Asia & Chocolate

can I ask for a re-do on my week?

In the past week I have ...

1. Had my debit card number stolen and had a fradulent charge made on my checking account. Therefore I had to cancel my debit card and am waiting for a replacement.

2. Later that day I got a large bill from the hospital from my 12-hour stay when I had surgery. Do you know how much the WHOLE bill was?? $13,000!!! I had no idea hospitals were so expensive. Thank God I have insurance and don't have to pay the whole thing. But I still have to pay a lot.

3. I got scammed in Craig's List. I thought I had sold my car, but then the transaction started sounding fishy and I research CL scams and it was exactly what was happening to me. So no sold car. The price of the car would have covered the hospital bill.

These three things have compounded an already busy week. Wedding planning is insane! It's like have an extra job.

Some things I was thankful for this week:

1. I met with the caterer on Thursday and I've all but booked him. So excited to have that out of the way.

2. I started a Beth Moore Bible study on Thursday nights that I am super excited about. I've never done a Beth Moore study before and I know I'm going to love diving into the Word with these women and Beth.

3. My wonderful fiance is always a bright spot in my life. He's wonderful, caring, and always listens when I have a bad. We got to have dinner at my favorite restaurant in Huntsville last night. It was such a good evening of conversation and relaxation. We have the best time together! (Good thing since we'll be together for the rest of our lives ... :) )

4. God loves me, pursues me, comforts me and is faithful to me even when I'm being a butt and can't see the forest for all the stinkin' trees in my way.

I know there are many more things I am thankful for (oh yeah, sleeping in this morning was wonderful ... and a three day weekend is great too!) ... but that's all I have time to write. Off to David's Bridal for flower girl dress fitting. Love the wedding planning (most of the time).

Goal-setting 2009

I know I'm a few days late with my goals for the new year, but I needed a few days for the new year feelings to ruminate inside me. I wanted to see what desires came to the surface of my heart and mind for this year, and these are the top 10 goals I have set for myself in 2009.

1. Attend Financial Peace University with Josh. - I believe that as newlyweds being on the same page financially is HUGE. We talk a lot about finances as it is and we set goals together and discuss how we want to spend our money once we get married, BUT I think going the extra step and attending the 13-week session will bring up issues we haven't even thought about and really get us on the same page.

2. Get MARRIED! And move to Huntsville. - This is a no-brainer and will definitely happen. That's kind of why I wanted it on my list, so that at the  end of the year I'll be able to look back and say I at least accomplished ONE thing on my list. Sneaky, aren't I? :)

3. Stay ahead of wedding preparation. - This means staying on top of my to-do list, getting things done in advance when I can. (I'm almost done with my wedding invitations because I don't want them to sneak up on me at the last minute.) I have almost 5 months left to plan this thing, so I have plenty of time. I must use it wisely.

4. Meditate on one Bible verse a month. - Some people, like my little brother who does Bible Bowl, are probably laughing at this goal, but I haven't been very disciplined about meditating on Scripture this past year. I want to get back to it, with a bite-sized goal.

5. Make it a priority to have everything laid out the night before for the following day. - My life is so much less stressed when that happens. All I have to do it get myself up and get ready, grab a couple of things and walk out the door. When I have to remember to pack something for lunch or put something in my gym bag, I inevitably forget something. When everything is set out the night before I don't forget anything and my mornings are much less stressed. This leads me to my next goal:

6. Make a schedule for myself each week. I have set up an excel spreadsheet for every hour of my day. I have then filled in all the regular activities like sleeping, working, church, etc. Then I take a look at the rest of my time. It gives me a sense of purpose for my week and lets me see the big picture, instead of just taking it one hour at a time.

7. Have a date night every week with my to-be-husband. - Right now this is NOT a problem because we go out at least once a week just the two of us, but I want to make it a pointed habit at this stage of the game. That way it's a habit for after we get married and for years to come.

8. Join a church in Huntsville and make friends. (Possibly even join a small group this year.) - Josh and I have been regularly attending one church in Huntsville over the past few months and I really like it. I would like to probably visit some other churches before making the final decision. And then once the decision is made, plug in to the church.

9. Tell myself "no" again. - This is less of a tangible goal and more of a renewal of a mindset. I have become lax over the holidays with telling myself no to sweets or to shopping. But it's time to let myself hear the word "no" again and exercise some self-control.

10. Make my bed every day. - I am borrowing from one of my best friend's blogs, but really it's something I've started to strive to do. Everything looks and feels better when the bed is made up. It also makes me more inclined to picking up the floor, or clearing off the desk. It sets an atmosphere of cleanliness in my room, and that's what I need this year.

What are your goals for this year?