My journey has began. It will be long and hard, but already I see the pieces fitting seamlessly together. This journey also has a name, Inheritance Ranch Children’s Home. I want this place to save children from the instability of the foster care system, the constant bouncing from house to house. I want the ranch to be a place to call home until adoption. A place for kids to learn values and how to set goals. An environment where they have opportunity to grow and see their potential for success. I want them to have a room that reflects their personality and their style- a room of their own. I want them to be able to dream and to know that even though a family might never come to embrace them, that they might be adopted and be given an inheritance far greater than this world. That is my goal. It is big, I know, but I can envision it, and that is the beginning.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth

matthew 5:5

So, in trying to earn a few extra bucks here and there around my crazy school schedule, I’ve decided to start something of a business. I really have enjoyed this new endeaver, I just hope it catches on quick!

www.winterweaves.webs.com

 {I have some summer styles too }

I always here the phrase ‘life has a funny way of working itself out’, or something that that extent… but really it’s that God has a funny way of rearranging our lives.

In the end, I absolutely adored our wedding, not to be boastful, but it was ideal- minus the lack of dancing- but at the time I’m not sure I had the energy for some twists, let alone any shouts. Everything went off without a hitch and my in-laws were behind the scenes, around the scenes, in the scenes working things out- heck, there were several times where for me, they were the scene- which made the day all the more enjoyable. Our good friend, Chase- who just so happens to be a missionary (ironic right?) performed the ceremony for us and had THE most beautiful ’speech’ for the ceremony- I mean- talk about fitting into the ‘not expected’ category, this was far from traditional, but I couldn’t have picked one that better fit Daryn and I.

Only 2.5 weeks into marriage, I’ve got a new job, we’re looking forward to moving,  we might get a puppy, ALL of our bills are paid off ON-TIME… AND we have money in the bank to spare (and i’m not talking gas money either)… and our apartment is a complete disaster. It was clean, I promise. And I was finding places to put my clothes in the closet and the kitchen was all organized- then sometime last week after we had company things started to go down hill to where we are now… thus there won’t be any naps until something changes… I mean, who can nap in all that mess?!

Anywho- Life is good and I can’t wait for this Whittaker family to have it’s first Thanksgiving and Christmas… not to mention my birthday in there somewhere

Well- I’m still with my old job… but Daryn now has a new one. Which is great! And even better that he actually enjoys working again. We also had our engagement pictures taken this weekend! Which was amazing! Andyes, I know you’re supposed to do that around the time you get engaged, but really now, who checks those things. So this would be the upside of the roller coaster I call life…

The down side began Monday morning when my jaw dislocated again. As if I didn’t need to be at work making money any more than normal, this happens at work, so I go to get Daryn. Long story short, and on our 2nd doctor and 2nd bill (though no ambulance or ER’s this time), I’ve been knocked out again and my jaw is back in place. On top of that- we have no insurance. So. Thus begins the plummeting feeling that hits you right as you look over the edge of the hill and you just know that this one is gonna be the one that might put you over the edge.

In an attempt to level out this nauseating feeling, we’re selling things on eBay (nothing we didn’t need to get rid of already mind you, we haven’t become overly desperate), Daryn’s looking to pick up a second job and I have started a business. Kinda. Well, it’s a work in progress. I’m selling scarves. I know it’s limited, but I’m hoping to expand into hats, which wouldn’t be hard, and then later mittens/gloves, though I’ve never done those before… we’ll see how those go. I’m already working on a website. I have models and ’sales people’ in place. Now I just need to actually make my first full batch to offer or show as samples. So here we go…

Oh- I’ll add the web page to here when it’s done.

So I’m currently in the process of trying to find a new job. And guess what else… so is Daryn. And we’re only 71 days from the big day. Then 2 months after that we get to move, into a house, an apartment, a townhome… something, but we’re moving. Did I mention that we’re both going to school this semester? Oh joy. Nothing like multiple major life changes all at once. So somewhere, deep within my inner core, I have to find where God hid that thing called perseverance. Ok, so maybe God didn’t hide- maybe I lost it, though I’m not quite sure when that happened.

To be honest, a big part of me is looking forward to the next 4 months, however crazy they may be. I like conquering a challenge. And yes, I will conquer this. I say that not to be boastful, but because I know that God has given us ‘time’.  Think about it.  None of these things that is currently causing my jaw to ache will be the death of me. In time, these things will pass. So, in a sense, God has guarenteed our survival… but it’s up to us if we’re dragged through time, or we manage to manuever through it, or on a rare occasion we find ourselves running. My Christian life has taught me that it’s merely a choice- as if God were saying, “here’s the situation, how would you like to go through it today?” Only by following His word can we move through time via any other means but on our face. And the more you look to Him and have faith, the easier it will be, and then suddenly you’ll notice that you’re practically gliding through something that once seemed impossible.

