September 2015

Summer is winding down and school is due to start next week. Alexis starts kindergarten next week and it's bittersweet for me. I am ready for the girls to go to school but in saying that I'm not ready to let Alexis go but I know it's time. The reason that I say it's time for the girls to go to school is because they have been irritating each other so much lately & fighting. They are fine when they are separated but it's crazy anymore when they are together. As I look back on this long summer I feel bad because we didn't do anything this summer. We went to a few local events but that is it. The beginning of summer Kelly worked a lot of over time. So we just didn't have the time to do much of anything. Alexis turned 6 in August and we had her birthday on the 15th. We had a nice party & we were extremely happy with the turnout of people that showed up. We didn't even know if we would be able to put on a happy face and have the party due to a huge hit we took to our lives just days earlier.  But we learned something valuable that day -as I remember standing back and taking a breather and watching everyone at the party I was content and happy and feeling a small sense of calm. And that felt good even if it were only for a few hours. It was something we needed to keep our minds busy and just see many of the people we love together and celebrating the day with us.

Let me explain briefly what I'm talking about. Kelly lost his job earlier that week. I don't want to get into the "whys" and "hows" of the subject but I will just say that we did not see it coming and it was a huge hit to us. We went through so many highs and lows in the last 3 weeks that I can't even begin to explain it all. He was at his job for almost 11 years and he was at the top of his game there. I am not saying that to try to sound "big" or "snooty" I am only being honest. Almost anyone who worked there with him will probably tell you the same thing. He was off for a week and found another job with the same type of work just "different colors."  The only reason he was able to get that job so quickly was his qualifications, work history in the business, and a little help from some good people in the business. Just a few days ago he had another job offer that he was thinking of taking. It would have  been more money than his current job and his last job. He would be a boss & have a lot more on his plate. He was to meet with the guy and talk numbers on Sat. but he thought about it and decided not to take it. He wants to stay where he is at and possibly work to become a supervisor. He has only been there a week and already starting next week he gets his own truck and crew and will be a foreman again. He now drives almost an hour to work. So we are having a lot of changes here at our house and it's hard getting adjusted but I'm sure we will over come it all. We never ask anyone for help. We just don't. Kelly and I have always done everything on our own and we have grown accustomed to that. But in saying that I have to put this out there: "Even the strongest of the bunch fall sometimes" & sometimes even the strong ones need support or the simple words of "are you guys okay?" -once in awhile.

Other than the big hit we took a few weeks ago we all are doing okay. Kelly and I will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary next week on the 9th. I cannot believe it's been 15 years. I don't know what we will be doing -probably nothing. Our original plan was to get a sitter this weekend and go out to dinner but I don't think we are going to be able to do that, now. 15 years is an accomplishment, a milestone, I guess. We have been through a lot in 15 years and it's so ironic that the "bit hit" came to us just a few weeks shy of our 15th wedding anniversary. But we learned a lot through that hit & we learned how to get through it together. There have been fights, there have been tears, and there has even been laughter but we are getting through it one day at a time: together. 


FYI: If I do not have you on Facebook and you are on Facebook please add me as a friend so you can see the latest pictures of the girls. I rarely if ever share pictures through email anymore. I share them on Facebook to "some" --not all of my Facebook friends. So please hit the little "add friend" button if I'm not already your friend on Facebook so you can see the birthday picture and other pictures.