Enjoying life

Well this is my last week before work starts up again. I'm sad but happy all at the same time. I mean, I have been able to spend 6 weeks with the two most amazing kids in the world. It's been great re-bonding with Will, and learning all about Victoria. But at the same time, I have this new job waiting for me where I start at a new store, new responsibilities, new salary, and new expectations. Anyone who knows me knows I live off of being successful and making those above me happy. I can't wait to get in there and start learning my associates' names and lives. I am already making new relationships with my district team who expect me to do so well, and it's just great knowing that when I get back to work, I will enjoy every minute of it. If I HAVE to work, I'm so thankful it's at a place where I WANT to be.

We are going to Michigan this weekend and I'm definitely looking forward to it. I get to see my bff from high school and my family for the whole weekend. And hopefully I'll run into a few more people I knew. That's really all that's on my mind. I know that transition and change are hard, and Grove City Home Depot has had a TON of it. I'm glad I'm not going back, except one DH that I hope to work with again, and my entire front end. If I could have them all I would take them!! But as far as Home Depot is concerned, I have new horizons in store, and I can't WAIT to reach them!!! As a parting thought, I can only say it does break my heart to think about leaving my children again, but I'm sacrificing now so that when our house and student loans are paid off we will be able to live like no one else! :)

Final sentence to sum it all up...I LOVE my life.

The Last Week In Review

Whew. What a week! I have been ridiculously busy. Victoria has decided to have a crying fit every night for at least an hour and a half, with no explanation. My only thought would be gas...either way, NOT FUN. So anyway, the last week has consisted of 2 doctor's appointments, one for Victoria, one for my eyes. I had Bible study on Wednesday night, Thursday was lunch with my friends Whit and Kristen, and was SUPPOSED to be volleyball with Dave in Clarksburg, but my mom got in late, so I hung out with her. P90X has taken up AT LEAST an hour of my time each day, which SUCKS, but is SOOO awesome. Friday we went shopping at Grandview Outlet in Circleville, then bowling with Will for the first time. He had fun, but a bit over his head still. Today consisted of Kenpo X for P90X, super fun! It was like extreme kickboxing. I will most likely be able to kick someone's butt at the end of this 90 day torture session. Last night we watched Braveheart, for the first time, til 1 in the morning, definitely worth it, though I had to get up again at 3 to feed the baby, and then tonight has been nothing but basketball. Poor VCU, but great run, and great job Butler.

 So all in all, it has been a crazy week. I have one week left before I go back to work. I am going to be going to Atlanta soon to train for my new position, so that will be a blast. I have heard great things about this training, not to mention, it's a free plane ride there and back, free hotel stay, great leadership classes, and hopefully my family can come as well. I feel bad for leaving my people and great friends at my old work, but it sounds like it's the right move for me in every way. I am looking forward to putting my words into action, and really turn this store around. So if you are ever in the Dublin area around Sawmill, stop in and say hello!

Now, this is probably a pretty boring post for the most part, but I hadn't logged in all week, and wanted to get something written. I will be updating with some new projects I'm starting, starting with some bubble push pins and bottle cap magnets. I'm excited, have half the materials, and hope to go to Goodwill in Michigan and get the rest. I will also be looking for some do it yourself instructions to make a cool toothbrush holder for my bathroom. I hate the containers that you drop your brush in because the water goes to the bottom and just sits with bacteria. So I want to make something unique to hang off the wall. We'll see what I can come up with!

On a more serious note, before I go to bed, I have been doing a new devotional going with a Bible Study on Wednesday nights called Not a Fan. It's a great series, and I recommend it. As I'm going through new changes with kids, my physical life, and church life, God has been doing amazing things in my personal spiritual life as well. I have had some big walls up in my life, things that Doug couldn't even break through. One of the devotionals asked me to have a conversation with Jesus, telling him some fears and issues that you have and then write down what you would imagine Jesus telling you. Jesus really reassured me that I would have an opportunity to put my faith into action and really step out in faith and allow Jesus to prove Himself to me. I had that chance, and I did, and I tell you that the Lord has really renewed me, broke down walls, and every aspect of my life has never felt so refreshed and pure. I have a whole new level of love for God, Doug and my family. I am so happy the Lord is using this time in my life to renew me and get me ready for whatever He has planned in my life.

That being said, nothing major in my life, just focusing on trying to be the best daughter of God I can, and be as loving and respectful to my husband as he deserves. I want to savor every moment and live every minute as though it's my last, because I don't want to look back and think about the days and times I have wasted. I want to look back and remember how amazing I have had it.

I'm going to bed. Sorry these thoughts are rambled, but I had a lot of little stuff that didn't really go together. So this is my scattered post. Thanks for reading, and I'll organize my thoughts for next time! :)

P90X-The First Day!

