Enjoying a Not-so-perfect Life in an Oh-so-perfect way…

I’m guilty of every year making the usual resolutions… I will eat better, exercise, lose weight, etc. While I have done pretty well at that…

Before:



After:

... it wasn’t because it was my “resolution”.
So, I think I am skipping the resolution thing this time and just focusing on being thankful this year.

My goal is to express my gratitude and say thank you for anything and everything I can. Even the little things that Jesus blesses me with.

Things like…

Thank you for playing my favorite song on the way to work today.

Thank you for only having to “redirect” 10 students today instead of 11… or an entire class of 30.

Thank you for the opportunity to see the look on that student’s face when he/she FINALLY got that open ended response…
Thank you for the meltdown Jayda just had, because it means… I have Jayda here… and she is healthy.

Thank you for that headache… because it makes me appreciate the days I don’t have one… just that much more…

Just… thank you, God…

This past year hasn’t been perfect.

 I did my share of crying.
My share of questioning, ok,  yelling at God.
 I did my share of hating, uhm, I mean disliking a person.
 My share of judging, criticizing…

 And-- I’m sure I was judged. I’m sure I was or am hated. And I’ve probably deserved it.

I created messes that I had to clean up…

My heart got bruised… many, many times.

But… in the end…
everything was always ok…

 in the end…
 I always found the “thank you” the “blessing.”

In 2011…
 I am sure this not-so-perfect life will continue…
 in its perfect little way…
and I welcome it.

 I will need Jesus by my side because I am sure I will hit some more road bumps… detours… but, no time to be weak … no time to surrender… we just need to roll with it. And roll is what I shall do!

I may not understand everything that happens to me or to those I care for, but I will trust Jesus when those questionable events do occur.

Oh, and I know I said I wasn't, but it just wouldn't be me if I didn't come up with a new resolution, uhm, I mean goal...

Yep, who needs feet... my hands can do it... feet are so over-rated anyway...
  ;-). 
I'm just doing it to go to Disney again... that marathon thing... you know me...

Anything Can Happen... If You Just Believe

TURN UP THAT VOLUME!!

Yes, Mommy DID kiss Santa... BUT it WAS for a good cause... He demanded a kiss in exchange for the Rapunzel wand... and a mom has to do what a mom has to do...

But... enough of that... ;-)

So Christmas was a HUGE success this year! I'm guessing Santa was somewhat lenient on the "good" list this year- ;-)... OR maybe it was the kiss?!?

As I have mentioned before, Christmas has always been special for me. I love the lights, I love the presents, I love Jesus... and having Jayda has only made it THAT much more magical! I love starting traditions with her...

Like Ernie...

Writing a letter to Santa...

Getting a new outfit for the school Christmas picture...

Visiting Santa...

Going to the Festival of Lights...

Our Disney Tree...

Dressing up for Church & then heading to Grandma Wera's for Christmas Eve Dinner...

Our Christmas Cards that we LOVE to receive...

Baking...

Knowing Santa DID visit...

Getting EVERYTHING you asked HIM for... even if it meant Mommy HAD to kiss him!  ;-)

And the BEST part was spending it with EVERYONE that you LOVE...

So blessed this Christmas! Nothing else could have made it more perfect!

Especially when **I** got this stuff...

May you and your family enjoy all the BLESSINGS that have been given to us by the ONE who was BORN to be OUR BEST FRIEND in the GOOD and the BAD! 

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

Yes in Christ!

"...yes to this moment and yes to last year's illness and yes to the cracks of my childhood and yes to the nail and yes to my name in the Book of Life, hear me say YES! Not "I'm worried." Not "I'm stressed out." Not "I'm anxious." Not "I'm too afraid." Hear me say thank you. Hear me say YES! Watch me live a life of yes. To all that was and is and is to come.... The answer is always YES!"

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp is life changing to say the least.  I highly recommend this book to all, expecially if you have ever asked the question... "Why God?"  It opens your eyes to the Lords blessings, it makes your realize that our life is His story.  It is His story to share, it was the story He wrote.  And we should be thankful that He did write it and that we can't change it.  He knows what He wrote and why He wrote it and all we need to do is say-- Yes, Lord...  Yes and THANK YOU for writing my life story. 

