Bobby, Georgie, and I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and all of the blessings that come from God, this year and always. :)
We had a wonderful holiday season this year! We hosted Thanksgiving for the first time, I rode in my first-ever Christmas parade, I co-led another marriage workshop, and I finished my paper on boundary integral equations methods to solve the Laplace equation. It was a lot of work but well worth it. I learned a lot about the subject itself, but also how to give a presentation in my field (it's very different than motivational speaking) and how to type equations in the professional, although often frustrating, TeX. Then Bobby and I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day with his family. We laughed often, played Balderdash, and caught up with relatives and made new friends. It was a wonderful, relaxing time, just as the holidays should be. We are truly blessed. We received and gave lots of beautiful gifts but the real gifts are our friends, and these loving relationships are the perfect image of who God is and what He has done in sending us His Son Jesus.
I've also spent some time reading for pleasure (Thank you, Lauri! I finished the book you gave me in less than two days! It's called "
What Would Jackie Do?", about the lifestyle of Jackie O.) I shopped for family and friends, spent time straightening up the house, got back into my pilates and strength training routines (I feel so great now!), and lent a hand, where needed, to my family. I am so grateful to have this time to recharge and take a break from my computer screen.
The New Year brings great things! My resolution is to live in the present moment -- resisting the temptation to focus on past successes or set-backs, or even my future goals. Steph and Steve get married on May 2 and I graduate with my MS on May 9! My family is coming from Florida for graduation, including my sister Jade's newborn baby Ella(!) so I can't wait. I'm looking forward to going to wine country with Steph and our girlfriends, and helping Steph as she much as she needs me. I'll continue to promote my platform through school-based presentations on overcoming obstacles, self-esteem and respect. Banana Splits has not been as successful as I would have liked, but I believe that where God closes a door, He opens a window. A state-wide Banana Splits organization may be too big for me to handle right now, but I know God will use me to help this population this year and throughout my life, and to glorify Him through this work in the future. We're taking baby steps but they are a step in the right direction.
Many blessings and happy holidays to you all!! Lots of love from Oklahoma!
A fundraiser for the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement at the Tulsa Women's Living Expo 2009, February 13th - 15th.
