A Journey of 30 Years or A Dream Fullfilled

The first time I remember the words coming out of my mouth I must have been around 10 and I had probably watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. As I recall I said something like "Someday I will have a room just for chocolate!" As I got older I wanted room for horses and friends and kids but the basic dream remained unchanged. I wanted my own house.  I have been putting it together in my head, in magazines and recently on Pintrest. Some areas of style are pretty well nailed down and some are still pretty hazy. You would think after this long I would have it down cold right? Well no not really. Because although I've wanted a house for 30 years there were a lot of years there where I wasn't sure how it was ever going to happen. Making rent and feeding us was beyond my reach, but the dream was still there, lurking in the background.

The house has gotten smaller over the years in my head from a mega mansion to a place where friends can gather and it doesn't take all day to clean. The daydreams of a 10 year old to reality and lots of things in walking and driving distance for a 40 year old.  But dreams do come true and this American dream is now my by the grace of God and there is no doubt in my mind that His hand is in this real estate transaction.

Starting with a real estate agent from my family,  to a financial officer who was awesome. From the lack of nerves in the bidding process, to the loft that appeared that wasn't photographed, to the appraisal process. My sister in law found a house full of furniture from people who were moving at incredible rates (thanks again). DJ sewing and stuffing couch cushions, Brian hauling totes all over for me. Providence is everywhere in this process.

Here is the view from my new front door:



Here is my living room:



My window seat in the master bedroom:



My loft that will become my office:



I have all kinds of plans for redecorating and will post progress starting with the painting party this weekend.

Thank you in advance to everyone who is helping with the entire moving process. This has been a dream for me for as long as I can remember. Thank you to everyone involved.

I feel like I should ...

Finish reading Alice in Wonderland but as much as I love the movies the Lewis. Carroll book is a trial for me. I think Alice in the movies is fun and silly. It the book she is so far selfish and judgemental.

I dont like Alice much in the book so far and i feel like i should.

January Musings

TIts almost the end of January, this time next year the chaos of the general election will be over and we will be watching a President be sworn in. We will have a new Congress, and for those of us with plans for the year I hope we will all have achieved them.

Now how are we gonna get there folks? Well, that is the easy and the hard part. We have to have a goal, a plan, and follow it.  We learned in school about short term and long term goals right? I will admit I really didn't fully get it til I was older. But I do now break that big goal down into small goals. Keep breaking it down into chunks you can handle and then go for it!

What Freedom Means....

My brother Brian posted a YouTube video on Facebook the other day. It was not a short video.  Here is the link go ahead its a very worthwhile 20 minutes. Got it? OK good. Most of the ideas in the video are not new, but the manner they are put together in were very good and thought provoking.  George Carlin talked to us about Stuff 20 years ago. Glenn Beck and a cadre of financial management people have been trying to pound debt reduction though our heads for the last several years and most people except for Congress and Washington are listening. I heard a report on the news the other day that personal debt in the US has gone down 10%. Yeah us. So we are starting to listen. Starting. We need to do more than just start. But you know what? Freedom is individual and Michael Jackson had it right you have to start with the Man in the Mirror.

After listening to Adam Baker give his talk I thought about what Freedom means to me. There are all kinds of Freedom.  There is the the time of Freedom that makes me give money to the Heritage Foundation, support GBTV and the Fair Tax. But then there is the other type of Freedom, the financial kind that is frustrating me and the kind that I often call my perpetual hamster wheel. Have you ever watched a hamster or a gerbil on his little exercise wheel? The little guy is running for all he's worth often for hours on end, and he's not getting anywhere. And sometimes he's going so fast that when he stops he spins backwards for a full spin. I feel like that sometimes. So what do we do?

We stop spending more than we make. We take a good look around at what we have and ask what do we really need. But before we can decide what we need, we have to have a goal - a destination. I was missing a key part of that destination for a long time. I knew I wanted to buy a house, I could see the house in my head. I knew that I wanted the house for me and for my financial security. I also knew that I wasn't buying the house as a financial investment to move later. I am planning on buying and staying. But I have never been able to get really past that. What happens next? Where is my life? Sounds kinda silly right? Those of you who have read my somewhat infrequent blog may have picked up on the fact that most of my life I have spent my life living for others, I am a daughter, a sister, then I was a wife, I became a mom, I am an aunt. I have always focused on others. Focusing on myself is very hard. By no means am I saying I am going to ignore or neglect my family :) of course not. But for the first time I am starting to see how I would like to see my life when I'm not hanging out with my family. And hey...maybe some of those friends I haven't seen in forever will finally get to see me.

