I have been MIA for sooooo long! And don't think that I've been organizing and decluttering and flying this whole time! LOL! I have kept up with Jenny on her blog and I check in from time to time here. But, I think I need to come back to the nest! IF you'll have me!

DD is now 7. I can't believe it. She's not a baby any longer. She's been home 3.5 years now. We had a potential crisis revolving around her adoption and Russia meddling into it and 30-something others and asking questions. Just got word last week that the person who assisted us with our adoption was cleared of any charges & the investigation is over. Yippee!!! That spector is no longer hanging over our heads.

I quit my job of almost 13 years ago in October and am working at a new office. I love it. Much less stress. Found out that my old office is getting out of the business end that I was involved with effective 2/28/07 and focusing on the other parts they do. Guess that was good judgement on my part, although I didn't have an inkling that would happen. I work 8-3 daily and get off in time to pick up DD at school. I help her with her homework and with the seatwork she didn't finish or do correctly and fix dinner. She is in first grade and is starting to want to do it herself. I just mainly check it now. Her reading is so much improved and her math is even coming along!

Along the educational lines, she asked for a gameboy (OK, she calls it a "gamegirl" when it's pink!) for Christmas. I just couldn't spend that kind of money when she has no experience with video games AND she is so careless dropping stuff and losing it. So, I got her a Leapster with a game and then BIL got a game for it as well. She has really enjoyed it! She does math and vocabulary on it.

She also got a full size keyboard and will start piano lessons in January. She got a basketball too & she is playing in the elementary league at her school starting Jan. 13. Her b'day is 12/21, so that & Christmas just all jumbles together. DH is off until 1/2, so he was a gem and cleaned up her wreck of a playroom before Christmas. We're going to make her keep it clean.

Along that line of thinking, I really want to live simpler. We have too much stuff. Don't even know what we have, so we buy more of what we already own & forgot we had 'cause we can't find it! Our house is tiny and we are bulging out of it. Too many clothes, too many shoes, too many purses (ouch!), too many toys, etc. Instead of packing it in plastic bins and stuffing them in storage at my mom's (which she says she is now at maximum capacity!), I am purging! If it's not being donated, I'm gonna sell it on Ebay.

This is my PODA for 2007 and especially the first part of the year:

* Purge, purge, purge - less stuff, less stress
* Treat myself with respect - eat right, dress right, fill my mind with right thinking
* Tame my tongue - my DD is getting the same razor-sharp smart tongue that I've been exhibiting lately; gotta control that PMS
* Get our finances under control; messy desk = late bills, late fees, etc.- UGH!

I am leading (not teaching - just leading) a ladies' Bible study starting Jan. 14 so I want to get a lot done before that. I want to feel in control in my life as I lead this study because I need confidence in myself to do this. I am stepping waaaaaayyyyy out of my comfort zone on this one!

Anyway, I've rambled on for far too long now. I am looking forward to meeting the "new" faces here and reconnecting with old imaginary friends! Hope you all had a great holiday & that we'll all have a wonderful, organizing and FLY-happy New Year!

Vonnie

Clairee: The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.

"Steel Magnolias"