Goals for the year

Over the new year, I got carried away in the resolving that was going on and went so far as making a couple myself. I like to think of them as goals that need to be made into habits that will last years...not just this year. My first is to read my bible every day. So far this one has been difficult because I usually forget, or don't get around to it until evening, but I still manage to find something that makes me happy that I didn't neglect to do it. One night I was so discouraged and while lying in bed in the dark I realized that I hadn't read my chapter for the day. So with a little muttering and groaning I grabbed up my bible and flipped it open. It fell open at a chapter in Psalms that spoke of praising God even when things aren't going good...and David named off a few things he had gone through and ended basically saying that God had brought him through anyway :-) Love it.
My second goal is to create something every week. This one isn't hard, but I also must photograph it. So far I have met this goal, but it's hard especially since the twins are back this week. At the moment they are fussing for absolutely no reason (they've been changed, aren't hungry, and seem to just want entertainment. Anyway, just thought I'd share those goals along with the picture of the first completed project.

Onna in the leggings I made her.

The year in lessons

While this past year was rough in so many ways, I grew in so many more ways and learned a lot of grown-up lessons. Among these lessons were the following:
1. Big girls do cry sometimes. I cried a lot this year, this may have been one of the teariest years of my life lol. I went through a mini personal crisis which I explained in one of my posts as a reason that I stopped posting for awhile, and it turned out that it just helped me grow. I dealt with my mommy leaving me to be with my sister; I took over the house, and as a result I appreciate my mom so much more and realize that mothers that are like her are just plain awesome. Sadly, the year ended with me losing a friend of mine (and it wasn't a death,) so that was another bucket of tears. If God really does keep all the tears we cry, I suppose heaven is a swimming pool right now!
2. It's possible to "be the bigger person" almost all the time. I tried this, it wasn't easy, and I must say it's even quite painful a lot of the time. When you take the high road, you're sometimes alone :-/ As Anne of Green Gables said "If you only knew how many things I wanted to say and didn't."
3. You can accept yourself and still make everyone else happy-sorta. This year I've looked at myself and said "I need to lose weight" many times, but I think that's part of being a female. I've also said to myself "God made you, He made you with big hips, curly hair, and obvious skin problems and He said 'This is a good one!' and I can too!" In an attempt to make everyone happy I wore my hair curly all summer (to make myself happy,) and I'm planning to wear it all straight (mostly) for the winter for those who keep telling me to. I think that this year I heard more negative about my looks than ever, but I've also heard a lot positive--so I think everyone is just being more vocal in general.
4. Friends are blessings sent from above-just make sure they're friends. This year I made new friends. One of them was Taylor-my fellow crafty girl, and the one who introduced me to my latest love (sushi). I've also bonded with several bloggers (in a bloggy kinda way) and many of my fellow CAST team members on Etsy. I grew closer to some friends, and even rebuilt relationships with one or two. The most painful was letting go of someone close. You have to realize, I'm a collector (it's technically called input) and basically what this means is that for fear of needing something later, I instead keep it even if it's harming me (ex: taking up space, making me cry more than laugh, or generally being useless.) When you lose one of your "closest" friends, you feel vulnerable and like you can't trust yourself, but it's only for the best. When you are always needed, and you're never allowed to need, you know it's time to let go...
5. God is in control. I have struggled so much this year with letting go of control! Through it all God has been faithful. For those that aren't believers, this may seem ridiculous, but every time I felt things spiraling out of control I could reach out and embrace the knowledge that God was holding me up every time; I was stressing out thinking I was falling, but he was saying "I got ya baby girl!"

I am not ready  bracing for this coming year knowing that I have the tools I need to get through it successfully, and I hope you do too. In closing check out this cool blog...It was just what I needed, and it's way shorter than mine too :-) Just imagine! We were God's bright idea!

Happy YEAR People!

