Today I wannabe...ME!

It's been 2 years (tomorrow) since I wrote on this blog. That two years has been spent just muddling through life, with lots of unhappiness, sadness, pain and misgivings. But, now, today, I am HAPPY! I am working on figuring out who I am and what my purpose here in this life is. I know a few things about myself: I am generally a joyful person, who loves her family and friends. I love to read, to cook, bake, sew, and paper craft. I've done a lot of things in my life - all 50 years of it, but I'm still trying to figure out who I am. 

So, starting today, I'm planning to write on my blog at least once a week, and keep it positive. I am going to use this venue to start setting goals, looking at what life has to offer me, what I want out of it, and how I'm going to get it! I'm going to figure out what I WANNABE! Hee hee. 

I know that I want to be happy. And although I realize that happiness is not a constant state of mind, I do know that there is a lot more happiness out there, and I just need to learn to recognize it! I am working on being more positive, more cheerful, less critical, less anxious, having more faith, and learning how to manage my time better. I am also going to take better care of me and those I care about. 

In light of these things, I spent a good part of today thinking about creating and actually creating! I made a greeting card. I am spending the week house/pet sitting for a friend, and she has a phenomenal scrapbooking room, and I took advantage of that and made two cards, actually! I also decided that I didn't just want to make a card, but I wanted to make a card with a purpose. 

SO! I made a card to be sent to our military where ever they are stationed. There is an organization called "Operation Write Home" and it has a website that I like to visit as well as a Facebook page that I follow. Today I saw a post on Facebook for their "Midweek Throwdown: Color Challenge" using pink and green to make cards so I decided to do it. I also found one of their sketches on the website and went for it. I made a pink and green one, but I also made another one from the remnants of another card making kit that a friend had given me. Here is the one I made for OWH: 

 I will then post a link to my blog on the OWH website. In this way, I am accomplishing a number of things. 
1) taking care of me. It is important to me to be creative and to allow myself time to indulge in my hobbies. Not only does it bring me great joy, but it allows me time to think and process, and allows me "down time" from whatever stressors I am dealing with at the time. 
2) I am making something useful, thereby being useful. I have felt a great deal less than useful in these last few years after developing migraines and having my body start to fall apart. I need to find ways to feel good about myself again, and this is one of them. 
3) I am contributing to a worthy cause and sending hope, in the form of a handmade card, to someone who is serving our country and has to be away from their family for long periods of time. This makes me feel good about giving, good about sharing my creative gift, and happy that someone else will benefit from what I am doing. 

 I'm hoping to spend the better part of the next few days making more cards. Some Halloween cards, since it's just around the corner, some Christmas cards, since I never seem to find time to make them once November gets here, and some general occasion cards to send to OWH. I am going to set a goal that I will make at least 8 cards every quarter to send to Operation Write Home. That will help to make me accountable, as well as make sure that I am taking time for me, but I won't feel selfish doing it because I am helping others. 

So! Goal #1 set! Here's to lots more goals and better yet, meeting them! I have a lot more great years left in me (turning 50 must do something to your head!!!)and I intend to enjoy them, and live them to the fullest regardless of my limitations. 

Happy ME day! 


PS. You too can send card to our military at Operation Write Home