Day 30 -- Epilogue: Write a letter to yourself.

Dear Kari,
You did it, 30 day challenge is over (and took 45 days to complete, lol)! While it has been fun blogging each day and having a set topic to blog about, I am excited to get back to writing my own topics again. I would say that some of my favorite blogs were the ones I did that opened my life up a little bit more, and brought God out a lot more. My reflection from that is that I think I am going to continue to keep God in my blog a little more. On the other hand, it was also fun to just do little blogs with just a fun topic. I believe I will do a little of both now.

I am glad to have the guilt gone. The guilt of forcing myself to blog, and if I didn't feeling super guilty. (Knowing me, I am going to start blogging more now that I don't have to). This was a great opportunity and I truly enjoyed the experience. I am happy that it did increase the readers, and hopefully I can keep getting more readers by my more personal and passionate posts.

The biggest thing I would like to make sure I keep in mind though is, this is only a blog. My readers are virtual. My son and husband however are not. I don't want to put anything, especially the computer, ahead of them. So I will continue to blog, and I will continue to give you quality posts, but I will not let it become more important than my men.

Love, Kari

Day 14 -- A habit you wish you didnt have

Two things come to mind when I read today's topic. First I wish I wasn't so chained to the computer. And secondly, I wish I didn't care so much what others thought of me. Considering the second one is not really a habit, I have decided to talk about my dependency on the computer.

The computer, specifically facebook, has become such a crutch in my life. I think regularly about shutting down my facebook account. What stops me is the support groups I have there, and my family is in Michigan, and we keep in touch through facebook, especially now with Ethan. I truly do not know if these reasons are legitimate or just a reason to keep myself online.

You see, I don't have a ton of friends in Killeen right now, and the few close friends I do have are getting close to leaving (they will all be gone by November), so my friends in the computer make me feel less alone. If I am feeling any such way, I have someone to talk to. I am apart of La Leche League support groups (breastfeeding), weight loss/healthy living support groups, I have family members, I have high school acquaintances, not to mention my newest group of friends that live apart of my blogging world.

I think that the Internet has become a way to hide in my comfort zone, yet not feel alone or depressed (although writing this blog has suddenly made me feel that I am depressed, lol). On the plus side though, Without Wednesday's bring me one step closer to life outside the interwebs. And each week I spend the day offline, I love it more and more. Who knows, maybe one day, I will be web-free.

So, what is the habit you wish you could kick? I would love to hear.

Day 7 -- My hobbies

My current most important and enjoyable hobby, is playing with my son. I never would have guessed that making a fool out of myself, just so my 4 month old will laugh could bring me so much joy. But it does, being his mama is the best hobby/job I have.

However, when Ethan naps, and especially on our "Without Wednesdays" I like to read, I want to get back into make my hemp jewelry, and obviously, I like to blog.

My reading is not anywhere nearly as often as it has been during some stages of my life. I truly love a good book, I just get to trapped in the internet to pick it up. I enjoy a good romance book, but not anything higher than a PG-13 in book form. I used to love mystery novels, but I haven't read a good mystery novel in a very long time (have any suggestions?). But lately most of my books that I am reading are Christian fiction. Either Christian Romance, or Christian Mystery. A good author can write a novel, with christian undertones, or blantly christian, and you not feel like its a bad story or that religion is being shoved down your throat. See Ted Dekker, and Francince Rivers for example.

A couple years ago my aunt brought me to a music festival called "Wheatland" and they had little workshops there where they taught you how to make/do things. I went to the one that taught about hemp jewelry and fell in love. For the next year I made tons of necklaces or bracelets for my family and friends. But then I just kinda, stopped...I recently bought the stuff to get back into it, and I did make one bracelet for Charlie, but I just haven't really committed yet.

I don't know what has gotten me so into blogging lately. But I am enjoying it. I don't have a very high volume of readers that follow (I hope that changes) but I still enjoy it. As long as blogging doesn't start to take away from my responsiblities as a mommy or a wife, then I am keeping on.

I am always interested in trying new things and expanding my horizons, do you have any hobbies that may be interesting?

Day 1 -- 15 facts about me

1. Thankful for my heavenly Father and Chuck, because without them, I would be an orphan by more than just official definition.

2. I used to live by the philosophy "I will try anything once" but that didn't work out so well, now I live by, "I will do anything to glorify God".  

3. There are days I talk to my sister on the phone for hours (literally), and when asked what we talked about, I would have no answer.

4. I read my bible everyday. I began this habit in 2010, and had some breaks in 2011 (that was a rough year for me) but have no missed a day since last August. It is amazing how much you learn and grow when you are determined to read God's word daily.

5. My mom always cooked "with a pinch of this" or "a splash of that", never having measurements. I can say that I have become that type of a cook too. My chili recipe (and others) is never the same twice.

6. I am incredibly self conscious. I gained nearly 80 pounds when pregnant with Ethan, and have lost 40 pounds so far, but I have a hard time looking in the mirror at times.

7. I lived in Europe for nearly 6 years, and traveled and saw a ot of things, but I have never been happier than I am now.

8. I met my husband at Lowe's (where we both worked at the times) and my first impression of him was that it was creepy how he always smiled at me.

9. Charlie and I got married in Las Vegas a mere 3 1/2 months after we started dating. Have never second guessed it, and never looked back. I got me a good man, and I am happy.

10. I will forgive anyone who wrongs me, no matter what they did. Because I know the cost of forgiveness. It has been held from me, when I was truly sorry, and I have been forgiven for my many wrongs. Not to mention, if Christ can forgive a sinner like me, who am I to withhold forgiveness from you. But don't take me generosity lightly, just because I forgave you, doesn't mean I will allow you to continue hurting me. Jesus says to forgive 7 x 77 times, but he doesn't say I have to keep allowing you in my life if all you are going to do is hurt me.

11. Ethan is 4 1/2 months old, we are still breastfeeding strong (and we will be breastfeeding until he is 1 or he self weans...we haven't decided), we cloth diaper, we left him intact, and once in a while we even co-sleep. He's my first baby, and I don't know how to do everything right, so we are just doing things how we feel best. And this works for us, and we are happy.

12. I am one of the cheapest people you will meet. I am always looking for a good deal, always willing to accept something for free. Goodwill and Craigslist are very good friends of mine.

13.  I love to read, but I get lazy. I waste so much time on the computer and will go months without picking up a book.

14. I love inside jokes. I love knowing things that no one else knows. I love laughing at something that no one around gets, and even if I tried to explain it, it would not do justice.

15. I want to be the best I can be, for God, Charlie, and Ethan so I am always trying to improve for them, and not be stuck in a rut.