26 Days of Christmas

If you know me at all you know how much I LOVE Christmas!!  If I could have Christmas for months ... that would happen!  This year has been a little harder though ... I'm having a harder time getting into the Christmas Spirit.  

So ... in my efforts to get into Christmas ... and fast ... this is what I plan to do ... I am going to do one thing a day (maybe even more, but at least one) that is all Christmas and blog and Instagram about it!  Instead of 12 days of Christmas it's 

BRITTANY'S 26 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

How exciting!!  More for me than anyone else I'm sure!  

What better way for day 1 than decorating!!!  Not just any decorating ... MY ROOM!!! I brought out my ornaments and lights tonight ... The Christmas music is playing ... only thing to top it off ... ELF!!! 

A Perfect World

We have all thought this:

 

"in a perfect world I would ..."

 

"in a perfect world I would be ..."

 

"in a perfect world ..."

 

But what is a perfect world? Well ... it's fictional right?

 

So what world do we live in? 

 

 If we are constantly wondering what could be instead of focusing on what is, we are creating a thought pattern for ourselves that end up getting us out of where we are and wondering something that isn't or ever will be. 

 

I'm not saying not to dream ... but if I am constantly thinking "perfect world" or the "perfect situation" I'm 100% setting myself up for disappointment or failure.  So, how then do I get myself out of a "what if" kind of thinking into a "this is" kind of thinking? 

 

None of us are perfect in anyway ... we are human.  So why do we have this standard of living up to perfect? We will constantly be viewing ourselves as failing then.

 

There's nothing wrong with striving to do your best ... but there's a huge difference in being and doing your best and being perfect.

 

 

Shout Out

In the last couple days I've drafted up so many blog posts ...  wanting to write but not knowing what to write about.  This has to be the most frustrating thing for me because I want to write but hit a wall everytime ...

But here's to hoping I can finish this post and actually post it

(AND it makes sense! lol)

So this post is going to be all about ... NOT me! I have so many people in my life who, whether they know it or not, impact me in huge ways.

This post is my shout out ... it's for 2 people who are beyond amazing!  I could go on and on about what they have been through or who they are ... but at this moment I just want to thank them ... Thank them for being such a huge encouragement to me.  Sarah and Fawne your blogs ... well ... I hope one day my blog can be like yours! You are truly blessed to have the gift of writting & photography skills!  I don't think I will get to the point where you two are .. writting and especially not pictures!! But I hope one day my faith can withstand the pressures and burdens of this world like you have both exampled.  It's by the grace of God that you are where you are today ... Through the good times and bad, the highs and lows you have done just this:

"I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me.  Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward --  to Jesus.  I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back." Philippians 3:12-14 (The Message)

Not once has either of you said ... I know all the answers to every thing in life ... But you just ultimately trust.  THIS is why you two are such a huge part of my life ... the ways you love and care so much. Never thinking of yourself first.

Fawne, I don't know you all to well ... but from reading your blog, I feel as though I know you a little better.  But I really just wanted to tell you how encouraging your words are to me.  You have touched so many peoples hearts, especially mine.  So thank you!

You know you have a knack or ability for something when you can capture someone with just a few words ... You both have this!  I feel the emotion in your words ... I've cried and laughed with many of your posts. Thank you for being so honest and open!

Love you both
...
 

 

 

 



Legally Blonde

The last couple months have been difficult ... Hard to find something to be thankful for ... Hard to find something to be happy about ... Hard to not feel like I have failed. 

About a month ago I decided that I have to let go and let God.  My plans don't go very far if I'm only trusting me.  And it took me a couple weeks to actually believe what I was saying ... And it was as if in the moment I decided that things began to change.

Today I got the most exciting news ... Something I have been waiting for for a long time ... I am officially "Legally Blonde"!!  I got offered a position at a law firm as a legal assistant!  My world feels like it's been put upside down in the best way possible ... Something I could have never imagined happened! 

 

I looked up the definition of being thankful:

thankful: feeling of expressing gratitude: appreciation

I am beyond thankful right now.

- my family -- who has been beyond supportive.  

