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Happy New Year!

It's hard to believe another year is coming to an end. Seems like only yesterday we were starting the New Year. At the end of any year it's always good to look back and remember the good things that came in the previous year!

Some of the good things I am thankful for from this previous year:

1. Happiness and healthiness that me and my family have experienced in the last year. The most important thing, in my opinion, is being happy and healthy. We have come through the year without any major illnesses or depressing events having occurred. There were moments of worry and concern as there will always be but all turned out well. After having barriatric surgery in September I have lost over 100 pounds from my heaviest weight and am off all my blood pressure and cholesterol medications. I never thought I felt bad about myself image wise and confidence wise but it is amazing how much better I feel about myself and my image since the surgery. 
2. Having found a great church and church family. After being on off an on church goer for a long time I feel like I have finally found a church I feel that I belong in. Going to church on Sunday mornings used to be something I looked at as an interruption to an opportunity to sleep in. Now it has become a habit and I feel like something is missing from my week if I don't make it. The people in the church are great and several of them have become what I would consider very good and close friends. This is all the more important because I don't feel Katie has as strong a family closeness as I would like her to have and people in the church have really welcomed her with open arms. My knowledge of the Bible has grown substantially. Just the other day someone had a question about the Bible at work and was I able to answer it! Along the way I have become active in the church and have helped out in several different ways to try and spread Gods love to others.
3. Discovering couponing, frugality and wealth of recipes. This past year I discovered the fun of clipping coupons, shopping for freebies, taking advantage of sales and discounts, and a ton of recipes online. I am now always on the lookout for new coupons and ways to put them to the best use possible. I have scored some amazing deals and saved lots of money doing so. I wish I had tracked all the savings I have come up with through the year but did not do so. I also like cooking new recipes so finding many sources for new recipes was another great find during the year. 

As with the beginning of any New Year, there is a chance to begin new habits and improve upon old ones. I normally do not make New Years Resolutions but think that I may try some this year. Some of the ones I think I will want to work on:

1. Continue expanding my knowledge of the Bible and sharing Gods love with others. I plan to read the entire Bible this year. I have read daily readings as provided by my church but have never read the entire Bible cover to cover. I hope to expand my involvement in my Church as well, although this can be difficult at times since I work evenings where the majority of the opportunities are available. Not only will this allow me to continue to share Gods love with others but I believe it will show Katie that I feel church is important by her seeing that I am devoting my time to the church as well.
2. Trying to entertain more and strengthen family closeness. I am always a believer in saying that if you don't like something then you should try to do something about it. While building the family closeness that I would like to see Katie have available is a two way street, there is no reason I can not make an effort to do that. If the effort is not reciprocated then there is nothing I can do about that but atleast I have made an effort to do so. I will know in my heart that I have done everything I can to try and accomplish the goal. Also, since I don't eat much anymore I don't get the opportunity to cook as much, so this will also give me an opportunity to do that as well!
3. Continue to be the best husband and father I can be. I already think I do pretty well in this area. However anytime you stop trying to improve and be the best you can be then things slack off. I believe there is always an opportunity for improvement in everything as nothing is ever perfect.

Another one of my New Years resolutions is to update my blog more often. I plan to include more personal items and stories in the blog as well as continue to post about coupons, giveaways, sweepstakes, recipes, etc. Let me know if there is any areas in general you would like so know more about.

I hope everyone has a happy and prosperous New Year! Be safe if you plan on celebrating!