), listening to the radio, sun shining down, cool breeze tangling up my hair...when for some odd unknown reason it hit me...

This would be how my movie would end.

No, there are no ambitious film makers out there just knocking on my door to make a movie about my life.

But if there was.

If there was a movie about me.

That's how the movie would end.  Or at least that's how I would want it to end.

I've always said I won't die of CF...it's not going to be the reason I leave this earth.

Sorry, it's just not!  (Who exactly I'm apologizing to there, I don't know.  Maybe CF in general...)

And Chris and I have decided that we are both going to die at 86 of euthanasia.

In my head though, I pictured me driving my convertible, top down, hair gracefully blowing in the wind (there will be no tangling, because that just doesn't happen in movies) and some lovely melody (or Ludacris) playing in the background, with a closing monologue about how I left the earth gracefully.

And then later I was home, turning off the lights in the office/scrap room and had ALL kinds of scrapbook stuff just hanging out on the desk, floor, etc...and it hit me again.

I wonder if this is how the room would look like when someone returns to my home afterwards!?!?!?! 

Of course then I remembered how OCD I am and figured probably not.  But I guess it could.

And will someone really ever look at these scrapbooks I've done?

To be perfectly honest, I haven't the foggiest idea why I would be thinking about such a morbid topic.

There's no real point to this post, or deep meaning.

I just wonder if anyone else has these crazy thoughts run through their head.

Or is it just me...that I'm somehow morbidly interested in how my life would be perceived at the end, and how someone might choose to "end scene."

What would your life movie look like?

Who would play you?

How would your movie end?

"I could make that!"

So whenever my sister and Mom and I go to a craft show or we're in a store, there's one phrase that is inevitably uttered from one or all three of our mouths.

"I could make that!"

And we could.  We just haven't...yet.

I've become obsessed with Pinterest!

Seriously...there's so many great ideas on there. 

O'Connell Creations needs to be relaunched because I believe we will become millionaires selling what we can make from Pinterest.

Ummm...I guess that would involve actually making the things we find on Pinterest...but it could happen.

Tonight I'm trying out a recipe I found on Pinterest.  And my next menu plan is going to be based entirely off of recipes I've found on Pinterest.

I do plan on making many of the household cleaning agents that I've found recipes for.

I haven't had any mod podge for crafting in years...and good gracious, it's so expensive to buy, so I do plan on making that.

I have a million of old t-shirts just waiting to be made into scarves or something super festive I've found a tutorial on.

I can't wait to get our front porch built and the back patio done so I can make the really neat porch swing and outdoor benches.

I've found some really neat ideas for decorating the Red Barn Retreat.

When Chris and I decide to add to our family, there's some really cute baby ideas I've found.  Or I can just use them for my neices and nephews.

I'm really excited to go on some new dates with my super Hot husband...all thanks to Pinterest ideas of keeping the romance alive (brown chicken, brown cow)!

I've already learned how to finally do my hair...why didn't anyone tell me I wasn't using my root lifter right before?!?!?!?!?!


You see...I can be a stylish, loving, crafy, adorably decorated homeowner, maniac...

All because of Pinterest and four simple words...

"I could make that!"

I was part of a FLASH MOB!!!!!

It's okay to be jealous!  ;0)

Completely Random Facts

Most of you know me pretty well...but since I post my blog updates on Facebook, who knows how many people I'm not aware of that actually read my blog. So, I thought I'd give you some random tidbits about me ;0)

*Warning: This post contains MANY seriously nerdy facts about me...most of which I am very proud of. Please don't mock me for them.

 

1. I love making "to do" lists - to be more specific, I love crossing things off the "to do" list. I watched a movie once (I think it was one of the lifetime original movies) where a male actor had a pda and made his "to do" list on it and the female actress commented to him about the inability to cross off things on his list when using a pda (I believe you just click a box next to the "to do" and it disappears)...and that was why she wouldn't ever get one. This obviously resonated with me, because I'm the same way. Part of the excitement, for me anyway, of finishing my task is that I then get to cross the task off my list. Wanna know something even more nerdy about me? Sometimes I write things down on my list that I've already done, for the sheer fact that I then get to cross it off.

2. I'm not good at printing out pictures on a regular basis (hmm...maybe this should be one of my hopes). I tend to only print pictures out when I'm going on a big scrapbook retreat or having a crop with my girlfriends. Which means, I then have to spend 3-4 evenings going through pictures on the computer, uploading them, putting them in my cart, then editing/cropping them, actually ordering them, and then go pick them up. Ugh, I'm tired just thinking about the process. I'd still have to do all of that...but if I ordered one or two months worth of pictures at a time, as opposed to what I did this week (which was order all of 2011 at once...I am excited about the 750+ pics to be delivered to me soon) the process wouldn't take nearly as long, and I wouldn't stress so much when prepping for my scrap retreats because most of my pictures would already be right in front of me. *For the record, I ordered all of 2011 at once because Snapfish is doing there 99prints for 99cents deal...which is WAY cheaper that what it would cost me to get my pics throughout the year like I usually do.

