After THAT pity party...

I needed to get all that stuff out in writing so I could read it. I am truly grateful and appreciate for every comment and wonderful thought and prayer that all our friends, family and acquaintances have served up for us.



Here is the "half-full" perspective on this big glass...



1) Kelsey is happy and healthy. Even though she is testing our patience, this is all part of her new transition and also because she is 3. We will all get through this together.



2) My Mom is getting better slowly. We don't know what the "new normal" is now or what's going to happen. We are a family of planners so this is new and slightly scary for us. I am personally getting through by taking the "one step at a time" approach. We had to get Mom to the ICU, then out of ICU, then into rehab, and now we are thinking "out of rehab" and then she'll go to Janet's for a few weeks. Time will tell on this...Mom really wants to live in her house in TR, so this is motivating her.



3) So many people are out of work that there are all kinds of new programs opening up. I think it's not the worst thing that the layoffs came now because if they came later, it might be even harder to look for work. It is discourgaging and disappointing, but we didn't lose our jobs because we aren't talented smart people...we lost them because we had the misfortune of working in industries affected very badly by the first huge waves of the recession (auto and non profit)



4) Kurt and I are trying to enjoy the simpler family life more than ever. We were never jet-setters but we have scaled back some (and will do more soon) and are also in the process of creating an ebay business. We've had the beginnings of success. Next will be a yard sale (specifically to fund a brief summer vacation to NE this year - we HAVE to attend Kelsey's orphanage reunion and then we want to go visit Jimmy and Judy in Maine)



Everything happens for a reason, it's in God's hands and you just have to trust in the higher power. I certainly talk that talk and now I have to walk that walk better. As a "person who likes to be in control" this is a huge wakeup call that I am certainly not the one in charge here.



So again, thanks for stopping by and visiting here. Thanks for listening to me kvetch and vent. and thanks for thinking of our family and especially our beautiful girl!

Love,

JoAnn