2013 Year end Review

We had some pretty amazing things happen this year.  For the first time ever (so in

over 10 years) the family went on a couple of 2-3 day vacations.  Tommy isn't much a fan of those, but the kids and I are so maybe more can happen, at least for us.  Angelus had a blast shooting off fireworks, and watching fish being prepared from start to finish (and still ate it!).  I'd never seen him as excited as I did this past year about 4th of July stuff or Christmas either.  We got to check out the Toy and Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley, OK.  It has something for everyone to check out and isn't so big that you (or your kids) get overwhelmed.  We went to a comic book convention where Tommy was a guest and they put us up in a Hotel.  The kids loved it.  Faith enjoyed staring down out the window from the 7th floor.  Angelus loved  talking to everyone and doing PR guy stuff.  We went skating and bowling and spent a chunk of the summer down at the River.

Faith got to do a mini-cheer camp and she enjoyed the heck outta that.  School has been a bit more challenging for her to stay all day this year, but she does get the 1 on 1 that she needs when she is there.  Changing her to two times a week in O.T. has helped tremendously.  I sometimes fall into the habit of seeing just how far she isn't, but when we did her review a few weeks ago, having it written out, she has hit several milestones within the past 6months.  It was a good reminder to remember to look at where we've gotten and not where we haven't.

As I've said before changing schools for Angelus was a good thing.  He isn't miserable and he also has way more kids come over to play than he ever did attending the other school.  He is doing well.  His grades are pretty decent and he just wants to be involved in so many things.  We've had to start the long process of the dentist for him.  It'll take a little while to get his teeth where they need to be, but he doesn't seem to mind going to the dentist.  Dentists are just so $$$ and generally have horrible bedside manners.  Really, why isn't there more with a decent bedside manner?  Anyway, we're fixing his teeth up and he's glad about that.

Tommy and I bought our first ever car together.  I kinda liked the fact that we had to do it with each other.  My credit was "long" enough and Tommy had the income.  We had good enough credit scores that we got a great rate on the car loan too.  A few months later, Tommy was on his way to Tulsa and totaled the car.  Thank goodness

he was okay.  We had full coverage and GAP insurance so the car was totally paid for and we got another car almost identical to the first, just a year newer with 40,000 miles less on it.  The first was an '09 with 50,000 miles on it and the second was a '10 with 10,000 miles on it.  I've no idea how someone has a vehicle that is 3yrs old and only 10,000 miles on it.  So, anyway....I guess we got our first two new (to us) vehicles this past year.

We were more involved with the Ability Tree, having the kids participate in the Art Ability and at the end there's an art show that you can see what the kids worked on.  They also did the singing day camp.  Angelus was a huge fan of that.  I don't think he can do it next year as I'm pretty sure it only goes up to 4th graders.  Tommy and I checked out the LaughAbility and enjoyed ourselves quite a bit.  We don't do the after school stuff with the Ability Tree because we live 30min. away and that just wouldn't make any sense.  I am so thankful a place like this is available.

Around the end of July we found out my dad has cancer.  Stage 2 prostate cancer, so they caught it really early and with dad being only 54 he is also extremely young to have it so that is also on his side.  He finished up his treatments about mid to late October.  He still hasn't at the doctor appointment that says (you're cancer free!), he's pretty sure that's a ways off.  Anyway, a day or two after finding out he had cancer we (surprisingly) found I was pregnant.  A few days after that I started hurting and got in to see the doctor, it was determined that it wasn't a viable pregnancy.  I've taken it pretty hard.  Even though it was unexpected, and I tend to be fairly healthy (other than weighing a little more than I should), I've had tremendous guilt and sadness about it all.

Tommy got promoted to supervisor which he seems to have a love/hate relationship with.  As in, it does seem to have given him more confidence.  At the same time, he's had to log more hours and has made much less money if he hadn't been promoted.  Just my perception, but he seems to simultaniously (sp?) love and hate being more knowledgeable than most about the job.

There is more news to be shared.  I'm waiting for everyone to get to a more healing place before I say anything.  All in all it hasn't been a bad year.  I've got the privilege to stay home and hang out with these lovely children, watch them grow and develop, build stronger relationships with family and developed more friendships.  I now have a few people I'd call good friends and it's been many years since I've felt that way.  I'm grateful to those who are in my life and so glad to call you friends.

May 2014 bring you joy, happiness and the fruition of some of your dreams coming true.