3. I'm EXTREMELY organized. I believe I've mentioned this before...about how I have some ridiculous OCD tendencies (especially when it comes to being organized). Case in point...my closet:

 

Things are all hung in like order (short one colored shirts are all together and organized by color, same with the long-sleeved one color shirts, t-shirts that can be worn to work are together, then the other t's, then skirts, then dresses.
NERD ALERT: I even organized my scarves and belts.

 
*Yes, my closet always looks like this! And Yes, Chris does have to deter me from the organization and purse sections of stores...they are my weaknesses.  He told me the other that under no circumstances am I ever allowed to go to the Container Store. ;0)

4. I love to scrapbook. Yes, I know you all know this...but what you don't know is that I see inspiration for scrapbooking EVERYWHERE! I sometimes have trouble falling asleep at night because I'm thinking about an idea I have for a layout and I'm just so excited about it, I can't get it off my mind. At this point I have never actually gotten out of bed and started on the layout (my realistic side tells me how insanely tired and irritable I would be in the morning if I got out of bed to scrap).

5. I love bacon. My sister got me a bacon air freshener for my car a couple Christmases ago...I've never opened it because I'm afraid it will make me crave bacon every time I get in my car.

6. Steak is my favorite food. Basically I'm a carnivore. Salad is what real food eats ;0)

7. I don't like any kind of salad sandwich...ham salad, chicken salad, etc. It's a texture thing, not taste thing. Same with breakfast casseroles made with bread.

8. I always look for the person chasing those crazies who are running on the side of the road. Why?...you ask...because I don't see the point in running unless someone is chasing you to kill you or steal your purse. And even then, there is nothing so very important in my purse, and if God is ready for me then so be it. People who say they enjoy running make me chuckle...those people have something seriously wrong with them.

9. I have road rage. I don't flip people off...but I do scream at them! I realize they can't hear me and to an onlooker I probably appear rather crazy as I scream at the top of my lungs...but it does make me feel better. To be honest...this started after I took a safe driving course in college (my Dad got a discount on my insurance if I did it...Can I blame him for this?) and realized just how many people don't know traffic rules.

10. Michael Jackson is one of my favorite artists. His music just makes me happy.

11. I have very random taste in music.  You'll find Third Day, Eminem, Michael Buble', and soundtracks to musicals on my Zune.

 

12.  I love ducks. You all should know this by now...if you didn't, where on earth have you been?

 

13.  Sunday is my favorite day of the week.  It's Crosspoint day and a relaxation day in all in one ;0)

 

14.  I have the best husband on the planet.  Seriously...I do!

 

15.  I spend 1-2 hourse twice a day doing treatments.

 

16.  I am a Christ Follower!

2012 Begins

 Holly's 2012 Hopes

Well, here it is...the blog post that to some degree scares the crap out of me!  Hahaha...

Why you may ask?  Well, as you all know, I don't like to fail when it comes to my personal goals and so this blog post scares me because I feel like I have to live up to everything I write.

Such is why I call them my "hopes". 

However, it motivates me because not only are they things I don't want to fail at...I don't want to let my dear blog readers down by not keeping up with them. 

I mean seriously, how lame would I be to give you my update at the end of the year and every single one be like, "well, I tried on this one, but yeah it just didn't happen." 

And then, instead of the (probably only) 2 loyal readers I have ( ;0) thanks Mom and Heather), I would have none! 

 I refuse to allow that to happen.

So, here they are, my 2012 Hopes.

*I've listed the ones that aren't really capable of being measured first...because let's face it.  These will always be on my hopes list, and are things I will continue to strive to make better.

~ I want to continue working on being the best wife, “maschia” to the ducks, daughter, sister, granddaughter, aunt, friend, etc as I can be.  There’s always room for improvement ;0)

~ I want to continue to work/focus on my marriage.  Every relationship in our lives requires work for it to continue to progress.  The most important relationship to me, aside from my relationship with God, is my relationship with my husband.  He and I share our lives together, now and forever, and in order for our life together to maintain it's yee-ness (I'll explain yee at another point if you don't understand this terminology) we will always have to work on it.  Go Team Elliott!

~ I would like to continue working on my faith and my relationship with God.  It’s very easy to become overwhelmed and let the stresses of life overcome and overshadow the things that we really need to focus on.  But if we make it a point to grow in our relationship with God we are better equipped to handle those life stressors.  It doesn't mean we won't have frustrations and trials, it just means we'll have the best resource (God) available to us to help us through those rought patches.

