2013 Review

2013 went by so fast!  We considered 2013 our year of growth. We were in a season of growing Eric's business and also growing in our faith in God. God is so amazing and has provided for us in so many ways.

Eric (and me too) went through a short season of wondering if we were on the right path with his career.  We really pressed in to the Word and believe that the answer is not to give up. As a matter of fact, one morning Collin went to the front door and came back in with a note he found underneath the doormat. It said, "Do Not Give Up." We have no idea where it came from, but we know it was an answer to prayer and a sign for us.  After that Eric was able to find someone to help him with marketing and his practice is really taking off now. We believe that 2014 is our breakthrough year and he is going to be at the top!!

We decided to sale our DVD rental business early in the year, and had a few interested buyers, but have not sold it yet. We are trusting the Lord to send us a buyer and to lead us on that journey. In the meantime, we will continue to run business as usual. We are hoping that if we sell it soon we can have some capital to continue to grow Eric's financial practice and give us a little bit of breathing room.

We got to have a fun beach vacation in the summer. We took the kids to the beach, along with our friends, the Alaniz's.  That was a fun trip. Prior to that time I started selling some things on a buy/sale/trade fb site, and I am proud to say that I saved every bit of that and was able to pay for our vacation. That was awesome!

Our sweet Collin started kindergarten in the Fall. That has been a fun and exciting new thing in our house. He loves his school, his teacher is a blessing and he has made some cool new friends. He turned 6 in September and had a fun little party at the rec center pool with a few close friends. He played t-ball in the spring and fall. Eric helped coach, so that was a lot of fun. He likes to play and really enjoys getting to stay on the same team as 2 of his best friends. Collin is doing great in school. Every 6 weeks a student in each class is nominated for the Circle of Courage award. This award is given to students that exemplify scholarly behavior and set a good example for other students. The second 6 weeks Collin won this award. Eric and I are so proud of him and it was so sweet to hear the kind words his teacher had to say. The things she said are things that we have seen in him since he was a baby!  He's such a cool kid and I'm proud to be his Mama. He also has a love for basketball...hmmm, maybe because his Daddy and his Uncle Cheeto love the game. He is doing a skills class right now and loves it! We will probably sign him up to play next Fall.

Riley turned 3 in June. She had a fun party with some friends at an indoor playscape at a local church. It is so fun to see her grow into such a beautiful little girl. She laughs so easily and loves to tell people about Jesus. She's a feisty one and loves to do anything her brother is doing. I love watching the 2 of them together...despite their sibling spats occasionally, they are best friends. We have done a few things at the rec center with her, ballet, tap and gymnastics. She told me that she didn't want me to sign up her for tap or ballet again, but to keep her in gymnastics. Her favorite thing is flipping and hanging from the uneven bars. She loves to run...so we might try soccer with her soon. She is going to preschool this year and loves it. I'm also working there this year and it's great to be able to take her to work with me!  Her teachers are great and she loves them.

 
We got to spend a week in Amarillo at Thanksgiving and then we stayed home for Christmas. Eric's parents came down the day after Christmas, so that was great. It was nice to just take it easy and let the kids enjoy their new stuff.

Eric is doing awesome. His business is growing, brick by brick they say. He loves what he does and gets so excited about helping people. He has been involved in the chamber for many years, and he received a call that he was the Chair Elect of 2014, so he is going to serve as Chairman of the Board in 2015. The people in the community love him and know he has incredible leadership ability. I'm so proud of him and it's fun to go to events with him and hear people tell me how much they love my husband. We are still told how much he is missed at the store...3 years later ;) 

As for me, I'm working 2 days a week at a preschool. I have a great teaching partner and the sweetest kids in my class. Most of them just turned 2, so it's an adventure every day!  I love working there, everyone is so great to work with! I plan to stay on next year since Riley will be there in Pre-K. I had thought about getting my degree in Speech Therapy, which I think I would really enjoy. I took a class in the Fall of 2012 and did really well in it. I just felt like there were too many things going on at the time and honestly I heard the Lord tell me to enjoy where I was at the time. I'm so glad I did because with the business, school and the time I was wasting on social media I didn't feel like I was spending the time with the kids that I should be. It was Collin's months before starting school and if you have kids, you know how fast time goes by. So, for now, I'm enjoying my days as a stay at home Mom and I am so blessed to be able to do that.

I have a couple of cool stories.  As we have gone through some ups and downs in 2013, I have really started praying a lot about several different things. One morning I took Collin to school and Eric stayed with Riley. That gave me a few minutes of quiet time in the car. I had just had a conversation with Eric about some goals he needed to meet. For a few months it really felt like every time we turned around he was up against a deadline, and not only a deadline, but a goal that needed to be met in order for him to keep his contract with his broker. So...that morning I just found myself talking to God and just telling God that I don't think I have been thankful enough for what we do have. Even if this opportunity had only been for a season...it has been good, so much good has come out of our circumstances. I was still able to stay at home this whole time and be able to stay with my children, Eric was able to coach Collin's t-ball team (which at the store would have never been possible) and the list goes on. So, I just poured out my heart in thanks to God for all of the good things. I told God that I don't understand why the deadlines keep seeming so hard to meet and why it seems so stressful in the few days leading up to it...but he always makes it in the end. I just didn't know if we could do that every few months...but, I know there are things in life that we will never understand. I gave it all to God that morning, and just told him that I was thankful for all of it, and if he could help Eric to reach this goal today that would be nice ;)  As I walked back in the house I had a peace about everything. I could hear Eric on the phone and as I walked towards him he hung up and looked at me and said, "That was a client, and he called me and wants to do 4 policies."  I started to cry and told him what I had just prayed...and I had asked God for 3! Yes, that's how great He is! I asked for 3 and he gave us 4. 

The other cool thing that happened was while we were at church. Some scripture was on the screen and our pastor was praying for the congregation.  While I was reading the scripture, there were some words that seemed to illuminate off of the screen. I blinked a few times because I wasn't sure if my eyes were just messing with me or what. But it did it a few times, enough that I knew it was for me. The scripture was from the NLT Jeremiah 29:14 "I will be found by you, "says the Lord. "I will end your captivity and RESTORE YOUR FORTUNES. I will gather you out of nations where I sent you and bring you home again to your own land."
The part I highlighted is what illuminated off of the screen to me. I have never had that happen to me before. I was telling Eric about it and he said, yeah there's a term for that, but couldn't remember what that is. I know in my heart that it is a word from the Lord, and that is what we are standing on this year! 2014 is a year of restored fortunes, I believe that all of the savings we had before the career change will be back in and we will be in a much better spot financially.