My Word for 2009

I love the idea Ali Edwards has of choosing a word for each year. A word that means something to you...a word that can encourage and stretch you.
Last year my word was BALANCE.....as I was having chemo and getting sick from that as well as septicemia I really needed to find BALANCE in my days so that even though I was dealing with all of that negative stuff I could still find something in each day that was positive. Learning to BALANCE what I could and couldn't do was really important. As the months passed and my treatment stopped I then was able to BALANCE other things in my life. I needed to determine what to cast off from 'before' and what I wanted to introduce whilst still keeping a healthy BALANCE. It really worked having this word.......!!

This year my word is FOCUS! I chose FOCUS because that's what I want to do. To FOCUS on spending my time better (less computer games!), to FOCUS on service to others, to FOCUS on appreciating more, to FOCUS on positive relationships, to FOCUS on my scrapbooking from a different perspective than I used to. To FOCUS on my faith and how much I have been blessed and the powerful of Jesus Christ in my life.
In fact there is heaps to FOCUS on.......and that's what I love about this word a year idea.

I have actually scrapbooked two double layouts in the past week. Both grandchildren birthday ones. They are simple, they are bright and they are done!!! I found 19 birthdays in total that I hadn't scrapbooked....found pattern papers for them.....set them aside for when I have some time......and now i just grab a set and get started.
One thing I realise is that I just cannot possibly keep up with all the latest 'stuff'. I have so much to use and I am not allowing myself to buy anymore. I now have enough cartridges for my cricut to cover all my needs. I have two alphabets and other dies for my cuttlebug.....and I can't possibly justify even considering the MM Slice or more embellishments etc.
Adhesives and Cardstock is all I am allowed to buy!!!!!
Because......apart from the continual cost (which is not really good considering the downturn in our finances ie: supperanuation) I want and need to simplify my layouts and remember that Scrapbooking is about the photos and the story and to keep it Simple.
Even though it's tempting to add heaps of 'stuff' to every page often it just really detracts from the two main elements.

We had a great New Years Eve. Went to Martin and Tambi's with our family all there plus a few extras. It was a cold night though.......remembering the 40+ of the previour year.
We had a lot of fun....but then some other people arrived and it all got a bit awkward and it just went a bit flat. But that's life and it was OK.

Yesterday we went as a family to The Zoo. It was a beautiful day......the weather was just perfect. There were heaps of people there so it was hard for us all to stay as one group. I think we ended up splitting in to about 4 by the end.
We watched the Lions being fed.......they only eat 5 times a week!! Once they ate their food, one of them (they are four males all from the same litter) still had his and he was really flaunting it. This started a few fights and their roaring and aggression to eachother was very scary. We have a friend, Curtis, who actually works with the Lions but he was on holidays. He told us he will take us in to a closer area next time.....not sure if I want to get closer!!!!!

So our great day was fantastic.......and then we lost Harrison!!!!!!!! He's only 2 and in such a crowd how could we find him??? Everyone was frantic and ran in all directions calling him...I went to an exit and asked people to look outside, Daniel went to ask for an announcement over the PA system, Andrea gathered all the other 10 children because they were all running off to look for him, Carolina was in a panic as you can imagine.
After about 10mts, Tambi's sister Krystal called us on our mobiles...she had found him!!!!!! What an answer to prayers!!! It is such a scary feeling to loose a child in such a vast area. Every scenario goes through your head......and you don't know where to start.
So....from now on....little strong-willed and energetic Harrison needs to be tied to an Adult!!!!!

I have just applied for my Working With Children card as I am now working with 10 and 11yr olds at Church. I am teaching their Primary class on Sundays and today was the first day and it was so much fun. They are a great age and I can see we are going to have some good times together.

I have rambled enough....it's time to go and watch the news.