Daily Question: Tues. Dec.29 2009

[snake_lady]

First of all, my thoughts are with everyone who has had a trying year..... Death and hardships seem to have followed a lot of people around this year. For that I'm sorry. The positive in this, is that we move on, we grow stronger, and we HAVE survived the harshness this year has had.

My year has had a lot of bad, but I've been focusing on the good.

- I got Kiwi and Kitchi this year
- I lost Brandy and Pax

- My kids went through a scary event this summer

- I still have all my snakes (could have been an issue with the above)
- I've been sick alot
- Being sick and with a lot of physical difficulties has taught me not to take anything for granted and to live for the moment, NOT for what "might" be
- I had the first surgery.... good part: it was a success... bad part: I had some misimpressions of what kind of effect it would have.... had my hopes up.
- Met some new friends whom I love and cherish
- lost some old friends (unfortunately that comes when you are not physically able to do a lot of things that you once could)
- found out the true person hiding behind fake ones, on several occassions which was good... Rather find out sooner than later.
- My family all moved out of province and I miss them terribly, especially for Christmas.
- I was able to go away for a well needed me break, in which I surpassed a lot of my own fears, and renewed my outlook on my life and its challenges.
- I had a wonderful Christmas thanks to my family and people I've met on here.
- now I'm sick....again.....

Looking back, it was a crap year filled with physical pain and difficulties, emotional hardships, disappointments and surprises.... BUT, it was also filled with LOVE

, and for that, I am thankful.

 

[starryeyedtiger]

-I decided that I did not need to remain in an abusive marriage where I was also being cheated on. I told my family the week of Christmas last year that I was getting a divorce because I was afraid for my life....I signed my lease Christmas Eve and moved everything in Christmas Eve/Day while my ex was out of town (He was a cop so I knew him and his buddies would make things hellacious if I didn't move then). I went through a nasty divorce to get out of an abusive relationship and consider myself a survivor. I literally lost everything (and this summer lost the roof over my head when my lease was up and had to move back home with my mom), but I knew it was worth it to get away and have a fresh start (I had lots of love from TCS and some of my family...that helped!) that's my biggest thing for the year. I'm now in school again so that I will have a wonderful job when I graduate and never be in a position like that again where I was "trapped".

-I also learned to love again when I was not even looking to date. (God has a funny, but good way of doing things imo). Jack and I will celebrate 8 months in January.

He treats me better than I could ever ask for and has shown me what a REAL relationship shuold be like (with no abuse, no cheating, and each other being happy). This year I wasn't sure how I would do with Christmas since it was the 1yr anniversary of everything....but Jack made it wonderful

We spent Christmas with BOTH of our families at his parents house, went to church, made cookies at my sister's with all of the kids in my family, and had a lot of great new memories...the way it should be. That restored my spirit soo much.

Learning that Christmas could be good again was such a blessing.

-I adopted a beautiful geriactric grey long hair kitty named Holly that was 18 yrs old and in CRF....I didn't expect to become as attached to her as I knew she was quite sick...I did but she quickly became my best friend in a very short span of time! She was always soo happy to see me, and in turn lifted my spirits when I was going through a difficult time. One day I woke up and she had experienced a seizure...she was completly paralized on one side so I knew I had to take her to the vet. Her passing away was soo sad for me. I have always fostered, but I'm usually good about not getting "attached" so to speak...but that was impossible with her,she was just such an amazing girl! It was a great feeling to know that reguardless of her age, she was given another chance at a forever home and she was loved soo much while I had her!

She touched my heart soo much. I'm sad that she passed, but I feel blessed that I was able to be her mommy for a little while!

-I also adopted sweet Hagan (my German Shepherd). He weighed only 48lbs & was severly emaciated. He also was heartworm positive, scared & aggressive, never been in a home, had kennel cough/upper respiratory infection, giardia, and two severly infected puncture wounds that made him go into septic shock. He was due to be euthanized the day I adopted him. We both needed a fresh start and each other (I was a fromer vet tech and he neded a new home and lots of medical attention...perfect match!). He has since made a full recovery (after LOTS of trips to my vet friends!) He has more than doubled his weight, is heartworm free, healthy & happy, and passed all of his obedience classes.

-I started med school for neonatal/pediactric & cardiovascular Respiratory Therapy. I love it, and I love that I will have a good job after I graduate...that means I will also be able to move again and be completly self-sufficient. That's a good feeling!

It's been a long year!

 

[ldg]

Oh wow, it's a lot of big questions!

I am really sorry for the loss, difficulty, and pain that really seems to characterize a lot of 2009.

I'll start with the disappointment first.... and that is that Gary is still suffering beyond most human endurance. This January we "celebrate" 3 years of not a single moment of pain free time for him.

Thankfully, my family is all doing well both mentally and physically, and my sister & her DH still have their own bike biz; my brother kept his job and my niece is graduating college and already has a great job lined up (amazingly)!

In the accomplishment category, Gary and I were able (with the help of someone who has become a good friend as well as our business associate) to remake our business model. I am very thankful for that!

....and I have made several wonderful new friends, but one in particular stands out. I didn't realize until she reached out to me how alone I'd been in this struggle with Gary's pain. We've been able not only to support each other, but to learn so much about things from our partner's point of view, because, sadly, she is also struggling with a lot of pain. This friendship really has transformed my life in a way I couldn't imagine before, and this lands in both the "joyous" and "worth remembering" categories!

Despite some wonderful things.... I'm really happy to be saying "good bye" to 2009 and I'm looking forward to "new beginnings" in 2010.