How to Help Keep New Year's Resolutions

Have you ever made new year's resolutions and actually kept them by the end of the year? It's hard to do. Here's a helpful tip that my family does. We pick six goals. Here are some categories to help you choose your goals:
(these are just some examples to the right)
-Professional (start a new business)
-Social (hang out with some friends once a month)
-Spiritual (have devotions every day)
-Creative (add to scrapbook once a month)
-Physical (only one dessert/snack a day)
-Financial (save $__ a month)
-Extreme (go skydiving)
-Project (paint the house)
-Time Management (only one hour of TV a day)

We write all our goals on a board (about 6 goals per person) and then the whole family chooses one goal for each person. So, six goals you choose, one the fam chooses for you. Then we make a couple goals for the whole family to do together (like making a movie or something). We then get together once a month and check how we are doing with our goals. We see who did the best at the end of the year. It's really fun!

I just thought I'd give out this idea to those who are sick of making new years goals and never keep them. True, you still have to work to make your goals, but it's a lot easier and more fun with accountability.

Have a wonderful new year!!!!

The Coopers

My family lives a bit far from my church (where I am having school at), so I am now living with a wonderful family from my church who live a bit closer. They were so kind to open their home to me with no charge! They are really amazing people. Ryan and Stefanie have two children, Sheldon (7) and Claire (4). It's good to be back at a place where I get to be a big sister to some kids again (that's one part of India I missed). Hopefully I'll start telling them some stories at night, it would be fun to do that again.
Other than that, I've been trying to get all my Christmas shopping done. For some reason it seems more fun this year than in others. I guess I'm just excited to be home since I had planned to still be across the world. There are many good things that happen when you decide to be flexible.

Well, Merry Christmas!!!! I love you all! =D

Back Home in America!!

Yes! I am back in America! What a shocker! Actually, probably not so shocking to you who have seen me the past month. Yeah, it's taken me that long to update my blog (sorry guys).

This is the nutshell within a nutshell version of why I am back home: The children are no longer at the orphanage in India that I was helping with. I could have helped at another orphanage there, but I didn't feel right about it. I knew God was calling me to come back home. And so, here I am!
I am SOOO glad that I was there for the time that I was there for. I know that it was God's perfect will for me to be there for that season. It was a wonderful experience that I will never forget (nor would I want to forget it).
I know there have been some dangerous things happening in India recently; but no, that's not the reason why I returned. God just said to come home, and I did. It was just the right time. And I am SO glad I'm back!!

What am I doing now?
I work at Pier 1 and am a student at a discipleship school (Generation Interns) at my church. Graduation is in June, but I'm not absolutely sure what I'll do after that. I may just stay home for a while.
Anyway, that's my life in a nutshell these past months.
Love you all and thank you for all your prayers,
Heather

Lice

Sorry I haven't updated you guys in a while. I have tried, really! The internet has been down.
Yep...it happened...lice. I have never gotten it before and I never want to get it again! I didn't think it would be that bad, but when you're in charge of seven kids...it's bad. Just when I thought I was getting ahead on doing the kids' laundry, just when I started getting the swing of things...lice. Re-wash all the clothes, wash out all the dresser drawers, vacuum all the furniture, clean all the hair brushes, etc... I did have help, but it was still hard and frustrating.
What can I say now? Thank God it's over! It happened a couple weeks ago.

Other than that? I'm still telling the story (and trying to write it all down). I also sing to the kids and occasionally make up songs. It's really fun! (I think I get that from my Mom). One thing with kids- it's ok to be spontaneous every now and then(and it's SO fun too)!
I love you all and thank you SOOO much for all your wonderful comments. They really make me smile!
God bless you!

Questions Answered

Ok, to answer the M&M questions: I have tried the peanut butter ones, but the peanut ones are my favorite. The American family who started the orphanage had them and gave a bunch to me. (Don't worry, I brought my exercise ball and I have been using it). There is a store here that has many American food items for descent prices. Except for the pop tarts, one box costs almost $10! But everything else seems to be priced ok.

The stories... I have been thinking that I should keep a journal, but I haven't done it yet. I really need to before I forget what happened.
It is really funny, whenever I need an idea, one always seems to pop into my head (many times at the last minute). I wasn't like that before and haven't really written many stories (just a couple times for Sunday School, but that took days of preparation). God blows me away, He really is there to help when you need Him.

Telugu (I hope I spelled that correctly): It is the language the kids speak. They do know English pretty well, but it is still choppy (I am trying not to get into the habit of speaking choppy like them. ha!) I have also been trying to learn their language, it's pretty fun! The kids get so excited when I speak in Telugu.
Just something cute with the kids: Indians don't have many freckles, so the first day I arrived they tried to count all of mine. They also asked why I have so many. Ha!

Love you guys! Talk to you again later!

Story Time

Every night the kids come in my room for a story. I wanted to read a book to them, but I haven't gotten one yet. So, next best thing... imagination!
It's pretty funny. I didn't think I could tell stories that well or even create my own, but this has been SO fun! This one story has been continuing on for a couple weeks now. I don't know when it's going to end and I rarely know what's going to happen until a couple minutes before I tell it to them. Ha! I try to prepare before hand, but it seems my imagination doesn't flow as well until I start talking. Ha! We shall see how long this story lasts. The plot has been getting more complicated every night, so hopefully I will still be able to manage it. Lol!

How am I doing? Well, homesickness suddenly hit me one day. I think I've been too busy to notice before hand. I really, really do miss all you guys like crazy! Eating chocolate seems to help. Peanut M&Ms have become a good friend of mine. Ha! Ok, I try not to eat too many, but they do help on the days that I miss home.
Love you guys! Thanks for your messages and all your prayers!

Soccer & The Weather

As many of you know, I did not grow up playing sports. I just didn't really care for them and wasn't too good at them either...That is certainly changing. I should be a pro at soccer by the time this year is over. Hah! The kids love playing it and I'm actually enjoying it too! I see some progress being made on my foot- eye coordination.

The weather here? HUMID. It is SOO humid! It's hard to get used to. It is currently the rainy season. All of a sudden there will be a huge downpour of rain which floods the streets and shuts off the power. The thunder and lightning storms are pretty cool though.

Sorry, but I gotta go, talk with you later! Thank you SOO much for leaving so many comments!
I love hearing from you guys!
Love you!
Oh, and yes, the curry is pretty spicy, but I'm used to it now (thank God!). :)