So, so, so excited!

     Can't wait to meet our sweet baby boy, John Patrick <3 love him more than anything and everything already!

I think I need to stop making promises

     It seems every time I make a promise to post on my blog more often, I go even longer than normal between posts. So I am NOT promising to post more...or ever...maybe now I can keep up on it and won't have to post a bunch of news in ONE article!

     Last time I posted, I talked about my camera and how excited I was to try new things with it. Well, the desire to learn more photography skills have kind of dwindled with news of a much higher magnitude. I suppose I could still use the camera, but honestly, have been very preoccupied and haven't even wanted to do much of anything in that regard. 

     On to my news! I'm sure many of you already know by now, at least I hope so! 

John and I are expecting! Due November 29th, the day after Thanksgiving. Our little turkey will be so dang cute :-D.

     This was our second ultrasond, done at 10 weeks 6 days.

     I had a small hemorrhage that we had to check on, but it was all gone and all was well! In fact, baby was kicking up a storm. John called it his little Karate Kid (can you say adorable?).  We find out the gender a week from tomorrow, an announcement will follow shortly ;-). Pretty excited! All this time worrying about whether or not I'd even be able to have my own children, and I am suddenly blessed with this little miracle. I can't wait to meet him/her. I already love this baby so much! Definitely looking forward to letting you all know what Baby Lewis will be....the anticipation is killing me!!!

When The Men Are Away, The Women Play

     John went out of town for a couple of days this week and I was left trying to figure out something productive to do with my time, seeing as how I rarely get much done when he is around... :-P. With my new business starting up, I realized the need for more space in the already small and cluttered space that is my bedroom. Still having some tax return money, I bought a small office set to help with the organization of everything pertaining to my Slumber Parties, and set to work cleaning up, getting rid of things, and making space. In the midst of all of this cleaning and organizing, my new toy (i.e my camera) arrived in the mail. SO FREAKING EXCITED I can't even tell you ;-).

     I haven't had a chance to play around with it much, but my mother, as well as Button and Dash had fun posing for me. I can't wait to actually go out and have a little bit of fun with it, though that probably won't happen for another week and a half when we all go down to Zions for a day. Now, THAT will make for some great pictures :-D.

     When all is said and done, however, even though I have kept busy, I do miss my man...luckily for me, I get to see him tomorrow :-D yay!

First Hike of 2013

     Yesterday the temperature got up to about 53 degrees. Not exactly warm, but kinda toasty when compared to below freezing! It was quite nice, and we all decided (a week ago) to get out and go on a hike to celebrate the warmer weather while we could. Seems like everyone else had the same idea because there were tons of people there! I don't mind sharing a trail with others though, sometimes you get the opportunity to meet some pretty cool people!

     John, Meaghan, my mom, our animals (Chango, Dash, and JJ) and I all went up Battlecreek. It was snowy, and kinda tough to walk in, but it was so much fun, and we all got ourselves a bit of exercise! Just what the doctor ordered. I just have to say, I love having these people in my life. I don't know what I'd do without them, especially Meaghan. It's great to have a bestie that'll get out and do stuff like this with me... Ahhh good times :D


   
Seriously love gettin' out and doing stuff like this, and I'm determined to get out as much as humanly possible all year long! Even better than having just a best friend to come with me, is having a boyfriend willing to do the same! :-D The cherry on top...He doesn't mind when I snap photos of him :-P.

     Little man got to have himself a bit of fun as well, and had his first snowy encounter! He had a long day, being drug around, going to the pet store, meeting new people, and finally tunneling through snow! He didn't know what to do with himself when I put him down. Was a lot of fun to watch him try not to freeze his little feet off.

   

Can't wait for more fun this summer when it's finally warm enough to actually get out.

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!

   

Open for Business!

     I finally got my Slumber Parties kit in the mail, inventory is done, and I have officially made my first sale! I'm having to start out pretty small, considering I don't have a whole lot of money to get myself started, but putting all of my sales toward getting more stock will definitely help! I'm so excited to start this new chapter in my life, and to finally be able to feel like I'm doing something worthwhile! Plus, it doesn't hurt to know all of my sales will be going toward more stock and the leftover money is money that is not already allocated to go toward any bills...aka I may actually get to go shopping on occasion!

     Being completely honest, though, it is all a little bit overwhelming. There's so much to learn, and so many things I still need in order to keep my business and myself organized and stress free! One day at a time, Emily, one day at a time!

     Things keep on looking up for me, and I see even better things on the horizon. Here's to a new month, a new career, and new experiences.

So far so good...

So at the end of December I recall stating to practically everyone that this year (2013) was going to be absolutely amazing. I am here to report that so far, that's exactly what it is! I've gotten a new job, two in fact. I've made some new friends, purchased a camera with my tax return; a camera that will, no doubt, get an insane amount of use this summer. I've officially gotten rid of the ex, and.... I've met someone new :D! And it's not even March!

We all already have so many fun things planned for the warmer months, and I can't even describe how excited I am! Camping, fishing, hiking and much much more, all of which will, of course, will be accompanied with blog posts and pictures ;).

Tax Refundddd

     So excited for this year's tax refund! I've decided, that my bills are always going to be there, so I'm going to spend my tax return on something that will make me happy, and then something else that has the potential to get me ahead in the long run rather than for only a couple of months.

