Friday, July 13, 2018

Next #UseYourWords

Welcome to July's Use Your Word challenge! This is how it works: participating bloggers picked four to six words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That is the challenge, here is a fun twist; no one who is participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.




My words are: 
degree ~ inclusive ~ bottle flip ~ floss ~ unpredictable ~ volatile

So, when I read these words, I just suddenly knew what I was going to write about. I will be honest, as I start this, I am unsure how I will use some of the words, but the word degree is telling me I need to write a post, that has been circling my mind for a few months now.

Next.


My life is starting a new chapter, and I am entering the what is next phase. What is next? Well, Gigi is starting Kindergarten. Can we just take a moment to process that tiny little four pound twelve ounce Gigi is starting Kindergarten? I am still not ready. Not ready at all. She is ready though. At least I think she is. Well, she is, but she also isn't. As you know, if you have followed us, she did not attend preschool. The one car situation did not allow for it. So, we did lots of learning stuff. We worked with workbooks, flash cards, and Science kits. I taught her as much I she would allow. I even made extra sure, she knows how to brush and floss her teeth. However, this girl would not let me teach her how to write, and she is iffy with her alphabet. Yes, I failed. I will admit that.


Her not completing preschool, is why she will be starting school early. The kids who skipped preschool, have a special school session, to quickly prepare them for Kindergarten. So she actually starts school on July 23rd. We attend an expo on the 19th and a meeting on the 20th. Then she starts school. My baby is starting school. I think I need another moment.


So, yes, new chapter and what is next. Well, I have been working on ideas for my blog, for the last few months. I have been plotting and planning. Once Gigi starts school, I plan on putting my plans into action. I hope I can turn my blog into one that is so great, you all want to keep reading, and continue following our journey, through all of our future chapters. I will have free time every day, once Gigi starts school. I want to dedicate some of it to self-care, some of it to housework, some of it to my blog, some of it to volunteering, and some of it to getting a degree. I just hope I can find a balance between all the things I want to do.


If you have known me for any length of time, you know that volatile and unpredictable, are great words to describe my health. I never know how I will feel on any given day, and that makes planning too far in advance difficult. It also makes committing to things difficult. However, if there is anything I want in life, it is to live it as fully as possible, and to show Gigi, that obstacles can be overcome. So, I want to commit to making this blog MORE. More of a lot of things. Mostly more better than it currently is. I also want to commit to getting a degree.


I am not sure which degree I want yet, and have several ideas. I think I will go the education route. I really want to work at the food bank, or some other non-profit where I can help people. I can use the education degree to tutor on the side, for some added income. I honestly get overwhelmed when I think about this. So overwhelmed. Especially on weeks like this one, where I am been terribly sick every single day. I imagine how hard it would be, if I had to fit online classes and homework assignments into my week. I guess that is how I know it will be difficult, but it will be worth it. Fingers crossed.


I just want you all to know, that as I make changes to my blog, they will happen slowly, and carefully. I am already having some issues, and I hope changes I make can fix the problems, not start new ones. I also hope that with the changes, I can bring in more readers. It is sort of weird. I do not desire to be a super popular blog, with millions of readers, and I am perfectly happy with my current numbers. However, I do love interacting with everyone, and would love to interact with more people. Which is weird, since I have terrible social anxiety, but that is one of the benefits to social media. I can be social, without such a high level of anxiety.


I still want my blog and my page to be inclusive. Everyone is welcome. We can always agree to disagree. However, I do plan on getting more vocal about my opinions, and if people cannot agree to disagree, then they can find a different blog to read. I have no time or tolerance for hateful, judgmental people. Life is too darn short, and my blog and Facebook will be a safe place, for people of all walks of life, who are able to behave like reasonable adults, and can check their attitudes and need to judge at the door.


I also want to get more personal. Share more of myself. That is scary, but it is what I really want. Part of sharing more of myself, is sharing more of my family. Gigi is totally on board. She has agreed to help me write some future posts. She will tell me what to say, and I will write it up for her. We also want to post the occasional recipe we try and like. We will never post recipes we create ourselves, because that just isn't where our skill levels are at, but we can totally share recipes we find, try, love, and are successful at. I promise there will be pictures.


So, that is what is next. Gigi going to school, me trying to stay sane and better myself, me working on improving the blog, and us getting to know each other so much more. I don't know if you ever got into that bottle flipping game that was popular, but I can assure you there won't be any of that on my blog. I have never done it. Gigi did it briefly last Christmas, with her cousins, and I am happy to say she did not become obsessed. 


So, I hope you all stick around for this next chapter. I am excited. I am scared. I am emotional. I may cry on my Facebook page, and beg you guys for virtual hugs. Hopefully, I do way better than I anticipate doing. I just cannot help it. She is my baby, my best friend, and we have been together for five years. I am kinda not liking the thought of letting her go. Poor Gigi, her mama is a stage five clinger.


Well, by the time I post our next Use Your Words challenge, Gigi will be in school, and I will have started on the next chapter. So, hopefully I will have some positive updates for y'all then. For now, feel free to grab a drink, and go see what words my blogger buddies got, and how they used them!! I will meet you there, right after I get a refill!


Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:


5 comments:

  1. Can't wait to see what the next chapter has in store for you. I'll definitely be here!

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  2. My twins (grandkids) start school next year and I am already hating it. School is such a scary place these days! Good luck Gigi....and good luck Jules!

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  3. Such exciting new chapters! I remember registering my first baby for kindergarten. I cried. Then registering my last for the same. I cried then, too. And with all you have set a goal to do? These will be such emotional and difficult times. But, like you said, totally worth it!

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  4. Lots of great plans, J, at least you won't be sitting there, crying, twiddling your thumbs, waiting for Gigi to come home, right?
    So were you able to sort out transportation to and from school?

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  5. I say YES to being more vocal.
    You have much to add to the conversations that need to be had (though I kinda enjoying having those convos in my inbox)

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