...has it been a year already ?

["cats singing"...they look like raccoons...but they are cats...]

it's hard to believe that it's been a year...
since Miz Minka finally succeeded...
in her attempts to get me "blogging"...

a LOT has happened in my life...
since I took my "leap" into cyberspace...

two treasured & much loved members of my cat family...
Tippy & Robbie have gone on "ahead", to wait for me...
the giant mess I was living in...
has been greatly reduced, cleaned-up, re-done...
sorted, taken "away" & uncluttered...

at this point last year...
the DR/LR were stacked with painting & cleaning supplies...
the wood floor was hiding under a "protective layer of grime"...
new rugs were stored in the garage...
and some furniture was STILL in boxes...

most of my big plants were in the back yard...
as the awning had just been back up for about a month...
and I would have to haul them around to the front porch...
and, eventually, get them inside...
[though NOT soon enough for a couple...
who have since, fortunately, "bounced back"...]

I still had up the dirty, shredded drapes...
on the "rods" that Gracie considered her "personal perch"...
the nook shutters were still in boxes...[after 2 years...]
and an ugly wall AC unit was the only indication...
of where a nice window had once been...
next to the fireplace...

I didn't yet know about the bathroom floor...
and the pervasive rot that would generate...
the impending tear-out and rebuild...
of the entire bathroom...

then there was the "office"...

piles of things needing sorting, tossing & filing...
hardly room to sit at my computer...
forget practicing... or finding anything...

book shelves stuffed with books...
I wasn't going to want to read again...
so anything new...
[who doesn't buy new books ?]
ended up, stacked & piled ...
on my "bookcase" headboard...
or on the "underneath" shelves...
making them "in-accessible"...

along with magazines I wanted to save...
[Cooks & Fine Cooking]
catalogs, by the dozens...
and piles of mail...
[I put the important mail in a pile...
& the rest ? it became clutter... what else ?]

this scenario was repeated with DVD's & CD's...
although they tended to be scattered about...
since there was no way to put them away...

I had storage for both...just couldn't get to it...

besides these changes...
I've made some major personal "adjustments" as well...

some spiritual... some physical... some mental...
some emotional... some behavioral... some perceptual...

I've explored all these areas in great detail...
on this blog... feel free to check out the archives...
if you "missed" anything along the way...

I'm really seeing some core behavior differences, now...
in myself...
but you'll just have to discern them for yourself...
for the time being, anyway...

I think that with this change...
I'm gaining a better understanding...
of what I am feeling...and why...
along with being more selective...
in revealing what I'm feeling & thinking...

and along with it...
establishing a calming..."que sera, sera" attitude...
[letting go of things I can't change...
& not worrying about things that God has in control...]
is a vital part of who I am becoming...

but like any authentic change...
it has to be practiced...refined...
and stand the test of time...
before it becomes fully formed...
and truly, "me"...

I've seen some very positive signs...
but there's much more work to do...

I don't know what's ahead...but I don't need to...

with all the amazing answers to prayers...
the achievement of long-held heart's desires...
life goals, wishes, hopes & dreams...
embarked on or embraced...
that I've seen in my life...
and the lives of those I hold dear...
in the last year... I can trust...

I can trust God to make me who He wants me to be...
to make my life the best it can be according to His will...

so today... a very special day ...
in more ways than just my blogoversary...

I'm very thankful...
for ALL God has done...

for the opportunity to write...
to share my thoughts...
my struggles... my hopes...
to know... and be known...
and to grow... in His love...

God is SO good...

thanks to all of you who have stopped by...
even if it was only because Google sent you...

and a special thanks to all of you...
who've encouraged me...loved me...
physically helped me... supported me...
"put up" with my growing pains...
and are still my friends, "anyway"...

you know who you are...
and I love you...


post script...
check out a few "before & after" pictures on the following post...