Happy New Year!

Wow.

What an ending to not only another year but another decade.

Ten years ago we were on the verge of  collapse... mentally, emotionally and financially. It was the first and only time I ever worried if my marriage would last.

I've always said money is overrated and still stand by my statement, but when you don't have enough to take care of your own family, it's a pretty hard thing to deal with.

Tim beat himself up pretty badly, and being married to me didn't help much.

There were eventually a lot of finger pointing and  hard feelings.

May I add, I am an excellent finger pointer and my tongue can be razor sharp, with a very quick wit and even quicker come back.

Poor Tim.

He's as quiet and easy going as Ole Jed and the nickname fits him well.

We survived, with a lot of help.

 Seems like the time span of a single year.

If you have a loving family

you have everything you need.

Then this happened last week.

It was a great Christmas, but were missing way too many of our clan. 

Sometimes that happens as all your kids grow up and go their separate ways, with their own new family.

It's a very bitter sweet feeling.

I'm thinking more and more...as the years go by, that we need to pick out some random weekend, at any time of the year, when we can all get together, every single one of us, and enjoy our Christmas together, then. 

I have three kids and they all live in three different states now.

I look at these pictures and wonder how the years passed so quickly?

My life is way over halfway done unless I live to be over one hundred seventeen.

I'm truly the richest woman in the world.

Tim and I have always wanted to live in Florida, and now we do.

Less than an hour from the beach.

Perfect hurricane buffer.

After Tim living and working alone first in Lubbock for almost two years, then Orlando alone for another one...then us all in a rental can for another two years...

We're finally here.

Home.

I'll always be a Georgia Girl...

but I sure love this place.

It's no mansion and almost as old as me, but just feels like the right fit.

It's a place where we can all fit,

and bonus points:

a house where the yards are even more awesome than the inside.

It is going to be a tremendous amount of work to maintain these yards, but will also be a tremendous feeling of satisfaction to watch nature grow and flourish around us.

 I can't wait to do it!

For anyone out there battling their own demon... whether it be financial, personal, emotional, mental or physical.

Never give up.

There is room in this world for all of us...

especially with a little help from your friends.

#NeedOneBeOne

As a dear friend of mine so eloquently posted on his wall for the New Year:

(Old pic of him with my daughter)

"May 2019 bring you everything you are willing to work hard enough for."

#BestAdviceEver

Wake up and continue going forward every day.

It may not be a good day but beats stopping or trying to back up.

It's impossible to go backwards (unless you're Michael J Fox)

 Go forward, even only an inch.

That is progress.

Baby steps.

I'm the lucky one.

The only thing that happened to us, is we both lost our jobs at the same time.

To every person I know, battling cancer or another illness... whether physical, emotional or mental (and sadly know more than a few).

Never give up.

Quitters never win and Winners never quit.

Been there.

Done that.

Luckily miracles happen every day.

(another true fact)

For all my friends battling...

You simply never know, so just wing it until your  miracle happens,

and depend on us until then.

Everyone have a good 2019.

At least we've made it this far.

Til next time...Cotton