Much love,

Myra

This Christmas...

This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.

Thank you Somer for sharing that.



This Christmas I will also...

Be proud of myself more often. Try not to sweat the small stuff so much. Keep in mind what truly matters in life. Read for pleasure. NOT waste a precious second with my baby girl. Have a date night with my husband at least once a month. Say, "I Love You" to my family more often. Say, "thank you" to my family. Say, "I Love You and Thank You" to the Lord --DAILY!

So, from my family to yours...

Feeling Blessed

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

Making Cancer History... MD Anderson Cancer Center

Thankfully we serve a God who knows our strengths. A God who knows just how much you can handle. He obviously had a lot of faith in my strength... but in reality, the one He knew could handle the most was my mother. She took it all! I was a baby... I don't remember the constant pokes... I don't remember those first surgeries... I don't remember the chemotherapy... but my mom does. She was by my side the entire time.

Now that I am a mother I can't even begin to imagine seeing Jayda go through that. I can't. But, somehow, my mother had the strength and the faith to do it. I was once told by a doctor--  to cherish my mother, to respect her if she ever seemed OVERprotective... because this was the woman who spent countless hours praying for her baby girl who had... yeah, that horrible, no good word... cancer.

My mother and our God held the major role in my recovery and my ability to defeat cancer... God did it through the wonderful staff at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. He blessed all those nurses and doctors with the knowledge to help people fight this...

Years later, at the age of 18 and graduating from high school, I was visitng the hospital for a routine check-up when I was asked if I had applied for the Children's Art Project Scholarship for current and former patients. I quickly got more information on it and applied. I was awarded money every single semester from day 1 of college to the time I graduated. And it was enough to pay the whole thing!! So, yeah... The Children's Art Project technically "owns" my BA in English! HA!

So, because of that, this project is very dear to me. I've always tried to help it out by purchasing cards and now I want to try and do a little more. I want to encourage others to buy the merchandise that they offer. This is ALL designed by cancer patients... children, at MD Anderson. They have ties, cards for different occasions, bags, jackets, sweaters, umbrellas, iphone covers... I can go on! Go look for yourself...

Children's Art Project "Store"

Make a Donation

Become a CAP Volunteer

Or, find out where you can buy the CAP merchandise in your local hometown... most CVS Pharmacies carry the merchandise.

If you live in my hometwon, Weslaco, TX... I am sponsoring the display at our CVS Pharmacy!

Please help in whatever way you can!

10 Things You LOVE About Christmas... Or NOT...

Join me for Working Mom Wednesday by clicking the picture above! Today's discussion is...

What are the 10 things you love or hate about Christmas?

Love...

Driving around looking at lights.

Our small town Christmas Parade.

Our Christmas tree.

Christmas music.

Two weeks off from work!

The FOOD -- tamales!! YUM!

Jayda believing in Santa.

Shopping for the perfect gifts for Jayda.

Jayda's excitement over cookies on Christmas Eve for Santa.

Wrapping gifts.

Hmmm, I an't find anything I hate... it is my favorite holiday!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

There is no greater gift at Christmas than to have everything you want before you open the gifts.

I LOVE Christmas!! It is, without a doubt, my favorite holiday. I never thought having Jayda and having her love it as much as I do would make it even better, but it did! I give the Lord so much praise and thanks for trusting me with Jayda. It has been and it still is an honor for me.

Here are a few things going on with us Hough's during this precious holiday season...

Our Family

My Miracle

She has quite the sense of humor

My Fave two girls in the whole world!

My Other Half

Our Tree

The Princesses Princess Tree

Our Christmas Book Collection

And, yeah, Ernie is still around...

And this picture is a "just because it's true" picture... hey, I will admit it! ;-)

Have a Blessed Holiday Season Y'all! Don't stress... enjoy it!

For 25 Days... A Christmas Challenge

I found this challenge through The Macs and I thought it was a great idea. I too get carried away with the hustle and bustle of Christmas that I allow the true meaning to be distant from my heart. So, I am challenging myself to dedicate some alone time with the Lord and read His word.  I know it is already December 3rd, so my challenge will go until December 28th and hopefully just keep going!

Join me!