313 Days Later..

   I'm soaking up the last bit of the Internet that I can before it gets shut off tomorrow morning. But I did write some posts last week that are scheduled (how fancy!) to be posted on the 19th. So be sure to check those out as well. ;) We went to Porter Ranch for the last time on Thursday. Even if we weren't moving it probably would have been the last time since about 80% of the way to the turn around point, Michael saw a baby snake, which caused him to have a mini-heart attack. He told everyone that he called how huge the snake was and how it had a big lump in its stomach from it's recent meal. I don't know if I just happened to see a different snake and missed out on the anaconda.. but I made sure to let Michael know that the terrible feeling he had, well that's how I feel when he makes me go into Halloween stores. I think we came to a truce/ agreement there.

   It has been 313 days since we moved in on Tuesday, January 8th, becoming California residents for a short, yet quite exciting, part of our lives. Michael's car will get picked up on Monday, which is the same day the Mayflower movers come to box up our things, then come back again on Tuesday to load everything into their truck. The big question is when it will arrive in Birmingham. I believe they will have another family's items in the same truck, so we aren't sure how close to Thanksgiving we can begin to unpack and settle in to our Alabama condo. But it doesn't matter. What does matter is that we will have each other and that we have so much to be thankful for.
   Last night at work (tonight is my last shift), Amber made a list for me of all the things I have to be thankful for. It was a powerful list and that only included the more obvious things ~ a very generous family, an exciting life, a happy marriage, a slender physique (thank you, skinny bones), no health problems, a nice steady alarm job for the past seven months. And the wonderful list goes on. All of the complaints and excuses I have ever made are completely invalid.
   Since I pulled up some wedding photos from my blog via Google Images and showed those to her a few weeks ago, she reminded me that Michael and I had a really great wedding with lots of romantic memories and pretty pictures, which she described in detail. One scrappy thing on my 2014 "to-do" list is to fill up the big, silver engraved album that our Full Sail friend, Jermaine, got for us as a wedding present. It's been kept packed away while a beautiful, joyous wedding album should be the first photos thrown in our guests' faces when they come over! Haha.

   2014 will be the year to work on becoming responsible adults ~ for real this time. Bank statements? What are those? "Oh, those are the papers that tell you how much money you have spent on yourself, while also complaining that you have no money." So for the past two days I have been going through this year's bank statements- I've only done mine thus far. Since we use debit cards, we only keep track of how much we have in our account right before we go to buy something else, not how much we have already spent that month, or that year in total!
   I have my "7" notebook on standby, ready to be used and abused with next year's notes and feelings. My favorite recycled Greenroom journal, with glued on scrapbook pieces. I have my days scheduled out, from January 1st all the way through May 31st. Which days will consist of which sacrifices. What should be a simple sacrifice, is more difficult to us who are spoiled with hot water, soft beds and multiple pairs of comfortable shoes. I am really enjoying the surprisingly wide menu selection called "We're moving soon and actually have plenty of food left in the freezer, fridge and pantry". Other people, not so much. If Sasha can eat the same old food for her whole doggy life, we can do it for three more days.

  Here is a list of books and websites I am using to become a more selfless, giving, content young woman, who is well aware that she has more than enough:
  
   >>>  Thirty-One.org, 31 Days Living Like an Orphan will begin on New Years Day, along with "7: An Experimental Mutiny against Excess" by Jen Hatmaker.. Could I be more obvious about that one? =) Apparently they make book trailers now, so you can watch that one HERE. But I'm easing in to it with one week for each topic, instead of a month like she (and her husband) did.

   >>>  the Six Week Quest, will begin with Lent on March 5th. I'll have to feel out the Catholic churches in Birmingham. And while also creating one new meatless dish each Friday (yay, Pinterest with your variety of veggie lasagnas), I will remain hand-in-hand with the less extreme pieces of Rachel Held Evans's book, "A Year of Biblical Womanhood". You can watch her quick summary video HERE.

  I'll probably throw the 40 Hour Famine (popular in Australia) somewhere in there as well and wrap up May with "A Month of "Yes!", inspired by the movie, Yes, Man. I came up with that challenge idea myself. I desperately need to experiment how many opportunities to make friends and trying new things I have been missing out on, just by being negative or selfish and staying in my comfort zone. Now, if only I could write a book and get paid for it like they did to pay off my student loans!

   I predict Alabama's Next Role Model, 2014 Winner will be... *drum roll*... ME!!
You know I can't let you (nor myself) down. Not after all this hype.
   Let the giving games begin!!