Fadedwords

In 23 minutes, 2007 will begin. I have many goals for the New Year…

• Lose the weight gained after thyroid dysfunction and complete thyroid removal.
• Find a job closer to Jake
• Write (finish my NaNo, as well as the three stories I began in 2006).
• Read more
• Find somewhere to horseback ride
• Train my dog well
• Find a place to either take karate or hip-hop/jazz dance classes
• Cook more (both baking and actual cooking)
• Become more organized
• Travel (take a cruise or go to Yellowstone)
• Continue scrapbooking

My main goal is to get back to a much healthier weight. My thyroid problems really put things in a bad position, and I truly believe that much of my difficulty in losing weight has been because of it. I hope to find a new doctor and develop a plan of attack. I’m not lazy, and I’m willing to change my diet in any way necessary. So hopefully that and my determination is going to be enough.

It’s also very important to me to find a job closer to Jake so I can move up here. This process has already begun, and I am actively searching for new employment.

This new year comes with many bright possibilities. I am dating a wonderful man, and we will celebrate our 1 year anniversary in February. I am truly happy with him, and with every decision I’ve made since I first met him over a year and a half ago. What began as friendship has grown into such a strong and wonderful relationship. This new year promises to have many other wonderful things happening… finding a new job, moving in with this man, watching my dog grow. I look forward to this year as I have not looked forward to the last few.

It has already started off well; Green Bay beat the Bears 26 to 7… a gigantic accomplishment. It is bittersweet, however, as it could be Brett Favre’s last game.

I wish everyone a very Happy New Year. I hope you are as lucky as I am and have someone wonderful to kiss at midnight.

At 4:11pm today I got a call from my very best friend from high school, someone I consider a brother. His wife, Tracy, had gone into labor with their second daughter.

I am eagerly awaiting news on the birth… so everyone keep your fingers crossed that all goes as perfectly as possible. I will post again when I’ve heard, and soon I will post pictures. Tomorrow I go back to NC and one of my first stops will be the hospital to see Tim, Tre, and my new little niece.

[edit]

At 2:12am Morgan Paige Webster was born, weighing 8lbs 11oz and 21 inches in length. Both Mommy and baby are doing very well. I hope to visit soon, maybe tomorrow.

Congratulations to Tim, Tracy, and Madison (a brand new big sister!). I send my love to them all.

I must’ve been on the nice list this year, for I got quite a lot of wonderful things. Without further ado, here is the loot list:

-Will and Grace Seasons 1, 2, and 5 on DVD (that only leaves 3 sets left til I have the whole thing!)
-Needful Things DVD (my favorite book by stephen king)
-Karate Kid Box set
-Gone with the Wind collectors edition DVD
-Dances with Wolves collectors edition DVD
-Golden Girls Season 4
-Grey’s Anatomy Seasons 1 and 2 (eeep)
-Marley and Me
-Twilight Children by Torey Hayden (one of my favorite authors)
-Paula Deen’s Kitchen Classics
-The Betty Crocker Illustrated Cookbook (very excited about this… I grew up watching mom use this)
-Southern Cooking Annual Recipes
-The Joy of Cooking 75th Anniversary Book
-Rachel Ray Express Lane Meals
-Rachel Ray 30- Minute Meals
-A Willow Tree angel that is really gorgeous… the angel of caring
-A Nintendo DS Lite (very surprised I got this… and excited)
-Two new My Little Ponies
-A set of Halloween, Christmas, and anytime kitchen towels.?
-A ladybug bed skirt (to w hich they no longer sell the quilt… so I’ll be on the hunt for a set that matches it)
-A new house and a ferris wheel for my christmas village, plus some trees and whatnot (I collect the Sugar and Spice Village)
-A hunter green coat embroidered with my name and a celtic symbol that my aunt ordered directly from Ireland.
-A few scrapbooking things.
-A gift card to Old Navy
-Money to use toward my dresser, desk, kitchen table, or bookshelf
-One of those shedding combs for pets
-A stocking full of toys for Merlin
-A big purple tennis ball for Merlin

It was a wonderful Christmas. I went out and bought the new Super Mario Bros. and Mariokart for my Nintendo DS, and I can honestly say I am addicted to the Super Mario Bros. I plan to go looking for Tetris tomorrow. Then I’ll be completely set on my plan ride back to NC on Friday.

Merry Christmas everyone.

To all my friends and family who read this, I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas from me, Jake, and Merlin. 

I had previously read Alice Sebold’s memoir Lucky, and enjoyed it a great deal. When I saw this book in the store several months ago I picked it up because I had enjoyed the other book so much. I started this book Thursday morning at the airport. By the time I got to New York I had about 50 pages left. I just finished it tonight.

This was a wonderful book. It’s the type that starts with such horror and pain, revisits it so often, and then moves to such beauty. It makes you think about your own life, and the lives of the people in your life who have passed on. At parts I laughed out loud, at others I found tears falling down my cheeks.

This is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. I highly recommend it to anyone.