Life @ 27

For the 27th time, Steve and I are the same age again for another six months. November 4th was my birthday. It was the best birthday I've had since moving to Oregon in the summer of 2008. I think I had my almost-mid-life crisis on my 26th birthday. I spent the night crying about how old I was and how many goals I had failed to accomplish. This year was different. Thank the Lord!

Aside from the natural event of aging, a lot has changed. God opened the door for me to move from volunteer status at the humane society to part-time employee. The hours are few, but the schedule is fantastic. It is a temporary position, and it's a great jumping-off point for a job hunt for a more permanent job.

As long as I can remember, I've struggled with anxiety and panic attacks. As a child, I just figured it was normal not wanting to be away from home or family. As an adult, I know it's not normal, and it's been worse over the last two years. Hearing about my nephew choosing a "life verse" at school really challenged me to also take God's Word to heart and truly live by it. This is the verse that's really touched me:

From my distress I called upon the LORD; 

The LORD answered me and set me in a large place. 

The LORD is for me; I will not fear; 

What can man do to me? 

Psalm 118:5-6 NASB

It's been an incredible week of gratitude for me. I started a Thanksgiving Journal just before my birthday. Every night before bed, I write down even the tiniest things I'm grateful for from the day. It has changed my perspective so much. I have been able to look back over all the days of depression and disappointment and see the larger steps of success I've made over the past year.

I had set forth a plan a year or more ago to slowly work through my anxiety to regain where I had been before I went through everything with my thyroid the first year of my marriage.

Goals I've achieved:

* Get In Shape - I'm not the shape I want to be yet, but I've been working out at least 20 minutes a day at least 3 days a week. I feel much healthier. I don't experience debilitating cramps in my legs or back anymore. It's awesome to feel the "good hurt" of exercising and challenging my mind and body.

* Volunteer  - I completed volunteering at the local humane society for 17 months. It was amazing.

* Get a Job - I finished my first paid day working at the local humane society as a PT/On-Call Sales Associate. It's a temporary position that ends in March 2012, but I'm honestly grateful for the amazing answer to prayer. I couldn't imagine getting a better schedule in a part-time retail position. Sundays off so I can be in church. Finished by 6:30pm every evening so I can still attend bible study and have evenings with Steve. Never start before 9am so I have time in the mornings to workout and work on our eBay business from home.

Those are a few of the big ones. I'm praying that the achievement of these personal goals will help Steve and I sooner reach our bigger goals of owning a home, having children, and being the forever home of a fluffy puppy. =) Yes, having a puppy is on our big goal list. haha

Until next time...