I survived

A new decade is finally here and hopefully the world will be a much brighter and safer place over the next few years. Sometimes I just like to write my "stuff" and get it off my chest, and that is what I have done below. It feels good to look back and see what changes have taken place in 10 short years.

I find myself saying "I survived."

I am also grateful for all of the many blessings I have had and the lessons I have learned, not to mention the spiritual growth that took place because of the journey.

These events include only those which directly concerned myself and my children, and do not include those of siblings, nephews, nieces and dear friends whom have also had more than their fair share of traumatic events over the past decade.

Here are the most prominent events of my life over the past ten years.

1) My first grandchild, a beautiful boy, was born in 2000.

2) His Mother, my oldest daughter, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, also in 2000, and after two surgeries and radio-active iodine therapy, she is cancer free.

3) 9-11-2001, which of course affected all of us.

4) My Father passed away after 10 years of suffering from Alzheimer's in 12/2001.

5) My Mother passed away 7 weeks later in February of 2002, after a sudden illness and a 6 week stay in the hospital. My little girl was only 10 at the time, and was with us when she died. Her beloved dog was stolen while we were away, taking care of my Mother. Two of life's lessons she had to learn at the same time - death - and that people are cruel and steal your pets so they can resell them. We were told that someone stopped and took her away in a car, so we know she was stolen.

The next couple of years were rough, with much grieving to get through. During this time I stopped homeschooling my daughter and put her in school to hopefully give her a break from my melancholy.

AND THEN...

6) My husband suddenly walked out on us after 15 years of marriage and after spending the money my parents left me. My daughter and I were in shock. He left in January of 2004. It was a very tough time for a 12 year old girl who had just lost both of her grandparents.

7) The stress and grief left me with high blood pressure and some heart problems which were diagnosed in April of 2004.

8) My youngest daughter and I have moved 3 times since the divorce, the latest of which took us halfway across the country in August of 2009. We finally feel like we have a new start, and so far, we are happy with the move, even though finances are tight.

9) I proudly watched as my oldest daughter graduated as an RN in 2008, and my youngest graduated high school in 2009 and began college.

10) I have survived all that life has given me, the good and the bad, by the grace of God and the help of family and friends, which gives me hope and faith that God will always provide and will always walk with us through the fires and continue to take us to the mountain tops where the air is clear and life is good.

May God bless you in 2010!

Matthew 6.33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

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