I have exciting news!  I’ve decided to get a roommate for the 3rd bedroom of my house.  This will probably come as a big surprise to some of my friends and family who have heard me defend the lifestyle of living alone.  I am as surprised by it as anyone else.    What can I say it just felt like the right thing to do.  It’s going to be an adjustment but I’m looking forward to something new and making new friends.

Financially its a no brainer.  I will be making more money on tenants than I am currently spending on rent and I will end up with more square footage and nicer space even with the  space allocated for tenants.  I will have an office and a huge master suite so there should be tons of privacy.  Sharing a kitchen might be challenging  at first, but I’m up for a challenge.

All 3 of my tenants I found via craigslist (something I swore I’d never do again) and I checked references (the girl who is rooming with me goes to my old ward and knows a lot of the same people I know.  Small world).  You never know with things like this but taking risk is part of life.   I feel as confident as is possible that they will be awesome tenants and it will be a great thing for me.  Regardless I know its what Heavenly Father wants me to do and that is what is most important.  I am sure it

is His will.  I can’t wait to see why He wants me to do this and the blessings that unfold.

Life is certainly full of twists and turns. So, they also announced that my house will be done 12-31-12.  What a fun New Years present! I’m going to give my notice on Monday at my current place just to give a little more leeway if something goes wrong (like a blizzard comes in or the appraisal gets delayed.  Whatever).   This means my move in date will probably be around the 5th.  Get ready friends to help me move!  (Thanks in advance!)

Other news…I’m not going home for Christmas this year.  This is the first time in my adult life except for my mission and I really went back and forth over the decision but talking with my Dad today confirmed it will be best for me to stay here and get ready for the move.  I just know the anxiety of travel combined with moving will be too much.  (I hope my family knows how truly agonizing the decision was for me. I felt really sad and even a little guilty not coming.  Hard to explain but true).  Plus, saving money before closing never hurts and my parents are coming out the next week anyway so it would really only be for the day.

It does make me a little sad to know I am 31 and spending Christmas alone…I don’t think that is anyone’s ideal but it is what it is.  I’m certainly going to be less lonely come the beginning of the year so no complaining there!  God has His own timing for my life and I just have to keep faith. He knows me and He has certainly been guiding me as I’ve gone through this housing and subsequent tenant search, I have to believe he will guide me in ALL parts of my life.

The Christmas season isn’t going to be that different.  I just have a little bitty tree (the tree I got from my mission) instead of my large memory tree (still doing 2012 memory ornaments).

I am also making this the season of the Messiah Sing-In.  Always a tradition for me since I was a little girl but this year I am going to three! Nothing like it.  Makes me emotional every time I hear it.  I think of my mission when I had some deep lonely times and the music always made me feel at home.  I listened to it year-round.

Next week I am having the 2nd Annual Christmas Swimfest, which I am excited about.   This is something I invented last year to give back to my swimming family.  We do a solid workout set and than a bunch of goofy relays like exchanging t-shirts after a lap or eating a saltine cracker in-between laps (its really hard!).

I’m going to try and think of some holiday themed relays and already have some (nutcracker relay, back stroke with foot out of water like a ballerina).  If you have any ideas let me know.  I debated about doing the Swimfest this year because of the move and everything but I’m glad I decided to do it.  It’s really the least I can do and after doing 3 of them already it’s not much work.  Getting the word out is probably the hardest part, so if you are in the area come out- Gene Fullmer pool 10 am.

I am also going to Christmas Carol on the 18th with my best friend Emily and her husband. Hurray!  This is always a highlight of the holidays for me.   I love the message of redemption in the story of Scrooge and that nobody is a lost cause to Jesus.

So, as you can see I will have plenty to keep me busy (and there’s more I could listen, let alone packing up my apartment!).   Still, I’m a little concerned with Christmas Day itself.  What can I do on that day to make it not seem lonely but happy and full of a spirit of giving to others?  (I am doing a sub-4-santa type project but that will be done this Saturday, not Christmas Day). I’ve thought about going to a midnight mass at Cathedral of the Madeline.  I’ve always wanted to do that but never been able to step away from family.  It could be a neat community experience.

What would you do if you had Christmas alone? How would you make it special? I’d be especially curious for those who have spent Christmas alone and what they have done to ensure it wasn’t a big pity party. (Oh and I just want to clarify that I am not staying at home as some kind of revenge to my family.  So many of the posts I read online were of that vein.  As chaotic as they can sometimes be, I’m actually sad to be away from my family at Christmas).

Please forgive for this somewhat rambling post.  Lots of news to catch you up on.  (Oh also next week I am going to a speed dating activity in Salt Lake.  Wish me luck!)

Oh and I also want to see Les Miserables on Christmas Day if anyone wants to come with!