Happy New Year!

2011 was the year that things finally started looking up for us- we found a nice big house that we love and can afford, my hubby spent his first 3 semesters in school after 30 years and made the Dean’s List all 3, and he also found a job after 15 months of unemployment that will help him stay in school.  I also found a great like-minded friend which is something that definitely had been missing from my life.

I’m hoping the momentum will carry on through the new year!  I’m very content right now and though there are some new skills I’d like to learn and a few new habits I’d like to make, I’m not looking to make any huge changes this year.  I want to continue to be happy and content with what I have and not look forward at the uncertain future or look back at what cannot be changed.

Happy 2012.

And the days pass by…

I had the best intentions to completing my month of gratitude, but it just didn’t happen.  Life gets so busy so quickly sometimes.

The week before Thanksgiving Sal finally found a job.  It’s only seasonal but it’s been a blessing.  He has also found a part-time job starting on January 1st.  He will be working as a gate attendant at one of the country clubs in the area.  It’s a night job so he will still be able to continue going to school during the day.   We’re hoping he can stay on at his seasonal job as a part-time employee,too, and then we should be ok.

We’re adjusting to not having him home often now.  I miss having him here at bedtime but I’m sure glad to see him when I wake up.  Facing putting the kids to bed alone is sometimes a bit overwhelming, too, but we’re hitting a pretty good routine now.

The house is decorated for Christmas now and Mesa spent the afternoon baking chocolate peppermint cookies.  I’m almost done with our shopping but I still have quite a few things to make.  I’ve been in a rut and I’m so glad that I feel like I’ve snapped out of it!

I hope that I’ll be back to share more in my space.

November Gratitudes: 3

Family!

My amazing husband.  My sweet, crazy kids.  My sister and her husband and my niece.  My parents.  My cousin and his family.

I am so blessed to have almost all of my family nearby.  Tonight when my sister picked Onee up, I invited her back for dinner and she was able to come and enjoy lasagna with us.  I love having her just a few blocks, 8 to be exact, away.

I was able to stop by parents on the way home from Olivia’s dental appointment and visit my dad and my mom stopped by yesterday afternoon just to say hello and see the kids.  I love that we are able to just stop in and say hello!  I remember how close I was to my maternal grandparents and I am so glad that my kids have that chance, too.

November Gratutides: 2

I missed yesterday due to a conference call and then heading to bed for a very early morning today.

I’m very thankful for friends.  I personally don’t have many at all any, but I’m so thankful that my children all have one or two good friends.  I love when they come over in the afternoons and I can hear them giggling and making up games or when I hear Olivia talking on Skype to her friend in Pennsylvania as though she were right there in her room hanging out with her.

Friendship is so important.  I’m glad that I am married to my best friend.