Happy New Year everyone!
2014 Highlights: We went on a beach vacation with family and friends; I gave birth to a beautiful boy and we recently visited his family and they are doing great; I got a new job; Lil' D got accepted to Texas and Baylor and got some good financial offers from them both, but has decided on A&M; Lil' D got a new car; Kimberly continues to work hard and make me proud - she is a great Mom to her dog Zoey; I finally got to see Oprah in person with Kimberly and my Shannon; we went on a Ski trip to New Mexico and drove straight in to spend NY Eve with our family and friends :).
2015 will be filled with many great and scary things: We will take a cruise with family and friends for Spring Break!!!!; David and I will celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary (yay us); Lil' D will turn 18 (how the hell did that happen so fast?); Kimberly will turn 24 (geez she's getting old!); Lil' D will graduate from high school and begin college; we will begin a tailgate group and begin spending more time in College Station; I will begin my 14th year of teaching; David begins his 19th or 20th year at ETFN (I've lost count). We will not have any kids at home - which brings mixed emotions. I am so excited for my kids, but it means we are all getting older and the years have flown by, and my control over them is pretty much gone. All of that makes me sad and happy and anxious. David and I will struggle I'm sure - because this is the first time we have EVER been alone. We may even kill each other - time will tell! (I'll blog about my kids in the future). We plan on traveling more and doing fun things we never had time to do before! Pray for us! LOL. I hope that some great things happen with NISD. God knows our district needs some good changes and fast!
As we begin a new year, I thought I'd blog about something I've struggled with over the years - friendship!!! This blog will seem petty to some people, but I know folks who are going through rough friendships, so I figured I'd give my view on it. I said several weeks ago that this would be my next blog post - so here it goes. ****I began typing this and felt I gave too much power and time to useless losers who I once called best friend and best friend forever. Therefore, after watching some of Oprah's Super Soul Sundays, I am deleting most of what I had typed. I've rewritten this blog and made it more positive, more about what I've learned. In 2015 I vow to "Remove Toxic People from My Life"!!!
Childhood friendships - I feel it's great if you have friends you still keep in touch with from your childhood. I am still friends with some, many in a different way. Although our relationships have changed, I am the first person my friends call when they need someone to talk to about something serious.
Adult friendships - these are the trickiest and can be filled with lots of drama and can consume you. Be careful who you choose to be around. Many people are evil and will act like they are your friend, but when you need them - they won't be there. I know many people who change. Often times the things we had in common change. Our children change or the things we once had in common are no longer there. I see some friends who do and act differently than I choose to act. They are now friends with people they once hated. I can't be friends with fake people like that! And the great thing is that I don't have to :)
Spouse friendships - I don't think it's healthy to be best friends with your husband. Who are you going to talk to about him when you're mad? LOL I think people who say "I'm married to my best friend" are weirdos!!!! Just my p.o.v.!
To sum it up: I am so glad I've had the friends that I have had. They have all taught me who I want to be or who I don't! My latest friend that cut me off for an unknown reason taught me that she is an ugly, manipulative person and I am glad she is out of my life! I pray that she stops being so ugly! And I am so glad she won't be near me in 2015 - she is TOXIC! (which means I don't want her in my life)
Below are life lessons from Oprah's shows, but fit with friendships so well!
*know when it's time to move on (if someone is draining you - let them go. friendships should come easy, not be so much work)
*great things will happen when you have the courage to be yourself
*you learn a lot from success, but you learn more from failure (learn from those bad people)
*ask yourself "what is it that I'm here to learn" (life and people and struggles are about learning more about yourself - lessons to us; pay attention)
*every experience happens so we can learn about ourselves
*nothing that ever happens is wasted; unless you let it be (learn - learn - learn, and grow and don't make the same mistakes)
*surrendering is not giving up, it's letting go - (don't feel bad for getting rid of people; not every person is meant to be in our lives forever)
*those childhood things follow you in all of your relationships unless you are aware of it
2015 for me means making new friendships and keeping my true friends even closer. Life is too short to have those toxic people around. I am so grateful that I have the friends that I do. I remember what Maya Angelou said "when people show you who they are, believe them". I have seen people show me their best and their worst.
2014 showed me how ugly people can be and how fake they can be. I saw it with my friend and saw it with others as well. I have learned from them. My friend took a lot from me, but rarely gave anything back. As I look back, I see that it was a one-sided friendship. Seems like I was there anytime she needed me, but she was never there for me. NOT A TRUE FRIEND! I see that now.
For my friends who are struggling with toxic people - let them go! It may hurt at first, but in time you will come to realize you don't need them as much as you thought you did.
***Today Stuart Scott from ESPN passed away at the age of 49. He always said "do you". Make sure you do you!
Happy New Year everyone! I hope to blog again soon - this year will be a busy, fun one!
