At the beginning of this year I did a Blog Post; It's The End Of The World As We Know It! Looking ahead into the year of 2012. Since the Mayan Calender supposedly ends in mid December, people have speculated it means the end of the World. Now as the end of this year is fast approaching, I'm looking back on this year & thinking maybe the Mayans were right! Or should be!
This has undoubtedly been the toughest year of our lives. It started with me loosing my Mother in March. Now both of my parents are in Heaven, along with my only Sister & her husband. Four very important people in my life. I miss them all the time.
Financially this has been the toughest year for us as well. I am working more hours than I have EVER worked in my life, at the most stressful job I've ever had. My Husband is working Two Part Time Jobs. The past several years he has been helping out Churches that really need us, but in this economy can't really afford us. (Hence the Part Time) But with working outside jobs, we can't really get plugged in & become part of any of the Churches. That's not what were used to, or how we like it. We want a Church were our entire family can be involved. Where we can have Friends & be a part of each others lives. That just can't happen right now.
For years we have talked about our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We planned to renew our Wedding Vows and have our kids stand up with us. We talked about the kind of dresses the girls would get, etc. My Mom left me her original Wedding Rings & I was planning on having her original diamond & mine set in a new setting. And at the beginning of this year we had the money we could have done it. But life happened, or literally, cars happened to us. My Sons truck blew & was no longer drivable. My Husbands car had a lot of things go wrong with it. My other son bought his first car & then has had some things need fixing in it. We were given a car, which 1st son now drives & has had a lot go wrong with. Even leaving us all stranded in the middle of the desert, where thankfully a stranger stopped & gave us a ride into town. Even my car has broken down. After having it fixed, my husband goes to pick it up & finds it undrivable. Apparently, putting it up on the lift, shot out all 4 shocks, which just added to the cost of having it fixed. It was dropped of at my place of work after being fixed again & on my way home, the check engine light came back on! (are you kidding me!) The shocks had been replaced, but not the casing they were in, so now every time I hit even the smallest bump, it makes a loud noise! At least 3 of the 4 cars Check Engine Lights are on at all times. And no matter how many times they get fixed, or how much money we put in to them, it's never really fixed. It is so frustrating & has taken all our money. So needless to say, there was no Vow renewal this year. It broke my heart. But We still Celebrated. My Husband made it very special, and maybe we'll do the Vow renewal at 30 years. My girls will be 20 by then. Yikes!
There has been many months this year that bills got paid late or not at all. But we have a Friend who says "If Money Can Solve It, It's Not A Real Problem." :) And though it adds MUCH stress, money is the least of our worries. I've also been battling some Health problems. Changing jobs, meant no Health Insurance for quite a few months. And as soon as I lost mine, I broke & lost a filling in a tooth, dealing with a small, throbbing pain in my mouth. I've had female issues to deal with. And on top of everything in July I started breaking out in Hives. That persist. We are now trying to figure out if they are from an Allergic reaction, (to who knows what) from Stress, or something more serious. I look & feel terrible most of the time. I'd post pictures, but I'm much to vain for that! :)
And this year, a few of our kids have faced some very tough situations, that have sent our Family into Crisis mode. There is nothing worse than watching your kids go through things. This year more than any other, John & I were up, not able to sleep many nights, worrying about & praying for our kids. There have been times we've been unable even to eat. (Which says a lot, since we love to eat!) :) Through it all it has brought us all closer to each other. We really do have the best kids & are so proud of them & love them more than life itself! Our oldest son received his Associates Degree in May & our second son will receive his Associates in December. They now have proof of what I've ALWAYS known, that they are much smarter than I am! :)
So, you see, all & all, after the year we've had, I'd probably be okay with the world ending! :) This being the first Holiday's with out my Mom, I'd like to just skip Christmas all together, (I am thankful that my kids are old enough to understand financial matters & to realize why this isn't going to be a "normal" Christmas for us) And go right to the New Year! Forever the Optimist, as I look forward, I'm dusting off my Highest Hopes that 2013 will be a MUCH better year for Team Forbis!
