2010 Wrap Up.

The last day of 2010. Thank God. This year has been a VERY eventful year full of changes.

• January found me with my first fully broken bone, a rib bone to be exact. There was a possibility of two being broken, but I didn't want to pay for an x-ray. lol.
• I shot my first church wedding in March.
• In April my emotions were getting the better of me. I was angry and emotional - a lot.
• I went to New York and New Jersey for the first time in May. Had a great trip! Came back home and found out that my husband of 7 1/2 years didn't want to be married to me any more.
• My little brother got married in June.
• In July I turned 27, finalized my divorce and before the month was up I met Chris.
• August was filled with trips to Jacksonville to spend time with my boyfriend, Chris. We rotated the traveling. 
• In September Chris and I were married and I moved down to Jacksonville.
• October found me teaching at a school that, for sake of a long story, I didn't feel was right for me.
• November found me job hunting again. I also had my first family gathering with half of Chris' family.
• Chris and I had our first Christmas this December! I also found an amazing job at the beginning of the month, teaching at a wonderful school. Oh, and our parents met for the first time! lol.

And that my dear friends is my 2010 wrap up. This year has been filled with many firsts and I know that I have many more to come in the upcoming year. I'm looking forward to a new year here in this new life of mine.

My day of thanks.

December 28th. Eight years ago on this day I was a huge jumble of emotions. Excited, scared terrified and nervous. One minute I wanted to back out, the next minute I couldn't wait. I had alot of doubts, but just brushed them off to cold feet - 'cause everybody gets cold feet, right? That was my way of justifying it. Justifying what? Marrying someone that I knew in my soul didn't love me nearly as much as I loved him. However after years of still feeling that, my love died and my soul was following. I watched myself turn into someone that even I didn't love. So, it only seems fitting that today I will give thanks. 

Thank you for letting me go. Thank you for never loving me enough. Thank you for giving up on me. Thank you for always making me feel that every little thing I said or did got on your nerves. Thank you for not telling me every day how much you loved me. See, love said, but not shown is just hollow words. Thank you for getting so angry at me so much. Thank you for not understanding me. Thank you for everything you did and didn't do. Thank you for making me feel crazy. Thank you for pushing me away. Thank you for continuously bringing up things I did when I was an immature teenager. Thank you for holding on long enough so that I could really open up my eyes to what my life had become. Thank you, because without any of the past seven (plus two) years then I wouldn't be able to truly appreciate what a wonderful, loving man I have now.

On that note, here is my thanks to my husband, Chris, the other half of my being, the man that God created for me to share my life with. Thank you for understanding me, for knowing my thoughts and feelings and why they are the way that they are. Thank you for loving me, for showing me every second of every day and sometimes telling me twice that amount. Thank you for loving my ideas. Thank you for enjoying our conversations, even when I come up with some pretty silly things sometimes. Thank you for accepting and loving every aspect of who I am even during the times when we don't agree on things. Thank you for always respecting me. Thank you for your effort to be the best husband and man you can be, you exceed this daily! Thank you for being YOU. Thank you for your love. Thank you for being a man that is constantly seeking God and willing to do what it takes to truly live for Him. Thank you for sharing your life with me. I love you more than words will ever be able to express. Thank you for not only being my husband, but my best friend as well.

Our four day weekend.

Thursday evening my parents came down for the night. They brought my old hutch/china cabinet and table as well as a few other things with them. Since my parents and Chris' parents have never met we "took" them out to eat, so it was the six of us as well as two of Chris' sisters. One minute we were sitting around not talking and the next minute we were all sharing stories and laughing. It was great!

Friday morning Chris and I got up and made breakfast then Chris and my dad unloaded the stuff from my dad's truck. Everything was covered in ice, so as soon as it made it past the front door I was there ready to wipe the ice off with a towel. lol. My parents left a little before noon and we pretty much had a really lazy day. I took about a two or three hour nap. Saturday morning we went to Chris' mom's house for breakfast and to do the family Christmas, afterwards we came home, did our Christmas then went back to his mom's for lunch and to play Chinese Christmas. 

Today Chris' dad and his wife visited and we went out to eat with them. Had a wonderful time. I feel very blessed and loved to be a part of Chris' life and a part of his wonderful family. It's like I got a double dose, well, a triple dose of blessings actually. Not only to I have my amazing family, but I have his x2! ^.^

New year, new freebies.

I'm starting the new year off with a giveaway! Follow me, link me and stay tuned for more information!

Tackle It Tuesday #1

My goal for this week is to get the rest of my Christmas shopping done and then to wrap presents!!!! This probably won't get done until Friday, since I have that day off and I know that I'll be cutting it close, but I'm so glad that I will be able to do it.... even if I have to stand in line for hours. Saturday morning will prove to be well worth it!! Since this is going to be our first Christmas as a family I want it to be special. I'd like to start some type of Christ based traditions. Any ideas?

Losing time.

Wow, where has time gone? I turned in my essay last night for my World Civilizations class. I have one more essay in there and a whole bunch of tests before I'm done with the class completely. Just a few more classes and it will be midterm time. After that it's second semester and I'll be halfway done with my BS degree!! However, I'm seriously upset with my school right now. I've contacted them three separate times about faxing my transcripts to my boss and every time they give me a day when it will be done and it's NEVER done! UGH. 

