Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a very wonder CHRISTmas and New Year celebration! It's funny how we usually only use this time of year to think about how we might want to better our lives. Shouldn't that be included in our regular thought processes? Am I living life to the fullest? Am I getting everything I can out of it? Am I giving all I can?

I'll be honest and say no, I am not living my life to the fullest. I get home in the afternoon and find a cozy spot and hole up for the evening. I'm sure most people do something similar...but I get home so early in the afternoon it feels like a waste. Next week, my roommate and I are planning on coming in only to change and then head out for a walk. We could both use the exercise. :) I will be spending much of the rest of my evenings working on applications to send out so that I can go home!

I have been taking a short hiatus from crocheting since Christmas. I worked on a lot of things in the weeks leading up to it and needed a break. I have been planning in the interim though. Hehe I LOVE giving hand made gifts, especially crocheted or knitted ones. And I've decided to start giving one hand made item to charity for every one that I give to family and friends. And this year I'm taking on quite the task, so I'll be starting as soon as my applications are out! (If my fingers haven't fallen off from all the writing!)

For Christmas, Mom and Dad got me a bunch of books I've been wanting. Including three separate versions of The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. I'm nearly finished with The Five Love Languages for Singles and it is fantastic. I hope to use what I've learned on a daily basis with everyone around me. I know I've been in a pretty great mood during all of my classes this week and one of my fourth graders even pointed out that I seemed happy. Makes me wonder how I must have seemed before. (That class can be challenging...they are hilarious...but WAAAAYYYY too loud.) I guess I'm just really wanting to connect better with the people around me. The book has pointed out to me the way that others convey love and I realized I'm only loving in my own ways...not theirs. I need to learn to show them love the way they show me love in order for them to really FEEL loved. It amazes me that it took reading a book to point that out to me because now it seems obvious.

I am also striving to stay in better touch with all of you who live sooooo far away! I miss you all and I am going to try harder to be more involved in your lives! (I might be slow at it, but I'll do it!)

Love and miss you!

J