2015 Marks My Year of New Beginnings

I have been truly blessed with the people I have in my life. This year has taught me many lessons in life that I needed to learn in order to grow as a person. There have been tons of tough lessons learned, but I would not change them for anything as I know they have helped shaped me and have allowed me to grow into the person I am today, as well as the person I hope to become. : )

Each year people make "New Year's Resolutions" and most often than not, those resolutions fail within the first few months because the drive and the determination depletes and life happens to get in the way of even the most well-planned life. I am not saying that people do not have the best of intentions when they make those resolutions, as I, myself have made ones and they fell through a few months into it; however, if you have the drive, passion and determination to make the changes in your lives that you need and if you fight tooth and nail against any obstacle that tries to get in the way...Nothing can break those ambitions as long as you don't give up and keep fighting.

This year, I am not making any "New Year's Resolutions" but rather clearing a path in my life for change and for new beginnings to take form, sprout and grow in my personal life. Those who know me on a personal level know that I have dealt with MANY personal battles in my life, some for many years and even some that I thought would destroy me. However, no matter what has come, I have fought through those things and still continue to fight. My journey is far from over in this life and I know that as long as I have determination, passion and drive to do something in my life, I know that I can accomplish it. I have proven this to myself when I completed college when I struggled to get through high school. The strange part is, I was a good kid in school, I maintained pretty good grades, but I struggled with a few areas that threated my chances of graduating on time or at all. I have not only completed an AAS Degree in Administrative Support, but I also have an Associate in Arts Degree and I started a TESL Bachelor's Degree which I am determined to complete at some point.

The last few months of my life have been extremely hard on a personal level dealing with losing one of my jobs in the next week or so, to financial concerns, to needing certain health care for myself but cannot afford to take care of it right now...But I have realized that dwelling on those things doesn't change the fact that you cannot change things beyond your control--However, I can make changes in my life with things I have control over and not only will I feel better as a person, but I know that I am taking the best care of myself that I possibly can on my own with the things that I can control.

...This year, I have decided that I am making some radical changes to my life. I am going to take care of my body by exercising on a regular basis (from the comfort of my home). I have some exercise equipment and it's time to put it to regular use instead of in spurts throughout the year. I am going to begin eating healthier, figuring out a grocery budget that will include more fresh fruits and vegetables in which I love (but could not afford) and buy less processed food. I have a desire to cook and I want to work on my cooking skills. I have all of these awesome cookbooks and really haven't used them more than a handful of times. This year, I am making it a priority to try at least one new dish a week/biweekly depending on what it is and what my budget will be.

I am investing in a fruit/vegetable juicer so I can have fresh, wholesome shakes/smoothies in the mornings/afternoons instead of caffeine. I don't like not being happy with how I look or knowing that I could do more for myself to better my life and not do it. I know it will be an uphill battle and I will struggle every step of the way, but I am determined to make not only these changes I stated but others as well to help transform myself into the best, most healthy and happy person I can be at this time in my life. I know this process will never be completely finished as we are continuously growing as we journey through life; however, I am anxious to see what this year brings and to see how far I have come this time next year. : )

Here's to 2015, MY year of CHANGE! : )

Office Holiday Spirit

I was a bit bummed this holiday season when I realized that because I got another cat (a kitten to be exact), that I would not be able to put up my tree or holiday decorations this year. My kitten Mittens destroyed my artificial tree I had in my living room, and I did not want to take the chance of him destroying my Christmas tree as well; so I made the decision not to put up my tree this year. Christmas is my favorite holiday and to not be able to put up my tree or decorate for this holiday had me feeling a bit bummed--That is until I came to work one day last week and one of my co-workers brought in some snowflakes, bulbs and garland into the office so we could decorate it. : )

...So my work-study students and I went right to work with getting things ready and decorated as my co-worker Bretta began the decorating with hanging garland along our cubicle walls. Words cannot describe how elated I was to be a part of something so simple, yet something that made me overly happy. : )

I have grown to LOVE my job and I work with some of the most amazing people I have met in my life. These advisors and work-study students are HARD workers, dedicated to their jobs and I am beyond blessed that I was chosen for this position. I have only been working in this position for a couple months and I already know that I love what I am doing and feel blessed to be a part of the office staff in which I work. I have never seen a group of people who are so dedicated to not only their job but to helping the students who daily walk through our office doors....I wonder how I never "knew" about this office and these advisors when I was a student at this college?