I don’t know, maybe that doesn’t make much sence to you, or you can’t related… but it works for me, and it motivates me to be more obedient to my God.

Why is that that people can’t get by each others differences. Both young and old become rude and sometimes indignant at the simple fact that their skin is a different color from others, or most often that the other person’s skin isn’t the same as theirs- it sounds like the same, but believe me, those are two completely different mindsets. The constant racist comments, from both sides mind you, end up causing problems beyond the imagination. In all honestly, no, Caucasian people do not, for the most part, understand what it’s like to be in slavery- but at the same time the ones that you live with in today’s society didn’t partake in it either, and they can’t be held accountable for their ancestors actions, and even if they were then you would have to acknowledge the fact that somewhere in there a white person had to be an abolitionist to make it happen- some white dude had to sign some document enabling desegregation. And I am aware that it isn’t the whole of our darker counterparts just as it isn’t the whole of whites who say things that are inappropriate. (I’m going to say African American or black- if you become offended because you’re not from Africa or you feel its derogatory, I apologize but I’ll use whatever it is that you prefer when the group as a whole can make up their mind. I mean nothing in disrespect, I’m just tired on stepping on someones toes no matter what I use. It’s simply an associative term in my opinion). Moving on… Also, why is it okay for our youth- the youth not more than a generation or two away from those who actually, first-hand, fought for equal rights- finds humor in these racist comments that cause so much strife. Or why do they have to label an activity as strictly White or Mexican or Black. It’s true, blacks, as a culture, are good at sports (specifically those of contact) and dancing and singing. But not all of them are. Just as Hispanics are diligent workers. And that’s not a bad thing. They were raised, culturally, to be hard workers and to be proud of what they do- if more whites and blacks were like that, things would be a lot better- but not all Mexicans are like that either. And all I hear from other cultures/races is that the white people take over everything- and to be honest, they tend to do that- but there isn’t a whole lot of others to compete. And I understand that there are still people out there in Americia that are racist and act accordingly in their business and service and whatnot, and shouldn’t be. But those people aren’t holding your future in their hands- they just closed of that particular door way; Do you really think that God is going to make your life miserable just because of this one guy- God is not racist and if you say otherwise, I advise that you simply don’t speak around me- because that’s just nonsense. Now, from what I understand about 80-90% of the black community will be in an uproar if they were to read my brief comment here if nothing more than I’m a white girl having a say about the African American community. But for those who may read- I am a part of a joyous Christian sorority where I am part of the small 1% of Caucasian girls- the remaining ladies are black. And I love each and every single one of them to death- it must be a miracle that we all act like sisters- who would have ever imagined…

All my life I’ve been told to slow down a bit, to work with what I have in front of me, that I’ve got too much on my plate- but for some reason, it’s what I do. That’s not to say that I can’t change, because I am fully able to alter my lifestyle. The problem is that I tend to gravitate towards at least 50 million different groups or organizations or such ever semester that add up the hours of lost sleep. But it keeps me going. It keeps my schedule tight, if I stand still for too long, and I know that I have an extended period of time, more often than not I become lacking in productivity. Though I do get good use out of my movies in those times. Though the added stress of feeling like I don’t have time to eat or only getting gas because I’ll never make it to my next destination despite the fact that I don’t have the time to spare- yes that heightened anxiety of racing against time- that stress and I seem to have a good thing going. I can never end my day and say that I didn’t do at least something, though rarely do I get everything crossed off my list. But every year it seems that there is something else, small, but yet something more to pile onto the towering list of things to do. I realized the vast amount of ”responsibilities” when I made out my To Do List for this week alone, which adds up to over 110 things, all to be done by next Saturday. And I promise you, somehow they’ll get done, yet still I’ll get sleep and food and get to work on time, and go to all of my classes and what not. It’s literally a miracle. Sometimes it’s like God himself has frozen time- though it sounds a bit pompous of me to say that He did it for me to get my stuff done- but it really does. Maybe one day I’ll pass out from the simple fact that I’m not the energizer bunny and I can’t just keep on going, but until then, I think I’ll work with what I have for now (until something else comes up ) and pray that God helps me through things and shows me what it really is that He wants me to do, or not do. This all might sound a bit odd to you, or it might relate completely. Either way, thanks for reading .

Hello all, considering this is my first blogging page and the reasons behind me not having one until now, I think I’ll keep this to what my blogs are all about. They are simply my opinions. Please remember this while you are reading them. I do not say things in an attempt to irritate, frustrate, or eradicate your views and/or beliefs. In the instance that you would disagree with me on any subject strongly enough that you feel like you must comment, please do, but with maturity and strictly for the sake of debate; my blog is not a place for vacuous arguments. Also, I would truly appreciate that your word choices were appropriate and not vulgar. Thanks all!  I’ll blog later.