Joy To The World!

JOY to the WORLD-- a KING is born...

Christmas Day 2016 
Evan and Andrew, Jerry and Amanda, Ryleigh, Karsyn, Blayklee, Candice and Zachary, Alex and Me

So, it's been a long time...

We are in a house with a porch again...  Not The Brick Street Bungalow's porch... but a good porch.  A porch that finally feels like HOME again.

So much has happened in the last year... most all of it good.  A while back, I began taking a hard look at my life.  I'd been essentially treading water for several years.  Emotionally and spiritually I was stuck.  Stuck, I tell you.  Physically... well, let's just say I might have been beyond Couch Potato... maybe a Mashed Couch Potato.  I needed to move forward.  

I came to recognize that all my recent years' hobbies of knitting and painting and blogging had two big things in common... they involved a lot of sitting AND they fed my introversion.  Plus, I had some sadness that had hung on like a bad onion smell.  Sitting and sadness are dangerous bedfellows.  I'm not gonna lie... I'm NOT a graceful age-r.  I'm not good at letting go of things I love.  It takes a LONG time for me to move through big (unwanted) change: getting OLD (ha!), giving up running, kids moving off, etc.  The sitting and the isolation took their toll.  And, I finally reached a point I was ready to move forward... with more grace, less resentment... with more willingness, less resistance... more acceptance.

April of 2015, I started this 21 day FIX program.   Thirty minutes a day, no excuses.  It was REALLY hard at first.  I worked out with "Kat, the modifier" most days.  I've fallen off a couple of times since starting it (with selling the other house, moving and a few other life events) but, always I get back.  I cannot stress enough how IMPORTANT it is to MOVE and to maintain your strength especially as you age.  It does wonders for your mental health, too.  Thirty minutes is not much; however, it is enough for me to feel a BIG difference.  I wish I could tell you that I followed the eating program, too.  But, I have not.  Maybe this year...

When I felt physically better, I was emotionally able to make some changes, too.  We listed and sold the Big Bah-Nilla... it was never going to feel like home to me.  My Beloved and I both love our place now... It's not our OLD house, but it's a good house... it's HOME.

I cut myself off the computer.  After a several month hiatus, I allowed myself to check Ravelry once a day but blogging had to stay in time out.  There are 11075 emails in my inbox right now; they are on my list to clear out before the New Year.

I bought this book.... sometimes, I just buy self-help books and let them sit on my shelf.  I guess hoping by osmosis some kind of improvement will occur.  LOL!  But, I read this one and took to heart her challenge to say YES to any invitations for a year (almost).  We really stepped out of our little Introvert Box on a few occasions.  Truthfully, it never got easy for me to say YES, but I learned that there were some really wonderful people and experiences out there when I could muster the courage to do it.  The YES project was a success.

I am looking forward to 2017!  I think I can add blogging back AND stay active.  I MIGHT get on a good eating program this year.  And, if 2016 was the year of YES, 2017 is going to be the year of NO.  I'm really ready to step away from anything that sucks my JOY.  Life is short. 

Also in 2017, I plan to enjoy more time on the porch with my Beloved. Extend invitations to others more... for their YES (plus, keep my introversion in check).  Pray more.  Play more golf.  Walk more.  Laugh more.  Enjoy all of my Littles as much as possible. Catch up with my virtual/imaginary/blogging friends, who I believe must be my kindred introvert-souls.  Get back to my knitting.  And, my painting.  And, who knows what new thing will pop up!  Life is good.

I turned 60 in November and I was so very, very blessed to be surrounded with ones whom I love dearly and who love me back... on a big ole porch.  I couldn't have asked for more.  I'm welcoming the sixties with open arms and moving on to The Next Chapter. 

I hope 2017 brings Joy and Peace and LOVE to each and every one of you. 

 (Wish I could site the source... but, I can't)

I'll be by to visit soon.

blessings ~ tanna