here comes santa claus....

getting older + holiday season = funny.

when i was young, the hoildays, especially christmas, could not come fast enough. i remember waiting for weeks for christmas break. i remember christmas eve night, feeling like the anticipation may, in fact, actually kill me (or at least cause me to kill my sisters, who would not wake up at 4:00am with me).

aren't holidays just plain weird?

being older, the holidays just sneak up on me, like i don't even know they are coming (i should know they are coming, for they come every single year, at the same time. every time). right now, thanksgiving is two weeks away. TWO WEEKS! it seems like two weeks ago, it was summer. and if thanksgiving is two weeks away, that means christmas is only 6 weeks away! and in all honesty, with all the craziness of planning and life and thinking in terms of weekends, i know that will always fly by quicker than i think, and the next thing i know i'll be turning 29 (nine days after christmas) and we'll be starting the new year, wishing for spring.

the other thing i've realized too, as i get older and close to the holidays, is that i start to count the time in regards to pay periods. meaning, i loooooove christmas shopping, it's my FAVORITE (similar to how smiling is Buddy's favorite)! and i like to buy presents for as many people as possible. i also realize, however, that the holidays are not an excuse to not pay my mortgage, my bills, buy my dogs or myself food, or skip out on gas money. which means i need to budget. and as un-romantic and un-fun as it is, that means (for me at least) i have to start thinking how many pay periods are from now until christmas, and how much each pay period i need to save up (or spend!) for christmas presents. it's a challenging (yet fun?) way to handle money... at least i tell myself that :)

for me, money is not a big deal. i could care less, really, how much i make. i don't even know what my yearly salary even is! i do know that i have to try to plan a little, at least, so... i have a retirement fund (through work), i bought a house to build equity (whatever that means) and am staying at kaiser at least until i'm vested for a pension, and things like that. i also, for the first time in my life, have two savings accounts- both of which have over $1 in them. that is a feat for me.

that said, in the coming months, i am going to be cutting my time at kaiser down to part time and focusing more time and energy in my private practice in parker. this scares me a bit, financially, as depending on money from clients who may or may not show up, who may or may not pay this week, is much more uncertain than my biweekly check from kaiser. i also have to learn to save for the 40% taxes that are not taken out of each check. however, this is an area in which i know God is challenging me to trust Him. He has always, always, always provided for me. always. and i've never wanted for something i needed. yes, i've had money issues, but that's because my priorities were not straight. if i really look at it, the months in which i have not tithed or given part of my money to God, have been the worst, financially. even if i give to God more than i think i can afford, i always end up having plenty to get by to the next check. does this mean i'm going to give away all my money to God, in hopes He'll continue to provide more, if i give more? no! God calls us to be wise, not stupid.

so attempting to be wise, i will continue to save. i will continue to budget and think in terms of pay periods. i will also continue to have fun (i.e. sara b.concert monday, trip to chi town following thursday...)! i will make more homemade gifts this year (ideas?) and give more of my own time and self rather than spread myself thin with trying to buy the world for everyone. i will enjoy this holiday season, and remember why it's such a magical and most imporant time of year.

i will also try to read the suze orman book that enchelleada got me last year (cause yes, i am young fabulous and broke, most times), and... i will take full advantage of the 30-day grace period on my soon-to-be-expired car registration and buy my plates in jan instead of dec. :)

see? wisdom. i think God, and suze, will be proud.