~ I am going to work on not letting other peoples issues become my own.  I feel like there are certain situations in my life that I could have easily been sucked into the middle of, when in all honesty, it doesn’t have to do with me.  I’m not one of the key players in the situation, and I’ve  tried very hard to not let the issues of those close to me, that are key players in the situation, become my issues.  It’s difficult…because when it comes to those I love, I want to go to battle for them, but I can’t.  I just can’t.  And I can’t let their issues become mine, and I can’t let their issues eat at me.  It’s not healthy for me, and it drags down those around me. 

~ I want to increase my random acts of encouragement.  I know this was on my hopes list from last year…but I focused on some of my other hopes more than I did this one.  So here it is again.  I want to do at least one random act of encouragement a month.  And I fully understand how odd that seems, like I'm planning out a random act of kindness.  But here's where the randomness comes in:  I will intentionally, once a month, seek some quiet time with God and ask him to put someone on my heart that I can help encourage.   It may not be random from God's point of view, because he knows what's going on with that specific person...but I don't.  All I know is that God loves that person in my life so much that He's showing them His love and encouragement through the words I have to say to them. 

~ I want to donate my time or resources to a local organization at least once a month.  Most likely (knowing me and how busy our calendar can get and how fast it fills up) it will more than likely be resources that are donated. 

   I made a conscious effort to go through my closets and drawers after Christmas, I tried on EVERYTHING…if I hadn’t worn it in a while, if I knew I really would never wear it, or if I didn’t LOVE the way it looked on me (even if it fit) I got rid of it.  There’s no reason to have clothes in my closet that I’m never going to wear and that I don’t feel good or confident in.  The original plan was to save it for our garage sale in May…but that’s 4 months away, which means it will be sitting in my basement for 4 months, UGH!  Then I thought I’d take it to Goodwill…then I thought, I wonder if there’s a local clothing pantry at a church or something????  I found one in Noblesville and will be dropping off a box of clothes in the next few days.  I don’t need the money for the clothes and I’d rather someone who truly needs them have them. 

~ I want to be better this year at doing Menu plans.  Last year started off good and trailed off there toward the end, with no menu planning being done the last few months.  Chris and I are very good about budgeting, but food is our weakness and we’re very easily talked into forgoing all that’s in our fridge to go out to eat.  This isn’t always a bad thing, but we just need to discipline ourselves to use more of our “go out to eat” money for grocery money.  Since I get home around 3pm every day it’s easier to make food at home...not like when we both got home around 6 and neither of us wanted to spend an hour in the kitchen making something, when we were starving right then and there.  How I plan to get myself in this discipline, I don’t know (suggestions welcome), but I definitely need to do so.

~ So last year my goal was to finish Scrapping 2010 before starting on 2011…granted I strayed a smidge from this as I did start on 2011 before completely finishing 2010…but I did keep my word and finished 2010 instead of just dropping it completely once I started 2011.  SO…this year I have a new Scrapbooking goal.  I want to finish 2011, get at least half of 2012 done, and get a little bit of 2009 done too…YIKES!  That’s a big goal.  But I do have a plan for getting this done.  Each month I plan to get 1-2 months from 2011 scrapped.  Some months had more going on than others, so if I encounter a long month to scrap…I’ll just do it.  If the next couple months are small scrap sections then I’ll do both.  I already have January and February of 2011 scrapped, so I’m currently a smidge ahead of the game (well, as far as 2011 goes) so I should be able to finish 2011 earlier in the year than December 30^th ;0) and get more than 2 months of 2012 done by the time 2013 is here.  Depending on how this goes, I may even up this monthly goal to include the month prior to’s scrapping, meaning in February I’ll work on January from 2012 as well as a month or two of 2011.  This would obviously make it easier to get caught up but may be a little over zealous.  My scrap retreats could be time focused on 2009.  I do have some stuff scrapped from then already, but at the moment I don’t know how much is done and how much I have left, so who knows how long it will take to catch up on it, but at least I’ll be working on things that are sitting in a bag in the closet just screaming to be put in an album.  Wish me luck…this is I think the biggest measurable challenge I’ve given myself.

~ Last year my Blogging hope was to blog once a week…go ahead and chuckle, it is humorous.  This year my hope is to simply blog…just kidding ;0).  I am going to be much more manageable with my hope for blogging this year and say at least twice a month.  I can do that, right?   Once every two weeks…that’s manageable, isn’t it?  YES…yes it is!  I can do it.

Well, that's all I've got for you right now.  Wish me luck, and feel free to ask where my hopes are at periodically throughout the year.