     This year with my taxes, I plan to finally purchase for myself a digital SLR camera, so I no longer have to use Dave's! It's going to be so great and I can't even begin to describe how excited I am. :-D :-D :-D

     ALSO, I'm going to be starting my own business. I'm going to be doing slumber parties! Pretty excited, and they say you get back as much as you put into it...so it's got the potential to make me some pretty decent monies!

     Photography has quickly become a special kind of therapy for me the past few months, and has been instrumental in overcoming the trials I have recently been faced with. Unfortunately, it has been bitterly cold outside and I have been unable to get out and really enjoy it. Not to mention, I do not always have access to the awesome camera I LOVE to use (seeing as how it belongs to a friend).

     The last photography "trip" took place in Eureka, UT. Not a very exciting place, but I was able to get some awesome shots, a few of which involved a cute kitty cat that attached itself to us on our little "nature" walk.

     Another great thing about going out "shooting", as Dave calls it, is that I get to socialize a bit. It's always good to go with someone, have a little chat, and if you're comfortable enough, vent about life's problems. Dave and I are always able to have very deep conversations (sometimes so deep I find myself getting frustrated) and in 'most' cases I head home feeling much better about things going on in my life, as well as things going on around me.

     I'd imagine that it's a mixture of the fresh air, good company, and being "forced" to take a look at the simple (or complex) beauties around you, that tend to force all of the negativity out of our over thinking, over-analyzing brains. 

     Negativity can't just disappear forever, of course, we can't (no one can) be positive 100% of the time, but keeping distracted sure does help!! -- was gonna post a couple but...too much work haha.

Moving Past...Everything....

     You know when something goes completely wrong in your life, and you are left not only devastated and heartbroken, but so completely lost that you can't think, can't feel anything but the pain, can't see any light. When these things happen, you are left with the opportunity, yes, I said opportunity, to make a choice. You can choose to let what happened completely destroy you, tear you down and beat you day in and day out, always leaving you on the brink of death. OR you can allow the pain to make you a better person.
   
     Recently, as you all now know, I went through a pretty difficult breakup. I realize many breakups are difficult, and I don't claim to have it any better or worse than anyone else. This breakup was very unexpected, which is why, I'd imagine, it was as difficult as it was. One day, we are at this nieces baby shower blessing, him mentioning that church is where we would have OUR babies blessed, and talking about moving in together, and that very night "I need time to figure out what it is I want. WHO I want." A week later, he chose her over me. I was devastated. I went from engaged, almost being a wife, step mother, daughter in law, and sister in law, to nothing.

     Angry, hurt, bitter. No words were enough to describe my feelings. How could he leave me, and for her, of all people. Why wasn't I good enough? After beating myself up, tearing myself down with questions that made me the bad guy, that made ME the problem, I asked myself "Why do I care?" I've never had the best self esteem, and have never felt very highly of myself, but suddenly I felt empowered. Angry, but at the right people. I told myself that I was worth more than the torture I was putting myself through. I deserved to be loved and cherished, and to be with a man who see's only me. I deserve a man who will love and care for me JUSTas much as I do for him.

     Why was I wasting my time hurting over someone who never really loved me? When I realized I could do so much better, I stopped hurting. I was smiling and making friends, going out and having fun. Overall, I felt better.

     Sure, now and then I have my lonely nights. I get a little bit down and find myself missing him, was bound to happen no matter how well I was doing. I am happy though definitely not quite ready to move on...and that's okay because I have been able to overcome this trial (and yes it is a work in progress) I have many new friends, am getting ahead financially, making plans for my future that, for once, are not centered around a man.

     This coming year is going to be so good and so productive. I am excited to start getting ahead in my life and work on being a full, happy person all on my own. No more counting on men to make me happy. I know, given time, I will be able to accomplish anything and everything I put my mind to.

     I know we all have struggles and none are easier or harder than the things anyone else has to face!  Everyone handles things differently and something that I consider "easy to deal with" may be the most difficult thing someone else has ever faced. Regardless of what we face and where we are at in life, it is SO important that we never let even the worst of our struggles defeat us. Don't let them win!

     This year, I've started going to the gym every day that I work. I will be doing yoga at home on my own daily. Eating out less and spending less money overall will help me save money and aid in getting farther and farther ahead in my goals, especially in the financial aspect of my life. Friend(s) have been joining me at the gym and I have not missed a day since we started! In exercising and eating better, I have already noticed a change in my mood and how my body feels overall (and I mean more than the soreness).

     People all over talk about New Years Resolutions and what they would like to accomplish in the coming year. I always thought that they seemed kind of dumb, especially when it turned out that within the first months of the New Year, they have given up. This is my first year setting resolutions for myself. Luckily, I've got friends to help me through and help make sure I stick to it.

     Thank you, again for those of you who have been here for me through everything, and especially those who have supported me through some of the more private struggles. It means the world to me that so many of you care, and it has helped me through more than you could possibly know. I love my new friends as much as I love the old and you all mean the world to me. Without you, I would not be where I am today: on my way to being a better, more successful person.

 I hope that each and every one of you have as good a year as I know I'm going to have!

WELCOME TO 2013!