Happy New Year!

Well, another year has gone by and a new one has begun. It is so amazing how quickly time goes by! And I know when I was younger and people older than me would tell me that time goes by even quicker when you're older. I thot they were crazy because life seemed to take forever. Now I am one of those older people saying the same thing! Time goes by quicker each year.
Last year, Seth started Grade 1. Ethan finally is potty trained and my little niece Chloe was born! How awesome it is to see my nephews and niece growing up=0) This year already, Seth had his 7th birthday on the 6th. Ethan is going to a JK drop in day at Seth's school and Chloe is 4 months and so happy!
Last year, 2010 ended and 2011 has started a whole lot differently than I had hoped or planned! I'm struggling with God's plan and His timing. He has been ever faithful to me for which I am thankful for! I certainly don't deserve His love, mercy, grace and forgiveness. I am having to relearn to be content and patient with God and His timing. Do I like the fact that things haven't gone the way I would've liked them too? Absolutely not! Do I understand it? Nope! Do I want things my own way? You bet! Do I know deep in my heart that I am exactly where I should be in my life rite now? Very close to getting there, but not quite. Do I know God has a plan for me and that He wants the best for me? YES! Do I wish that God's plans matched my own? Most of the time. Am I grateful that God has revealed a lot of things to me in the past half year? Definitely! Am I thankful that even tho things haven't gone my way, I can rest assured that God will ALWAYS be there for me and never fail me? FOR SURE!
I've been pondering a lot on God's love and faithfulness lately. Even when I get angry because things don't go my way or I wonder why I have to go thru difficult trials, I know deep in my heart that it's not God that has made me go thru those times. It's me and the choices I have made. I sometimes get frustrated that I seem to always learn things the hard way! A terrible habit I have had since I was a little kid! And when things don't go as I planned, I want to blame God because ultimately I think He should be the one to stop these 'bad' things from happening. But I do know that God allows us to make our own choices even when they go against Him and His will. I at time wish He wouldn't let me, but I will admit that I learn so much when I go thru hard times. I learn so much about God, myself and my relationship with Him! And as hard as it is and as much as it sucks at the time, I know that when I work thru it, I will be that much closer to God and I will have changed to become more like Him. Is that something I regret? Never, ever! At the time, I hurt and struggle, but even in those toughest, darkest moments, I am thankful that I can think and know in my heart that this is worth it. That God is teaching me things that I need to be taught. And I know that when I've worked thru something difficult, I can look back at those times and be amazed at the love, support, strength, patience, grace, and kindness God has for me. I can look back and know I was blessed even in those tough times!
What an amazing God we have!

Now, here are a few pictures of the way I spent New Year's Eve. The nite before New Years, I got a call from my previous hairdresser, who knew I did a lot of babysitting. She asked me if I would watch her youngest son on New Year's Eve. I told her as long as she doesn't mind him coming with me to the places I was planning to go, I was all for it. We also decided it would just be easier on everyone if he slept over that nite, came to church the next morning and then I brought him home. I had an absolute blast with this little guy! His name is Carter and he's almost 2. My brother and sister in law have had him overnite a number of times and have always said how amazingly well behaved and easy going he is. That is one of the reasons I didn't mind having him.
I picked Carter up shortly before church New Year's Eve. My friend Danielle came over too. After church we went to my friend Mel's for a couple hours. There were 2 other couples there as well as my friend(the hostess) and her husband, and their many children;O) We had a lot of fun! Thanks for having us Mel!
After Mel's, Danielle, Carter and I went to my parent's place to hang out with Susie, Sandra and Bernadette. Considering I used to babysit both Sandra and Bernadette, I felt quite old, but it was still fun! This is how I found Carter when we got to my parent's. Sound asleep, holding his toothbrush;o)
I rite away put him pj's on and put him in Susie's bed. He went to sleep rite away.
Cheese=o)

Does he not have such a sweet, beautiful smile? And those eyes are just gorgeous! I would totally take this little guy again. And considering he doesn't really know me, he did fabulous!

Here's a few pictures from our time at my ma and pop's...




I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and New Year's and that you have a blessed year in 2011!