The good news for me in listening to Adams talk is that I have never been one to acquire stuff to impress others. The better news is that with a clearer vision of what I want my life to look like, there is more stuff that I can get rid of...although I have already completed a good portion of that step. As for the financial steps...my new mantra must be "Is spending this getting me closer to my goal?".

Source Healers

Source Healers Seeks to bring Improved Health to Fountain Residents

Source Healers seeks to Bring Improved Health to Fountain residents

Participants taking part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday morning for Source Healers, a new business in Fountain, included (l to r) front row, Lena Voehl (Rita Stanley’s mother), Rita and Doug Stanley, Chamber of Commerce President Linda Puckett and Fountain City Councilmember Lois Landgraf.  Back: Douglas Stanley (the Stanley’s son) Monica Watson, and Tryn Barela.
NEWS PHOTO BY RENEE TEN EYCK

Doug And Rita Stanley Open New Business Focused On Bringing Improved Health To EveryoneLong time Fountain Valley residents and graduates of Widefield High School, Doug and Rita Stanley, recently held the grand opening of Source Healers at 107 W. Missouri in Fountain, across from Aragon Elementary School. Rita Stanley states “While living in this area we have seen a need for spiritually based community wellness and have been looking for a way to bring what we are learning to this area. We believe the space we are building is made for just that purpose.  According to their website at http://www.sourcehealers.com/.  “We want people to feel comfortable here.  We would like to see small groups use the class space, and are hoping to draw in other readers, and holistic teachers.”

The Stanleys are both Reiki Master Teachers trained in shamanic healing practices, and their plan is for practitioners of many different complimentary and alternative healing modalities to offer their services through Source Healers.  Current offerings include Reiki and meditation sessions, shamanic journey training and sessions, shamanic healing sessions, sound work, card readings, among other things.  Source Healers also sells healing-oriented items, such as essential oils.  The Stanleys also plan to facilitate healing groups with local musicians and drumming circles. According to the International Center for Reiki Training at http://www.reiki.org/; “Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by “laying on hands” and is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive.”Rita continued, “We feel the need to bring all of this to our hometown. We are not religion biased and are accepting of all people.  We want to bring health here.”
For additional information contact Doug at 382-3251 or Rita at 232-6843.
http://www.epcan.com/business/its-your-business/3260-source-healers-seeks-to-bring-improved-health-to-fountain-residents.html

Yes that is my Tryn at the ribbon cutting! She is so excited about this opportunity at Source Healers and has been working hard to help promote the business on Facebook and work on the website. She lead a drum circle and has a Samhain (sp) class on the 28th of October. I got business cards for her and new business cards for Aaron to help them with their businesses.

Gaining my Stride Again

For the past many years my focus has been on these guys in one form or another. First it was Tryn and Mark,  then we got divorced and it was Tryn. Best Friends came and some stayed and some went their own way. 

But life moves on and my role in all my kids life is changing and I am slowly adjusting and so are they.  

I need to focus on getting some stuff straight in my life and let them figure stuff out in theirs while we still have fun together. On my end I am working out how my new life works and having fun being Auntie, a role that I never got to do enough!

Working on It

So this week felt a little more settled despite being sick. I got to work on my photos finally, Eagan and I tried to muddle through WOW ccg, I still owe Fletcher a run through. Lots of OT this coming week because I have managed to completely jack my bank account again. Hopefully for the last time. Fiscal responsibility is my key word this year and I must get this right.

Lots of things planned, and lots of pots on the back burners...one thing at a time and right now the bank account and the car and the traffic court ticket are it....then I can move on to the next point in the list. Is it just me...I can visualize the spoiled little girl screaming I want it all now! As Veruca Salt from Willy Wonka (the one with Gene Wilder) and I just hit the mental Bad Egg button and down she goes...and we just continue with the grown up things and everything else can wait.