Well, being that I just had a baby a month ago, and I didn't have a mat to do the exercises on yet, I did pretty well! I'm doing the Lean Program, so I started off with Core Synergistics, which KILLED! This is NOT for the weak! I felt great though, just getting moving, stretching, and getting my cardio going! I'm looking forward to tomorrow, so hopefully I won't be too sore. Literally-I was sore after just the warm up STRETCHING! CRAZY!! :) I will definitely need motivation to do another 89 days of this!!!

P90X

So my husband and I decided with our busy lives and lack of time we would invest in P90X. Anyone who knows me knows I am NOT dedicated to working out, and I am a procrastinator, and lazy. I play volleyball, both sand and indoors, and though I have been in decent shape, I have forever been bigger than I have wanted to be. I am currently much heavier than I want to be, largely due to just having a baby a month ago. While she was completel worth it, I am now 65 pounds away from my goal. Maybe when this is over in 90 days and we see how I have done I'll tell you the real target weight...but for now just know my target weight loss is 65 pounds. We'll see how this goes!

On a side note, I have been talking about getting back into volleyball for quite a while and now I'm just waiting for the weather to cooperate. I really need to know some places to play and I am out of the loop when it comes to Ohio. I have been here for 6 years and STILL don't know where the good, competitive places are to play. If you know of any, please let me know!!

Rob Bell-Universalism??

Quickly before I go to bed, I watched an interesting interview by Martin Bashir with Rob Bell, a Calvanist pastor of Mars Hill Church in Michigan. It was very eye opening into the world we live in where we try to hide the truth of who Jesus really is, and what the Lord truly expects of us. Rob Bell wrote a book that's releasing soon called Love Wins and from the responses from those who have gotten an early copy, it looks as though he seems to tell us that in the end, no matter what we choose, the Lord will win us all over and it doesn't matter what we have done in the past, no one truly needs to ask for forgiveness. Now, I haven't read the book as it's not out yet, but please watch this interview with Martin Bashir, a Pakistani Christian who is very intellegent about the Bible and catches Rob between a rock and hard place. VERY good interview. What do you think?? Thanks Nick Rigano for showing us this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg-qgmJ7nzA

My Newest Money Maker!

So, here's my first creative idea and success. I learned from one of my associates at work how to make these cool embroidered cards. I have done some testing, and this is my best so far. You can get tons of patterns or even make your own. I have the thread and some needles, though I need better ones, and I just need to get some good thick cardstock. But basically you sew these cards and then put whatever message you want on them.

My goal is to sell them on etsy, where I already have an account, and make enough bulk to make little gift packages of them. Selling them as a kit, like 4 in a pack or something. This is just the embroider, not the whole card, (my mom took them back to MI when she went home, so I gotta start my own collection now.) Let me know what you think. What would you be willing to spend on a hand made card? I'll post when I get some good cardstock and make some actual cards, not just the base picture. Here's my butterfly!

Now, close-up it's not as cool as the overall look of the card, but here's one my friend did for me for my baby shower...it's pretty much amazing.

I already have one customer, for wedding invitations, so I better get started. Gotta find some rings patterns, or something elegant!!

What About Me?

WOW. First post!! SO much pressure!! I'm just going to start this blog by telling you a little about me and my life. First, I don't expect this to be super popular, but rather just an outlet for my life, the good, the bad, and the ugly, as well as new things I try and adventures I'll have! Thanks for reading!

 I am married to the most amazing, outgoing, and kind person I know, Doug Shotsky.

We met at Circleville Bible College, now Ohio Christian University, where I have my bachelor's degree in Business Management. We met in July 2005, started dating in October, got engaged in February of 2006, and married in July 2006. Quick, right? We are even happier now than then, and have two wonderful children. William,

who is 20 months, and Victoria who is just now a month old. What an amazing life I have! William is beyond brilliant!! (Of course I'm boasting, but he really is very smart for his age...and handsome to boot!) And Victoria

 is the most precious, awesome second baby ever. She's beautiful and sleeps so well!! :)

 The most important thing to take away from this blog is that I love Jesus with all my heart and soul. Somehow, beyond all my defects and faults, He loves me regardless and has given me a second chance at this thing we call life. Someday I will tell you about my testimony, but for now just know that I have been saved by amazing grace.
 I am a volleyball player at heart, though I love all sports. I have been so blessed with a great ability to play volleyball and I am excited to NOT be pregnant this spring and summer, as I look to start playing sand ball again very soon, if the weather ever cooperates!! I love the Chicago Bears, and intend on getting to a game there within the next year.
 I work at The Home Depot, and I have such a great story about God blessing us from there too. I'll get into that at a later date as well, but for now, I have worked there since January of 2009, going from cashier to Head Cashier in March, Front End Supervisor in November 2009, and I have just been promoted to the Sawmill store as the Operations Manager. I am super excited to start on April 12th, when I get back from maternity leave!
 In a nut shell, that's my daily life. There are other fascinating facts that I'll wait to blog about, but for now, thanks for taking an overview into my crazy/beautiful life! Write again soon!!

P.S. There will probably be days I write more than once, then weeks I won't write, just because that's my life! Thanks for understanding in advance!