- an opportunity -- someone sees potential and wants to give me a chance

- my friends -- who have also been supportive & incredibly encouraging

- God -- who never left me or forsaked me even when I turned away

I'll be honest and say I haven't been in this mood this whole time ... since I left my job at the spa. Lots of people have probably been effected by my "not so positive" attitude ... It hasn't been easy for me or those around me.  But I will say that I've learned ALOT from this whole time/experience.  I won't look back and say "oh that was nothing" I'll look back and see how much I've learned and how much I've grown and gained.  

I'm not only writting this because I got the "sister talk" tonight ... Sarah told me I had to have a "Thankful" post so she could hear in my own words how I'm doing and what I'm learning ... but also because I need to hear it from me!  This is the one of the many things I love about Sarah!  She pushes me to be better .. sometimes I hate it ... but when I look back and see why she pushes me and what I get accomplished when I am pushed ... all I see are good things.  Like the first time she tried to push me to curl my eyelashes (I was not happy!) or how she just wanted me to read.  I look back, yes these are small things and things we laugh about now, but I LOVE having my lashes curled and I LOVE reading!  I wouldn't be where I am today if she didn't push me!   The last couple months, not only Sarah, but my family and friends have pushed me ... pushed me because they believe in me and know that there IS a plan for me.  It only took me a little longer to see and agree with them.  

I beat myself up for far to long and I'm now ready to start looking at me in a whole new way!  Not only because of this job but starting to see the whole picture.  Waiting is hard to do ... but aren't all the hard things in life the most rewarding?!  I sure think so!  

So here is to:

a brand new beginning

a brand new job

a brand new brittany

a brand new look on life

I can't wait to see whats next ... I won't say waiting is my new favorite thing, but its definetly not the worse thing that one can go through, especially when the results are rewarding!

So ... if your reading this ... I know, in some way you have supported me and I know you will continue too ... Thank you!  I am so blessed & grateful for you!

I am ... Legally Blonde

And this is my journey

...

 

 

the small things

it's crazy that sometimes the smallest things can make you smile on a really awful day!  

yesterday was once again a terrible day ...

i should give some back story first ...

in the last couple months a few big things have happened.  i quit my job 2 months ago, since then i have been job hunting.  job hunting in calgary has to be one of the most frustrating, discouraging, & disheartening things one must go through.  i'm sure there are worse things to go through ... but this is pretty terrible.  all i can do at this point though is try and stay positive and hope that there is something out there waiting for me! 

mid may jesse came back from school!  he finished 4 years at IMI graduating with a bachelor degree.  i couldn't be more proud of my little brother!  he has come so far and has grown so much ... i am one very proud sister!  since then he got a job with BMO bank ... you never cease to amaze me jesse!  

3 weeks ago our whole family changed ... i became auntie, jesse and derek became uncles, mommy and daddy became grandma and pepere, sarah became mommy and matt became daddy ...

Judah West was introduced to us on June 13, 2012!  he is one of the most adorable, lovable, precious little boys!  another "proud sister" moment ... sarah my oh so beautiful sarah ... how do i even tell you how proud i am of you!  

so back to my ... small things can turn your day around ... my nephew ... 

yesterday was one of "those" days.  all sarah said to me was "do you need a cuddle with juju?" and i got the biggest smile on my face!  i didn't think i could love one lil guy so much ... he really is the love of my life (for now :)) 

  

  how can that NOT bring a smile to your face :)

looking forward to so many more beautiful days with my juju bug!

letting go

This week I did some major mental "cleaning".

Almost a year ago

Someone I cared about

Someone I trusted

Someone who made me happy

...

Broke my heart

He was the first person I really cared about.

Something amazing happened the other day though.

After almost a year of trying to find something or someone to make me happy

I decided to just 'let go' of the past.

In that moment of deciding that the most incredible thing happened 

...

I felt happy!

I am smiling

without faking it

I can laugh

without faking it

I am me again

without faking it!!! 

I feel good about ME!

I honestly didn't think I could just be happy

without something

without a catch

but no

I can be truthful and say

I'm happy!!

I don't need anything to be happy

I can just be happy.

Happiness isn't a something

it's a mind set.

But I most definitely didn't get to this conclusion on my own

This was a change of heart

God has been working in me

And preparing me to be able to let go.

By the grace of God

I am rediscovering ME!