Wow, Really 8!?!

Yes, 8! That is what my daughter Isa turned this past Thursday. I can't believe it... where have these years gone? She is truly a beauty in and out! We decided this year we would not be doing a birthday party but activities together. We went to the water park, the one with fun slides and pools and lazy rivers... we had such a fantastic time there, and as "icing on the cake"... we ran into some friends of Isa's - so in a way it was like an unplanned birthday party for little Isa. They got to roam the park on their own (I was so freaked out at the thought of letting her go on her own, okay I was constantly checking on her, two steps behind without bothering her or letting her see me much).

From left to right:
1. Isabelle & Olivia at the park's rocket ship. Get ready for take off! 2. Me and Isa make normal faces along with many silly faces. 3. Isabelle's 8th birthday cake. Peter is our newest family member. 4. Last but not least, I need to know how to take care of Peter.

A promise we had made to Isabelle was that she could have a pet when she turned 8. We had agreed on a dog at first but after evaluating the responsibilities, we opted for a Hamster instead. We are now the proud owners of "Peter" as in "Peter Parker". I am not the usual pet friendly type so it's a huge compromise for me to allow her to have a pet. Let's just say I have not picked up Peter yet... It's hard... he runs fast and I'm a little scared. Go ahead and laugh! :) It's amazing how nocturnal these little guys are... he just runs and runs and runs, usually after 9:00 p.m. He's cute, I give you that!

On a more personal note I am reading a book about when to stick to things and when to quit them. (Not a book about "never give up" either.) It has actually been a great read. You see, I am one of those that starts like 10 different things but seldom finishes one to the end. Take my crafts for example, I have several unfinished pieces. My sewing, I start the plush doll, don't finish the plush doll. So when the pastor at my church talked about the book being a good read - and being able to apply it even in a biblical way, I decided to check it out because I myself want to avoid what the author refers to as a "serial quitter". I don't think of myself as quitter as of now - what I wonder is why am I losing motivation in doing some of these things I love. I'm not depressed, I'm not sad, or blue or anything of the sort. It's just I can't seem to make the time for those things I love, but why? I know the time is there. In all, apparently there are many reasons: time, money, fear, not being serious enough about it, lost of interest, lack of focus, quitting when it gets too hard, or picking the wrong thing at which to be the best at.

Now to many, this may sound self-explanatory, (many reviews of the book say the message is obvious) but not to me, it's all foggy and I have to clarify it by having someone tell me it, in my case the author gets to do that. Lucky him! Anyhow, if you feel interested in checking it out or if you suffer from the same problems I've listed above then maybe reading this book may allow you to clear some of the fog: The Dip – A Little Book that Teaches You When to Quit and When to Stick. In all really, it's just a read that shares with you how to pull through when you fall in the dip. Have a happy day.