Ripping off the Band-Aid

Are you still waiting for my Merry Christmas/Happy New Year card...well you'll be waiting awhile....

I don't think you want the tear jerker it might be.

In summary:

• I still don't have a full time, permanent job.
• I still am working my temp job.
• Men are still bastards and ATM should have never been trusted...of course he waited until after meeting my parents at Thanksgiving to show he was still a lying bastard.  But he is consistent and lied to them too.  Ha! 
• Money is still a pinching situation until I can find a real job. 
• Unicorn took a job in San Antonio.

And that is just the highlight of why we should never, ever, ever, ever, ever speak of that year again.  It is a year that is best forgotten ever existed.  It was definitely a learning and growing experience.  On the positive side, I really learned who my true friends are and who I can really lean on.  I got to go back to school and take classes by way of a grant.  My knitting crafts are slowly turning into a business.  I was still able to go back for the 20th reunion of the college softball team going to nationals. So there were positives, it's just the negatives were so heavy.

So, a little birdy...ahh cuuzzin, points out I just don't blog enough so I thought I better start blogging again.  This year I know I will be better as I will have many positives to share as well as things I am learning along the way.

The homestead will be getting some much needed upgrades by the end of the month.  I knew that I was going to need a new roof at some point.  For obvious reasons, I needed to wait until money was not so tight.  Well, December 29th, mother nature opted to help that cause.  A hail and wind storm left part of my privacy fence knocked down.  Well, when I went to lean part of the fence back up to keep the fur kids in check, I found some shingles.  Yep...as 2015 luck would have it, they were from my house.

One of the neighbors works for a storm company and came out and did a free assessment for me.  In looking at it, she said yep, fence has wind damage and roof has hail and wind damage and the window façade also has hail damage.  YEAH ME. 

Last week, she happily met myself and the insurance adjustor at the house.  Well after a lot of white circles on the roof, the insurance adjustor agreed that there was enough damage to warrant a full replacement of the roof.  They also agreed to cover 3 of the 9 fence panels.  #winning  The Storm guard company said that they would work with me so I don't have to pay anything out of pocket, or that would be their goal.  #doublewin

Well, then I decided I would call the landlord for the rental next door.  Technically because I have the "nice" side of the privacy fence, I should be the one to maintain it.  But, you always lose if you don't ask.  So, I called and asked if they would like to split the cost of replacing the full fence.  As shocked as I was, they indicated that they were beyond happy to share the cost!!!  So, now I have gone from needing to pay for 6 fence pickets to having to pay for maybe 20% of the fence.  #triplewin

For someone that has been as financially strapped as I have....you have no idea the happy dances I am doing right now.  Next step...full time job.....

We may not have it all together....

Most go through life with maybe a brother or a sister, maybe a couple, some few, some none.  However, I am blessed beyond measure.  It truly wasn't until I had a conversation with my SIL that I realized how really, really blessed I am and how from outside looking in, our family is really awesome. 

Yes, I was raised with two brothers.  However, I really have 6 sisters and 7 brothers, most would just refer to the extras as cousins.  My dad comes from a large Catholic farm family.  He was the baby of 7, who in turn blessed my grandparents with 14 grandchildren.  Of course the age spectrum is wide, as one would expect, but I was truly blessed to call some of these my best friends.

Cousins 2013 (Missing Russ & Shane)

My branch of the tree was different in that we didn't grow up near Grandma & Grandpa's.  We moved to Lincoln when I was 5, while the rest of my cousins stayed near "home".  However, that didn't change much for us "city" kids.  I think three out of four weekends a month, we spent back home visiting the grandparents and our friends, aka cousins.  Every summer, for two weeks my oldest brother and I spent time up north with them.  My godparents, I always believed, earned a saint award as they were crazy enough to host us 'younger' cousins all in one weekend.  Seven of us were had those weekends and while I am pretty sure us girls were the saint of the bunch, the boys sure tested the rules.  I cannot count the injuries, the times we played with fire and all the bad things that were had...but, I will never forget those times, the memories.



This seems like a bad idea...

There was family vacations together...who could forget Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun?  There has been plenty of weddings since those early days.  We have been attendants, candle lighters, hall decorators, and just there for each other.  They truly are some of the best friends a person can have and the best part is that they REALLY get how crazy this family is, with all our faults.

But the best part is that the cycle has not broke once the weddings have been had and new branches have been started.  The cousins still see each other, the children are friends with each other and the cycle continues.   Maybe one day Aunt Jenn can have some of those little minions visit Texas.  I'm sure they would have fun stories with that trip.

Some days it is these exact people that make living in Texas so hard.  In reality, it is being so far from family that is the only negative of living in Texas.  Of course, some days it is a blessing in disguise.  However, today is one of those hard days as we say goodbye to Aunt Mary.  Her life was cut way too short and was called home on Thursday.  After talks with my parents, since I was just with everyone and saw her just a few short weeks ago, they didn't feel I needed to come back.  It has not been an easy decision as I am sure there are plenty of laughs going around right now as everyone remembers the stories to be had and I am missing out.  However, I know I am there in spirit and have said my extra rosary's for Mary. 

What is the saying...We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.  I am truly blessed.