Contentment is a bautiful thing

This is something I've been thinking about for a while and recently our Pastor talked about it at church.

Before I share about the title I want to say that I know this blog has been mainly about our struggles with babies and what we've been through can make for a very sad blog. I'm not saying this apologetically because even though I have no official followers (that I know of) my desire is that if and when people find my corner of the blogosphere God will use our story to encourage others no matter where they are at in live (as He's used others in my life), because all this pain can't go to waist!

Having said this I feel we are entering a different chapter in our story. It's almost like I can feel it in the air and I think I need to share accordingly. The blogs I follow are mostly of women that although they have lots to offer in many areas the main thing they offer is transparency and that is what has blessed me the most. I am not a perfect Jesus-lover, wife, housewife, mother, crafter, or woman but I belive that sharing with transparency helps us live the life in community God intended for His followers.

con·tent·ment

/kənˈtentmənt/

Noun A state of happiness and satisfaction.

It's been an interesting journey which has helped me (us) put things in perspective and realize what is truly important. We all have dreams, we all want a good life, a big house with a yard, a paid off mortgage, two cars, a good pay check, a good job, more money, and better things. I don't think there is anything wrong with this desires but I do believe the world we live in has put all material things in the center of our lives and maybe without noticing we have allowed it.

Not too long ago I was not very content with where we are at. I was failing to count our blessings and I was focusing on what I wanted for the future more than all that I have NOW. I just wanted more. So I decided to make some changes. We live in a small two bedroom apartment. We've had a spare bethroom for the past two years so it's been really easy to bring things home and if we don't use them just put them in the storage room spare room. Growing up I remeber we had one of those, one day my mom decided it was time to clean it. It took weeks to go over everything in there! I have a vivid memory of a box that had been sitting there for years and when we opened it there was a pot with dirt in a bag, you never know when you'll need it right? Ever since my biggest fear has been to accumulate so much stuff that I won't even know what I have.

Every time we've moved in the last few years I've made it a point to get rid of anything that isn't been used but somehow I kept buying things that I didn't know where to put! It's amazing how fast a spare room can get out of control. Anyway, after Evan's birth I decided to organize every corner of our house and get rid of anything that wasn't been used (I needed a project). That unfolded a series of unexpected events.

As I cleaned and organized the house felt more and more my own. I realized we really didn't NEED anything and we have more than we NEED. One day I stood in the middle of the living room looking around and thought "I am happy here, this is my home". We had been trying to buy a house but we decided that's not the right move right now and since we decided that I embraced my home and took it upon myself to make the best out of it! This has led me to fing the best way to use what we already have to decorate, come up with inexpensive ways to create more storage space, fill our house with pretty plants and flowers, and only shop for what we truly need or has a specific purpose. I have also been focusing my energy on serving my husband. Cooking more often, keeping a cleaner house, eating dinner at the table, etc.

I cannot tell you how much this change in my perspective has impacted our lives. How good it has been for our marriage, we are happier now than when I was working full time and had more money. We have learned what contentment really is and it is a beautiful thing!

Stick around as I share my projects, my kitchen adventures, and the valuable lessons I've learned from my good friend and mentor S on saving money and living fully.

I am doing it!

I am on week 8 of my couch to 5k training! To be honest I messed up a bit and repeated w3 on w4 so I've been running for 7 weeks (and counting) but I'm behind on the actual training  schedule anyway it doesn't matter that much because the point is that I AM actually running! I never thought I would find an achievable training and 6 weeks in a row is a huge achievement for me! I've tried to excersice before and I haven't gone further than a couple of weeks tops.

When I started writing this post on Thurday I was proud of the fact that I am keeping up with the training I started but on Friday I achieved something even bigger that made me VERY PROUD of my consistency and taught me something that might be obvious for you but it wasn't for me. So after work I went grocery shopping when I was driving home I was debating between running or not because it was getting dark. I got home and thought I could beat darkness, I put on my running atire and off we went (the dogs run with me). I started my 5 min walking and then I thought I started the timer for the 8 min jogging. When I started approaching the spot where I had started running and the timer hadn't gone off I started wondering. I checked the timer and I hadn't really pushed the start button. I had already ran 1 mile straight and didn't even know it so I pushed a little harder and ended up running a whole 1 mile and 1/2 and I haven't looked back since. More progress has happened the last couple of days. I've been running 25 mins straight and I'm loving it!

Yeeeey for me!

Oh and what I learned: I can run better with no sun, while it gives me a beautiful tan it drains the energy out of me!