Elisabeth Arona

Big tees and baby zs

Remember when I had "mommy syndrome" because my mom left me for a month with three kids (not counting my dad) to take care of, and I wore a shirt with black bean stains on it just because I was so frustrated after a long day and didn't give a care? I'm pretty sure I posted about it back in September, maybe here. Anyway, at that time my dad looked at me and decided against saying anything--wise, wise man-and NOW I am back at that place. I won't complain per say, but I will detail how my last few days have been in a short little nutshell. Who am I kidding? We all know I don't do short.
Their nicknames are Zay and Zap, and they are five month old twins. They are absolutely too chunky, cuddly, and adorable, and although one is a pound heavier, they look so much alike that it takes a second to tell them apart unless they're sitting side-by-side. If you read my September post (I keep referring to,) you know ManMan, the adorable little human that has recently learned how to open doors; his mom told Zay and Zaps mom about us, and she decided she wanted us to babysit her twins. This week has been the first time we have had them for three full days straight. Ironically they're teething so diarrhea is in the books and everything is x2! Today my mom was here, but yesterday and the day before she was too busy to help so I had to form some sort of routine. A friend wanted to webcam me then kept complaining because I kept getting up to take care of the babies. My answer: "I told you I had kids!" My favorite time of day? NAPTIME!!!
Tuesday I wore a huge tshirt (I actually have a collection now,) and then got spit up on and had to change it, yesterday was the same, and so was today. I'm sure their parents wonder if I own anything else to cover my top half. The twins are a delight, but I'm beginning to think that one is a sympathetic crier :-/ As much as I would love to expound upon all of this, I must quickly hand out pats-on-the-back to every mother of twins that I know and don't know. You are amazing. I mean that. Now, unless "my" twins stop having reflux soon, or stop being babies maybe (since they're about to go through the messy baby food stage,) I will need to go wash my big tee collection so that I can have them ready to wear next week :-)

Elisabeth Arona

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Me (left) and my younger sister Sarah

Don't ask me why my hair looks like it's not black in this picture, but Merry Christmas to you all :-)

Elisabeth Arona

Sharing while sitting in traffic

Today was grocery shopping day. The road that leads to the Walmart I shop at is always packed. There are two lanes going each way, and it's ridiculous. The store is two or three miles away, and yet, it takes about 15 minutes to get there! As usual, I was intermittently singing Christmas songs, listening to my little sister yap in the backseat, and yelling at the driver in front of me (bad habit.) Monnie (little sister) told me that the guy in the car over waved at her. I smiled because it was an elderly man, and he had a dog in the passenger seat. Next thing I know he pulls even with my window and motions for me to roll mine down. I do, and he calls over "Jesus loves you!" Me: "Awwww, He loves you too!"
I'm the type of person that would've started a conversation with the guy right there in our cars at the red light, but he rolled his window back up after that with a smile on his face. I wanted to tell him I was a Christian, and how much I appreciated that, but he may have read it in my huge smile...the one that stayed on my face the entire ride to the store. This is why I love Christmas season. I thought, then revised it: This is why I love the South. Then revised it again to: This is why I love Christians!
For unbelievers/non-Christians, oftentimes Christmas is their happy place. It's the time of year that they must be happy, say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone, leave extra big tips, think of others before themselves, and generally be a nice/nicer person. They get in "the spirit" of Christmas. As a Christian, all year round should be my "happy place". I have Christ in me so I'm already in the Spirit! Each of the things that Christmas is about, it's only about because of Jesus! I know, I know, you're saying "Wow, real deep thought Elisabeth!" but to me, it was a deep thought. All of this because of an elderly man with a dog, that decided he was gonna share his joy, the thing that makes him smile. He didn't know if I was a Christian or if I was an Atheist and would say "I don't believe in God old man, keep your religion to yourself!" He just went for it. I love that.
So here is what I have to say to you with a big smile: Jesus loves you! If you don't love him back, and need to hear all the great things about Him (as if His birth/Christmas isn't impressive enough) let me know...my email address is right here on my blog.

Merry Christmas!

Elisabeth Arona

Tempting Tuesday-Portfolio

Do you know what? I would like to grab a bunch of my girlfriends and go out to eat (I love doing that)...I would like for all of us to dress fabulously and get our hair done beautifully and have a personal photographer taking pictures of us the whole time. We would have the greatest time and pretend that we had paparazzi following us. I would LOVE for every girl to be wearing outfits I made myself and I could fill my portfolio with a bunch of awesome pictures...*sigh* It's a very tempting thought, one I may even act on eventually...

What tempts you?

Ahhhhhh...

Has it been almost a week since I posted? Yeah, it really has. Let me assure you that I am alive and well...unfortunately health is something that we can never be too comfortable with. For instance, my mom's sister had a blood clot removed from her brain after having a headache that wouldn't go away for days, and is still in ICU. This is only one case-another family member also announced a serious health problem this week. It's a very scary thing to face unknowns in life.
Humans are resilient, we're some of God's only creations that understand circumstances around us to a great extent and yet still have the ability to bounce back. So, life goes on, and we may be burdened in our spirit, and worried, but we laugh, tease, and smile in the midst of it all. My sister has come to visit with her husband and my niece-y (who made her debut on my blog two months ago or so.) I'm SO so glad to see them, and am just trying to focus on them being here.
I put up a new item in my etsy shop also (go check it out) and even though I need to revamp my shop and take all new pictures I'm still smiling because at least I put something up, right?

Expect some recipes this coming week!

Elisabeth Arona