When the pieces of the puzzle come together

First, I cannot believe it is already Thursday. Secondly, I cannot believe it is already December 14th! This month is just flying by, let alone this last quarter of 2017. I mean seriously! But in that same shocking existence I am realizing that the puzzles of the mystery I have been living are all coming together and the beauty of the final image is just amazing!

Online we often share only the beautiful parts of our lives, yet I can attest to sharing with you quite a bit of things that have been a bit on the ugly side in the last year. But in the same breath, I have also been able to share some pretty miraculous turn arounds and can honestly say the lives of my family should be a living testimony to anyone who will listen that things do turn around. Even if we feel like we can no longer take one more moment of despair, we must hold faith that it won't last forever. There is always a morning, and always an evening. Time doesn't stand still, neither will you stand still stuck in whatever it is you are going through.

At the beginning of 2017 I was "stuck" in a career that I was growing to hate more and more everyday. Not because of what I did but who I did it with. And not the little ones under 4 feet tall who spoke their minds and hearts so freely. No, I hated working with the ones above four feet tall who said one thing to your face and other things to anyone else that would listen all while smiling and acting like nothing is the matter. My husband was unemployed. We had a senior graduating High School and I found myself unable to make a single promise to my kids and know that I could keep it. Everything just felt like it was spinning out of control. I was losing faith, courage, hope, and I could tell that my husband had grown weary of praying and feeling like his prayers were going unheard. Ya'll have heard this song and dance enough times that I do not have to play it out all over again.

You know that I am very much happy in a new career right?! You also know that my husband is pretty much permanently hired with his new company as well right?! Our daughter has a new job and is loving it and doing well. The boys are doing very well in school and to say the The King family is thriving would almost be an understatement. Seriously!

No longer teaching, was a bit weird at first when it came to this Holiday season. For so many years I would come home exhausted and basically creatively spent that I had nothing left to give my family, let alone myself. Over the years, this blog has suffered. My Youtube channel has suffered. I would put my goals and dreams on the back burner and soon they would get so cozy there that that no longer beckoned for me to play with them. Then came the realization through my new career honeymoon glow that I would not have a long winter vacation over Christmas and I for just a sliver of a second became sad. It didn't' last long though because I knew I would still get to spend extra time with my lovies as they were freed from the hustle and bustle for a couple of weeks. Then I came into work one day this week and found out that I was going to be given a paid Christmas vacation to be with my family for the week of Christmas. That means.... 11 days off in a row and seven of them being paid for like any other day. :)

Ya'll have no idea how happy I genuinely am! Like taking that first breath after putting a puzzle together that has taken forever to do. My life now takes my breath away in a good way! To 2017, I have to say THANK YOU because you helped me release some things that I needed to so that I could be free to embrace the loveliness you had in store for me all along!

To you, reading this, thank you! Thank you for always being there for me to share my journey and may my life be used to encourage and inspire others in their's.