It's my Birthday

It's the most wonderful time of the year...wait, no that's Christmas. It's the week of my birthday, and I plan to celebrate all week long, because I can. Today is the day that I look back over the last year, see where I've been and how far I've come. It's been an interesting year, things haven't gone exactly the way I planned but I just keep moving forward.
I had planned to be done with my novel by this summer but it doesn't seem to be happening. I try and write pages but there are only some days when it happens. That was my only real goal, but it doesn't seem to be happening. I've decided to give myself an extension, seeing that I'm the only one setting the deadline. One more year, I have until my 30th birthday to finish my novel. It didn't take a long time to write the beginning, it's been fitting all the pieces together that takes time.
I've considered giving up Facebook once more, to try and get away from the social media that sucks away from the more productive things in life. While I'm not leaving it completely my presence on it will be much less than it was.
The question is what is really important in life? My family, my friends, my church, these are the things that matter the most. I have goals for what I want to do in my life. This year I'm going to focus on these things. Giving my all to my family and being the mom my kids need. Being there for my friends and remembering that the joy of friendship makes the days worthwhile. Serving in the church, because my calling is to reach others for Christ, however God uses me.
This year I'm going to experience life, I want to go where I've never gone before. Show my kids things they have never experienced. I am going to write to my hearts content and more. I am going to enjoy the little things and make memories to last a lifetime. 

The best things in life

I spent some time re-evaluating what is the most important to me. It was kind of like an audit on where I was spending my time and I found it wasn't going where I wanted it too. I know that I have enough time in my day to do the things that matter the most but the question is do I really do them?
My biggest foe seemed to be Facebook, so I took a break. It took over a week to stop mentally Facebook status posting. There are far too many things to do in this world that do not involve Facebook. It is one of the many things that like others we must remember in moderation. I love to stay updated with my family and friends and I feel connected on Facebook. I found that there is a false sense of friendship on Facebook. I have a number of friends, but the number that took the time to share with me off of Facebook was surprisingly low. Does that say something about me as a friend?
What did I fill my time with? I found that I was missing out on great opportunities with my kids. I am making this summer one that is full of memories. I look forward to what fun we are going to have. It's about having fun and making memories. I want my kids to have memories of mom that don't involve her going to work. I want to make memories that they can share with their kids. I want to have memories of them when they are young and the fun that we had together.
I found that this time without Facebook was better for my writing than any other time. It's been a long time since I've actually written new material and I've been able to start a book. I found the words pouring out of me and that was so inspiring. I don't know how long it will take to finish this book, for me it's the first one that I'm dedicated to getting into the hands of a publisher. It's a big step for me but as my dad says, "The worst they can say is no." That is what I hold onto when I take each step, if I do nothing then it's the same as a no, one day they will say yes.
The other thing I discovered was time for me. It's not an easy thing to do as a single mom but it's necessary. I love my kids but there is a time when I have to do things on my own. It's a journey that I'm learning to take. I learned that I love my life. I have a great support network, a great job, wonderful kids, and freedom. Freedom to do all the things that matter the most. Free to spend the time with my kids, free to spend my own time, and free to write.
There is something amazing about sitting down and watching the words flow through your pen to the paper. I tried to write using the computer and typing it up, it's not the same. It's the right pen, the notebook paper, and the moment. These things are the best things in life. In a way I could say my life is simple, I don't ask for much because I already know I have the best. 

Meet me....and my phone

Anyone who knows me can probably tell you what kind of phone I have. Why? They see it as soon as they see me, it's attached to my hand. I don't go anywhere without my phone. I walk to the other room in my house and my phone goes with me. I go to bed and my phone goes with me, I even have it playing while I'm in the shower. In reality, the phone is not attached to me but I am attached to the phone. There are those of you who would laugh at this and not understand but others shake their head in agreement.
The phone is no longer just a phone, it's a lifeline, a connection to everything the outside world has to offer. The phone is your music player, tv, internet, camera, alarm clock, and gaming system. The Facebook notifications straight to your phone guarantee you don't miss a thing.  Notifications from your games tell you that someone is waiting to play a game with you.
I've had my smartphone for a year now and I went all out and enjoyed every perk that it had to offer and now I'm getting tired of it. It's something that comes on slowly when you realize that it has infiltrated itself so deeply in your life. You don't realize at first that you take it every where and when you do realize it you make excuses that you need it. You have to be reachable for some reason or another.
So I am making a change in my life and it's already started. I don't reach for my phone with every Facebook notification or every text message. I want to enjoy the people I am with when I am with them and that means putting the phone away. I don't need to have it out all the time and I don't need it all the time. I don't have to play every game or read every comment on someone else's post. There is more to life than social media.

I want to have a face to face life, I want to be seen and not just another one of those attached to the phone. It got me to thinking when I was at Starbucks the other day, there is a group of older gentlemen who are there all the time and if you have gone there more than once you know who they are, or they know you. They sit and talk in the morning and share coffee and socialize with whoever comes into the store. This day they started having a talk with someone about phones, how instead of spending time with people they sit on their cell phones. I have heard this same thing from my grandmother, she's right. So I'm making a conscious effort to change it. This means putting the devices away, I don't need to play Draw Something when I'm visiting with my grandparents. I don't need to check my Facebook when I'm waiting for church to start. I don't need to reply to that text when I'm putting my kids to bed.
This is my resolution, my standard, I will be more aware of the time I'm spending with others. I will put my cell phone away and let it beep without rushing to it. The people around me are more important than this and it's time that I show them.