A Year to Remember

Now that the year is drawing to a close, I think a lot about how it turned out much different than I expected.  Both for the good and the ill (BUT mostly for the good).  It's kinda like giving birth ... a horribly painful experience while it's happening, but once it's over, you have a hard time remembering just how strong those pains were).  We started the year with roommates (and in case you didn't know, we've had a lot of roomies over the year) and they moved on, we had a couple of months to ourselves, and then got more roomies, and then they too moved on.  Now we're all alone and I LOVE it!  Just in case you didn't know, having others live with you when you have a family is crazy HARD.  It's hard on everyone and it's uncomfortable and stretching and just plain not fun.  Hard to shield your kids from the bad habits of others when they are under your roof, hard to keep your kids from bothering others when they are so accessible, hard from absorbing the cost of others' expenses when you live in a community (which in turn is a killer to the budget), and hard to not resent other's habits when you feel they don't respect the rules of the house, when you're the one providing the house.  Having said that, it feels good to know that we have helped others in need to the extent that we could, for the time that we could.  Having said THAT, we will not live with others again, or let them move in again EVER.

Budget/debt wise, this year has been a pretty good year.  17 months ago we returned to Texas after living on the East coast for the _ time.  I say _ cause it's easy to lose count, we've moved back and forth so many times.  Anywho, we moved back unemployed, flat broke, in hock way past any of my worst dreams, and with very little hope that things would ever find relief.  16 months later, things are so much better.  I've been working with a great company for 16 of those 17 months, Arlin has had a good job and is now enjoying time with the girls before he begins his next adventure, we've paid down a substantial amount of debt, moved our belongings here (after sleeping on an air mattress with only a pack and play and a tub of toys to keep us company for about 3 months), and we've settled into a life again.  It's been great.  I finally feel like a real girl now that we do not have company, and I can just worry about my little family.  Working full time and running a small business with 10 employees in my part time really takes a lot of my energy and when I have to deal with others, I lose all energy for anything beyond making dinner, cleaning the house, and doing laundry.  Now I can think about canning and food storage, Christmas cards, decorating, organizing my financial papers, you name it!  So super exciting!

Health wise we are all pretty good.  We are working towards eating better and maintaining our levels of physical activity.  Lindsay's eyes are doing great since her surgery, and her skins is fairing much better too.  Laney is settling in to third grade, and might just make it through.  We are looking at starting gymnastics and perhaps softball in the spring.  Life is good, and now we can finally get to doing things that we enjoy instead of just survival.  I was wondering if we would be able to make it another year, at this time last year.  AND now I can look back and see the blessings and the changes and the great things that have happened to get my family back on track, and headed down the road we've been trying to be on all along.  I'd say I'm going to miss you 2011, but I don't think I would relive you again at all.  Instead, I'm going to say, Welcome 2012, Let's Make this a Great One too!