Been working on pictures I took Friday at school. We did class pictures as well as single shots of all the kids with Santa. Had so much fun doing it! I can't believe Christmas is already this weekend! I still have a few more gifts to get for Chris and we have to get his family gifts, boy, we're slackers! 

Fix-It Friday #81

It's a Wonderful Life

Thursday... once I get through this day I only have one more work day left then it's off to Georgia! I'm so excited! Chris and I are having our Christmas with my parents Saturday then driving even farther north for another Christmas Sunday with one set of my grandparents. I think the most exciting part is that I get to introduce Chris to a whole bunch of aunts, uncles and cousins! I can't wait for them to meet the most amazing part of my life!!

We had our company Christmas party for work last night. It was lots of fun and Chris seems to like everyone I work with, which is good. I love it when people like one another, I spent so much of my high school life with friends that hated each other, so it's good to know that there are people who do grow up and realize that there is usually something likable in everyone. ;)

BTW, have I mentioned lately how truly amazing... wonderful; awesome; and absolutely perfect my husband is!?! He left me a comment on facebook a few days ago that literally had me in tears. 

 

It's funny so amazing how God can bring the most perfect, made-for-you person, into your life just when you think that your life is completely over. I love this man, my husband, more than words can ever express and I am so thankful that I get to spend the rest of my life with him! 

Mellow Yellow Monday #98

This picture was taken on Thanksgiving day '10, our very first Thanksgiving day together - not only as a married couple, but ever. Can you spot the yellow?

My First Photo Challenge

I'm not a mom in the usual sense, but luckily The Paper Mama accepts fur-children as well! After all, our dogs are definitely our babies!! I don't have photo shop on my computer since my husband fixed it, so I had to "cheat" and use picnik instead. Even still I think it turned out well, the pictures themselves were taken under our tree on a tree skirt that Chris' grandparents made for him. Without farther ado, here is my submission for the Holdiay Colors Challenge, my very first submission @

   

There's no guarantees, but I'm not alone

I've dealt with my ghosts and I've faced all my demons Finally content with a past I regret

I've found you find strength in your moments of weakness For once I'm at peace w/ myself

I've been burdened with blame, trapped in the past for too long, I'm movin' on....

At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me

And I know there's no guarantees, but I'm not alone

I'm cutting my friend's list on facebook. It isn't that I want to hurt anyone's feelings or that I don't care about them anymore, it's just time to let go of my old life. I'm *trying* to cut ties, but it's something that I have to do gradually. I can't keep exposing myself to things/people that are connected to past memories. Maybe in years to come things might be different, but for right now I have to do what's best for me as well as for Chris and I. It's horrible enough that a day doesn't go by that I don't say the ex's name for some reason or another. It absolutely blows. I wish I had memories to talk about that didn't include him. UGH. I can't wait until the majority of my memories are about things that Chris and I have done, ext. 

What drives me.

For those of you wondering, yes, I'm loving the new job! As always, the children are amazing and I could totally take most of them home with me! The atmosphere is so much better than the one at my previous place of employment. There's a genuine sense of family and togetherness with the staff as well as with the parents and that makes a whole world of difference!! I can't wait for our Christmas party so that Chris can meet everyone I work with. ^.^

my wonderful husband

Saturday Chris and I did a photo shoot with his uncle, aunt and their four kids. First we went out for lunch then we did the shoot. It was fun hanging out with family and getting to take pics again. We both came to the realization that we're a bit rusty, but being that it was our first shoot together we found that we do, in fact work well with one another. So, when I open my photography business up again (this time here in Florida)i t will be a joint effort. This means that I'm changing the name, so no more Diona Reneè Photography! We're still trying to come up with a name. I was thinking along the lines of Williams Photography, what do you guys think? You can't go wrong with using your own names, right!?! If anyone actually reads this, give me some ideas if you can think of any!

With the changing of the seasons

I'm on of those lucky people that get strep and/or bronchitis more than once a year (perhaps it has something to do with the Fibromyalgia?). Needless to say, imagine my "surprise' when I encountered a red, swollen and scratchy throat yesterday afternoon. I spent the later half of the day drinking hot chai tea with honey and lemon juice, but to no avail - by the time night rolled around I was already gaining puss pockets on my tonsils that were accompanied with a slight fever. Oh joy. During these times in my life ibuprofen is my closest companion. I had a fairly restless night, the one time that I did get to enjoy a little deep sleep I was awakened by what I thought was Chris throwing up. However, as I fly up out of my sleep yelling at him I realize that he's still sleeping right beside me. Yes, I woke him up and scared him half to death! Upon awaking this morning I found that it was in fact our big dog, Frankie, that had been throwing up - on the bedroom floor. Got it cleaned, got dressed and took some good ol' ibuprofen. Now I'm sitting here sipping my very hot chai tea (with the honey and lemon juice) while I type up this wonderful entry. ^.^ Here's to a new day! I'll be leaving for my new job shortly, yesterday was my first day there and so far I'm loving the atmosphere very much!!

Falling into winter.

Fall has finally arrived in our backyard over the last few days. 

too bad it waited 'til it was time for winter before showing up.