What's Going On?

It's been a while...ok a very long while...since I last wrote. I needed an even longer break than I thought! I may be making some changes to my blog, but I haven't quite decided what yet. I was challenged by some people in a writer's discipleship group that I was in to spend some time trying to re-define what I wanted my blog to be. One of them told me that it seems my purpose changed along the way, but I never recognized it. So, I have been thinking about that. I still don't know exactly what I want this to look like. I think that is part of what appeals to me about a blog - having a place where I can just let life happen! Sometimes I can be more consistent than others. Sometimes I can be more positive than others. That's just life!

So, here is an update of what has me consumed right now.

I moved at the end of December. I am living in the same city - on the other side. It feels like a different city all together! I am living with two girls that I met through a mutual friend. They are both Christians and go to a church-plant of the church that I go to. I have really enjoyed living with two other girls that are my age, in a similar place in life, and have a similar belief structure! It is wonderful. It is also nice that they are fun! Short comment here is that I like where I am living and the girls I am living with!

In January, I left my job. I had been there for almost 5 years. It was a touch decision - one that I have been weighing for over a year (actually about 19 months)! I knew it was right, but it was just really hard to leave! There are a lot of things about my job that drove me insane -- like having so stay tied to a telephone and desk and constantly being evaluated by metrics that I didn't feel really gave a true picture of the measure of the work being done! However there were also far more things about the job that I loved and that I really placed at the core of my identity -- helping people, offering hope, listening where there is pain, offering resources that may help, never giving up or quitting on someone who is in need. These are all things that made me want to stay regardless of how much the other things made me want to leave!

I finally decided to do it, though! Like I said, I knew it was the right thing. I knew that until I took that step I would not be content. I am very happy; very joyful, peaceful, and contented at the moment. Not to say that it isn't a little weird to not have a steady M-F, 8-5 job right now. It is! I have to be very careful about money and I can not be picky about what opportunities I take right now. I am pretty much taking every babysitting job that comes my way to make ends meet until I settle into the right thing. But I am good.

The other great joy of my life right now is that my sister is going to have her baby very soon! She is due in about 7 weeks! AHHHH!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!! I don't think I have ever been so excited about anything in my life before! Is it actually possible to love someone you don't really know yet THIS much??? Oh I think it is - because I do! My heart has exploded in pink! Every time I hear the name Emily (that is my niece's name) my heart beats a little faster. I have been spending time looking at baby this and baby that. What's happening to me??? All I know is that my hands have this "Oh I gotta hold ya" feeling and she isn't even here yet!

One of my roommates is a baby nurse -- she takes care of newborns and sick babies in the hospital. I know a lot about newborns because of nannying and friends having babies, but there is something different about it being family. I have asked my roomie so many questions about getting ready and what to expect and when to go and ... that I think she is probably about ready to just throw some baby books my direction! As I'm writing this I am realizing that I think I might be a little nervous about this whole thing! For however nervous I am, I am just as excited!

That is my current life on a page. I'm sure there is more, but I'm going to leave it there for now!