Reflections

There's a song running through my head, and I don't know if you'll know it. My parents had vinyl records that we listened to growing up, and I don't even remember who sang this song, just the words...

"Backwards again, backwards again.

When will I ever get it right?"

I think the original song is about a little boy putting his shoes on the wrong feet... but when I think about the words, to me they reflect the feeling that I want time to go backwards lately. I want to take the time to remember all the little things C does. He's growing up so fast, and I don't have a baby anymore, I've got a 2-year old, and I want to cherish all the moments I have with him.

This week I'm really trying to look back at 2010 and see what I've learned, what I struggled with, and where I grew the most. Thanks to this great list of questions from (in)courage, I can put all those thoughts in writing.

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?

Completing my first year of culinary school with top grades!

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

Living on complete trust that God would provide for us, and relying on our church and food bank in order to survive.

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?

B and I both found job almost immediately after we started looking for them.

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?

Just before Christmas, I got in my very first car accident. Nothing serious, but the car was in the shop getting fixed for about a week.

5. Pick three words to describe 2010.

Trust, Relationships, Thankfulness

6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2010 (don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).

Baking, Strength, Determined

7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2010 (again, without asking).

Completion, Uncertainty, Change

8. What were the best books you read this year?

-And the Shofar Blew (Francine Rivers)

-Redeeming Love (Francine Rivers)

-Think Like a Chef (Tom Colicchio)

-Why I Need You (Gregory E. Lang)

-Debt-Free Forever (Gail Vaz-Oxlade)

-Cut the Clutter and Stow the Stuff

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?

-My husband. He loves me in the good and bad days, and he always apologizes first when we fight.

-Alysha, who knows me and still wants to spend time with me...

-Janis, who makes me smile and laugh, and who I think of first whenever I see hippo anything...

-Kim, who I've learned so much from, and who I was blessed to be able to help with her kids...

-My mother. I don't know what I would do without her...

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?

I stopped making excuses for my mistakes. I face up to things I've done without trying to blame someone other than myself.

11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?

B and I went to a marriage seminar in the spring. The course really taught me how the things my husband says have different meanings to me than they do to him, so I learned to put my emotions aside and really listen to what he was trying to say, instead of assuming I already knew what he meant. (It's a work in progress, but last night, our "argument" lasted only a couple minutes instead of the whole night, so I really think we're getting it!!)

12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?

We as a family learned what complete trust in God was. We had no money, and no idea how we would pay our bills, but God got us through 4 extremely lean months at the beginning of the year, and we all grew closer to Him in that time.

13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?

I lost about 10lbs early in the year, and I can do more pushups now than I've ever been able to do!

14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?

I let myself become vulnerable, and opened up to new friends. We started having people over for games nights and for dinners so that we could really grow in our relationships with people from church and school and work.

15. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?

The constant ability to learn and challenge myself, whether that was with deadlines, or with learning new recipes, or just studying the processes of baking.

16. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?

The hours. Working midnights made sleeping hard, and made maintaining relationships really hard.

17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

Facebook, TV, and computer games (so basically, the computer)

18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

Wednesday morning Coffee Break from January to April helped to recharge me, and throughout the summer and fall, we as a family were able to serve a friend in need for a few hours every week.

19. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?

I am a strong, determined, competent, talented woman who can maintain a home well, even when I'm the only adult doing it.

20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2010 for you.

With God ALL THINGS are possible.

~A