Welcome 2011!!

What, it's 2011?????? I remember when writing checks was still the norm and it would take me FOREVER to get into the habit of writing the new year on my checks, now that we hardly ever write checks it seems like the years keep moving at an unbelievably rapid rate!! The end of 2010 was such a blur, I never realized how crazy the holidays are until I had two kids, and one with a birthday in between, AHHHHH!!!! I'm so glad things have settled back down now and we can get into our "routine" again (however boring that may sound, its actually VERY exciting to me!!)

I love the promise of a new year. A new beginning, a fresh start, the chance to do something positive and different in your life. This past year has been so wonderful for our family, and God has really shown his faithfulness through it all. I feel so blessed to have had a year like 2010, but I am also excited for what 2011 holds for us. One of the pastors in our church preached a sermon on Sunday about the "new year" and one thing he pointed out is that with a new year comes new difficulties, heartaches, disappointments, and struggles. Well..... that doesn't sound very promising :( But also with a new year comes new opportunities, possibilities, experiences, and a promise from God that he will be faithful through it all. His mercies are new every morning, and no matter what has happened in the past day, week, month, year, or even ten years, we have a promise from him that his mercies are new EVERY day. What a wonderful thing to know when you are looking at a whole new year in front of you!!!

I have a couple of things that I would like to get accomplished this year. You know the usual: eat healthier, exercise more, be more patient with my kids and husband, call my parents more (I know you guys think that I forget about you, but I really don't), etc., etc., etc. One thing that I really want to do, and feel like I need to do is find something that is "mine". When I was working I had a lot of "stuff" that was mine... MY classroom, MY students, MY lessons, MY committee, you know, stuff that made you "feel" important (even though it wasn't really important at all). I LOVE being at home with my children, but I sometimes feel lost in all that comes with taking care of them, my husband, and our home. I have discovered my passion for creating and it gives me that sense of making "stuff" that is mine and that I can be proud of. I have also found an Internet community who shares that passion, so I am going to take a leap of faith and join that group of "crafting bloggers". Sooooooooo........ drum-roll please.......... welcome to In My Spare Time......

*I will still use this blog as my "family" blog, the new blog will be for my crafting projects only.