2009=Lots of Changes

We are only 9 days into 2009 and there have already been a ton of changes and more on the horizon.  I may have to go back and consider my New Year's goals as my January goals because many of them have happened or are on their way to happening.

On Thursday of this week my house turned into a work site.  It is an absolute disaster.  It is already driving me crazy and it has only been two days.  It took them almost a day just to tape off everything and put down all the protective paper on my floors.  I am amazed at how much work they can do on a daily basis.  If I would have tried to take on this project it would have taken me weeks.  The important issue is that I am excited about the changes I am making.  For whatever reason, it has become hard to live in my house with it just the way it was when Brian died.  I don't really understand why that has become an issue because it has been (up until about 6 months ago) a very comforting place to live.  Everything in my living area and kitchen area is removed from where it once was.  I am wondering what I will do with the built-in shelves in my living room.  Do I put all the pictures of Brian back in them or do I rearrange it?  I'm not sure....but the issue will be forced when I go to put everything back together.  

On Wednesday night of this week I found out my job  will be changing sometime in the middle of March.  I still have a job and I am grateful for that.  However, there will now be an added layer of organization, stress and responsibility.  I have a strange peace about it.  In some ways I am excited about the challenge of putting it all together.  I love big projects and challenges.  The downside will be once it is all put together and I have to add hours to my work week.  Only time will tell how it will all work out.  I am trusting that God will give me the resources I need to make it happen or he will move me out of the position and into another one that will provide for my family.  This has been a long time coming and it actually could have been much worse.  For now, my Saturday nights are safe....I just have a much longer Sunday on the horizon.

Nathan continues to blossom before my eyes.  Today he came home and told me that his teacher told him that because he has done so well on his benchmark tests that he would now be testing at a 5th grade level instead of 4th grade.  He and two other kids in his class will be doing this.  You know what's hard about that?  I wish more than anything I had someone to tell who would be as excited about that as me.  Brian would be so proud....and I miss not having someone to tell my kids successes (and failures).  The astounding thing about Nathan is that he has had to work hard to get to where he is at.  Reading did not come easy for him.  He had to work at it and he was never the strongest student in his class.  He has always been a "good" student but never to the level that he has attained this year.  I am SO PROUD of him and it makes me HOPE for the future for my kids.  Nathan is blossoming.....and I have had a front row seat to it.

I'm also excited about some opportunities I have through school to work within our community and schools.  I'll be doing a directed study this semester on crisis counseling and I have already begun the process of putting together a training event and crisis counseling team.  I have also received preliminary interest from the BISD administration to try to develop a way for our counseling center to serve as a resource/ministry  for our schools in times of crisis.  I am way jazzed about this.  It will be interesting to see where this goes.

Life is good....2009 is off and running.....looks like it is going to be a big one for change!