You're only getting better...

Let me start off by apologizing for the lack of music on the blog right now...the site I was using doesn't work anymore and I haven't had time to find a new one yet.  Hopefully I can get the tunes back up and running soon.  I know the music is really the only reason you come to the blog so thanks for hanging with me anyway.  Also I'm pretty sure this post is going to be a hodgepodge of different topics/thoughts so consider this your warning that I may veer off course a time or two. 

I love blogging.  And before blogs existed I loved writing in a journal/diary as a kid (yes back before computers were commonly owned items).  So I feel bad that I haven't kept up with it as much over the past couple of years.  Maybe it's because my life is considerably less dramatic than it used to be, maybe I process things differently now, or maybe I've just lost the motivation.  Whatever the reason, I really want to do better going forward.  I think I say that every time.  But I mean it this time...well I mean it in this moment anyhow. 

Is it just me or has anyone else felt like time has been passing so quickly lately?  And somewhere in the time passing this precious child turned 3.  Yep I said 3.  Seriously how is that possible?  I know her birthday was almost 2 months ago (see it's not just the 2nd child that gets overlooked), but I felt I needed to make sure she once again knew just how much she's loved.  It's been so much fun watching her turn into this vibrant, stubborn, adorable little person.  She has such a sweet spirit about her and even when she doesn't love her Aunt C the most, she's still pretty darn great.  I think we'll keep her around. 

And of course watching her grow up got me thinking about how much better we become as we get older.  Like a fine wine we get better with age right?  So while E turned 3 this year, it was a little more of a milestone birthday for me...the big 3-0.  I remember being younger and thinking 30 sounded SO old...but now that I'm here it doesn't seem so bad (or old).  After turning 29 last year I started tossing around the idea of putting together some type of bucket list of things I wanted to accomplish in the last year of my twenties.  But for those of you who know me...you know I am not the list maker in the family.  That is all B, queen of the lists.  Don't get me wrong I make lists for the grocery store all the time (mostly so I don't forget things), but it's just not something I love to do. 

So I didn't make a list.  Instead I decided I wanted to become a better version of myself by 30.  Or at least be working on a better version of me by then. Now don't go thinking I was trying to reinvent myself or anything like that...just improve upon a few things.  Probably the most noticeable is my health/weight.  Not something I will go into great detail about, it's still a work in process, but at least I'm headed in the right direction.  The other things range from spending more time with my family to being more positive at work (even when it's really hard) to learning to appreciate and make the most of what I have.  I recently read a book called One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and if you haven't heard of it or read it yet, it's a goodie.  It's a woman's personal story about the challenge to make a list of 1,000 small things to be thankful for and how that gratitude can change you.  Yep another list.  No I haven't started one of those lists either, but in my mind it's fun to mentally make note of the little things as I realize them.  Like right now it's Ella snuggled up next to me on the couch while I type.  Something I take for granted so much of the time.

You may be thinking I'm starting to veer a little right now, but give me a minute to bring it all back.  What I took away from Ann's book was that being thankful for the little, everyday stuff helps us lead a more grateful life, and let's be honest who couldn't do with a little more gratitude?  It was one of those things I didn't even realize I was lacking, but I sure am glad to be working on it now.  And trust me there are still plenty of days where I forget to take the time to mentally add items to my gratitude list...also still a work in process.

I guess I will always be a work in process.  That's really ok with me...who am I to think God's done working on me?  I imagine He's probably laughing about that right now, thinking we've got a long way to go.  And I am grateful for that.  Grateful to be a work in process.  One that's hopefully only getting better. 

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."  Ephesians 2:10