Things I've achieved

I'm following along on A Creative Challenge and have listed some things I'd like to achieve this year.

I've already started to roll a few things in motion and I'm glad I've got the focus and am trying for it to snow ball. I have scrapped quite a bit in the last few weeks, not loads but much more than I've done of late. My Copic marker collection has grown substantially thanks to some birthday $$$ and I'm playing and learning more about those. I forgot to mention in my 2010 goals, that I wanted to finish all the digi classes I've bought too. I love the self paced classes and bought them on sale, and am a little sad that I didn't do much over the holidays. Where oh where did those 7 weeks go?

This week's task on A Creative Challenge is to brag about things you've achieved. I like this because I am so hard on myself, and often feel 'not good enough'. I know no-one out there is judge and jury, and that it's all in my head, but I want to shift that way of thinking. Plus there's always the not so good things in one's life and I need to try to push them aside. They were all so long ago, but I wish my memory was as foggy of those things as it is with many others........maybe the clarity is there for a reason. The good Lord has ensured I will never repeat my old mistakes. I always was one who learned the hard way, but I did learn. I know there are many many people who just keep making the same mistakes over and over............

* Landed a job straight out of school (thanks to my Dad asking at the local health insurance company) The girl he asked is a Facebook friend of mine these days......and I've not seen her in over 25 years.

* Travelled overseas when I was with my first husband. I was so game back then, and walked around London on my own, and travelled on the underground on my own. I felt quite comfortable finding my way around and wasn't scared at all. I even did a bit of searching to find my Uncle in Vienna even though we were only dropping in a few weeks before our real scheduled visit. We befriended our bus driver, who was moving on to driving the bus at the Munich Oktoberfest Contiki Tour. He told us it was very unstructured and that if we just showed up, they wouldn't know we weren't supposed to be there. So for a few days we had a free tent to sleep in, and a free shuttle bus to the Oktoberfest.

* I'm proud that I left my first husband, permanently at the third try, I was so misrable. Just a shame I left him for someone else, and didn't try things on my own. Ah well, live and learn.

* When things all went pear shaped with ds#3 I'm so pleased that I moved up here to be with my family. I have missed Geelong for many many years, but have never regretted moving up here.

* Even after my back surgery, and being far from recovered, I went and moved away. I had no money, but the support of my parents and the love and support of my new partner. Thanks to Peter I was able to live in Hervey Bay in a gorgeous two bedroomed unit. We often reminisce about how little money we had. He would sometimes send me $5 in the post and that was enough for a stubby and a packet of cigarettes....... My books were paid for and I had food, albeit simple things like peanut butter, cheese, bread and two minute noodles.....on the weekends I always cooked a good meal and enjoyed my time with Peter. Every weekend was like honeymoon time, it was pretty special and I'll never forget what he sacrificed for me. He moved in with his parents so he could afford to help me study and eat......my austudy only covered my rent. This time away from family, taught me that I could do quite well on my own. Being the oldest person in my class, I was the Mother Hen figure and I loved helping out my friends. My work was always done in a timely manner and I would always help type out assignments of my friends. We had a ball in Hervey Bay.

* Maintaining a part time job and studying in Brisbane when I moved back to the coast for my next two years at uni. In my final year of uni, I was doing another degree externally, although I never did finish that one, the maths in the Applied Science degree was beyond me......

* Having a good enough result in my marks and interview that I landed a permanent position. Now that's something most teachers who graduate can't claim, not in this state anyway.

* The birth of my children. What can I say? They have forever changed who I am. I am a better person for having my children. They've given me joy and love that is beyond measure. The difficult early years have given me an appreciation for life that I can't explain. I love that I've given my parents beautiful grand children. I love that my children are a living symbol of the love and life that Peter and I share. I love watching them grow and develop into amazing people. I love that God gave me the job of being their mother. Because of my children, I have also begun to nurture myself more. I appreciate and maintain my friendships better. My love for my children has led me to scrapbooking and given me the impetus to explore and understand photography.

* Being a partner in a business. Starting Daisy Chain Scrapbooks with Barbi. After 8 years I'm involved in the store more than I've been in the intervening years and I'm excited about that.

And all this stuff, doesn't even address all that I'm grateful for. My life is truly truly blessed and for that I'm eternally grateful!