Here is the finished product of our decorating excursions at the office. I figure if I am not able to enjoy my tree and decorations this holiday season; at least I can enjoy the spirit of the holidays at work. I hope there are many more holidays and years that I get to spend with these wonderful people, but for now, I will enjoy this opportunity and the time that I have with them. Thank You to all the advisors who help to "make me look like I know what in the world I am doing". : )

This is a photo of the whole Advising Center as you walk in...It's like a "winter Wonderland" with snowflakes and bulbs "falling" from the ceiling".

The front part of my desk...

The front part of the front desk....

I am pretty happy with how the decorating turned out. Thanks Bretta for bringing in the awesome decorations. : )

~Melissa

My Christmas Wish

As the holidays have come upon us once again, I begin to think about my favorite holiday probably in October. I LOVE Christmas and it's my all time favorite holiday. As a kid, I loved Christmas not only for the presents but because it just seemed like such a magical time of the year. I loved watching Christmas movies about families being together, having fun, laughing, sharing in the joys of life and the joys that the holiday season brings. I had these dreams of having that "warm and fuzzy feeling" that comes with spending the holidays with your family and I looked forward to it each year as that's really the only time of the year that we all spent time with members of my extended family. We used to wake up early in the morning on Christmas Eve, get ready, pack up the truck and head to my Grandparents for Christmas where we would stay a night or two there and just have that time together...As the years progressed and my sister's and I grew older, that time for Christmas became less and less and also became more stress-filled with drama and chaos.

Christmas became un-enjoyable and something that was dreaded in our family and still is today. I know that no family is "perfect" and will have disagreements, but for some reason during each holiday that we spend together, drama, arguments, and chaos find their way into our holiday enjoyment no matter how hard we try to have a chaos, drama/argument free holiday with family...

I still believe that there is something magical about Christmas and I strive to enjoy the Christmas season as much as I possibly can. I had an idea for this Christmas, something that we could do that we have never done as a family for this holiday--I wanted to plan for our family to do something "fun" together on Christmas Eve. We no longer spend the night at my Grandparents, but leave on Christmas Eve a bit after gifts are exchanged. Christmas, I feel has very little meaning in our family in what Christmas actually stands for and what it means to spend that time with your family.

When I mentioned my idea of maybe going to see a tree lighting in the town that my Grandparents live in, or do something fun with the kids like build a snowman/castle as a family and just have that fun, I was laughed at and told "Yeah Right, good luck with that." I asked this person "Why not?" and they said that it would be impossible to get the family to want to do anything like that. I said Okay, but secretly I was devastated and crushed. I thought that it would be nice to do something fun and try to bring some of that "magical" meaning back into our family for Christmas.

No matter what, I still LOVE Christmas, it's still my favorite holiday but My Christmas Wish for this year has been the same wish that I have been praying for, for several years and that's to have my family actually ENJOY Christmas and what Christmas means to have a family to spend it with. I still love watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music as I tend to do both year-round. Each year I secretly wish that our family was like those families in those holiday movies who enjoy Christmas, enjoy spending time together and LOVE the spirit of Christmas and desire that "Magical, warm, cozy" feeling that the holiday season brings with being with those who you love the most.

I have grown accustomed to our "family version" of Christmas, yet I secretly desire to have that wonderful feeling and "magic" that comes with Christmas and spending the holiday season with your family. I love my family very much and would not trade them for anything; however, each holiday season I pray that this will be the season where our family gets back to the spirit of the holidays and can enjoy Christmas like we did when we were kids. : )

...This is my Christmas Wish for the year and I pray it comes true.