Normally, I hate seeing another year go by. Time passes so quickly and as the saying goes, life is fleeting. I realize that more and more the older I become. It’s funny because when you’re young and have your whole life in front of you, time seems to drag. I guess perspective changes that.
Every year there is good and bad. That’s life and it’s to be expected but 2013 really hit our family hard. This year was a doozy and we couldn’t wait to kick it the heck out of our lives. So when the countdown began last night, we couldn’t have been more excited to usher in a new year. Of course we didn’t go out or anything (maybe next year?), but that didn’t stop us from celebrating!
The Bad
-Sadly, my mother-in-law lost her battle with an aggressive thyroid cancer in July. Three months prior, her health declined suddenly and we’re thankful she didn’t suffer longer. It was a big blow to the family and just very sad.
-A little over a month before her passing, my husband was diagnosed with the same exact disease. This came as a huge shock to everyone but mostly to Kevin. He lives a very healthy lifestyle complete with diet and exercise but unfortunately cancer does not discriminate. He has undergone radiation therapy and is now being closely monitored and will hopefully kick cancer’s butt in 2014.
-Kevin’s company went through some restructuring which led to a significant demotion.
-We had some unexpected expenses and said goodbye to friends that moved away.
The Good
-Ryan turned one this year, and Emma turned five. It is so much fun seeing the kids grow and change and they truly are out greatest blessings.
-We were fortunate enough to enjoy a nice family vacation at the Jersey Shore and other day trips and events throughout the year. All of those fun moments add up.
-The challenges we faced this year has taught us a lot and strengthened some familial relationships, and we’re thankful for that.
-We’ve received an unbelievable amount of support from friends, especially our parish and the Knights of Columbus.
-Kevin just started a new job with a great company and he is excited about this new career path.
Even though this year was full of hardships, we sure had a lot of things to be thankful for. But sayonara 2013, and bring on 2014! My hopes are simple. I just want what we often take for granted, a year for my family and friends full of good times in good health.
Hoping for a healthy and happy 2014 for you and your family!
Thank you Jen. And to yours as well! Exciting times ahead for your new family of 4!
Here’s hoping to kicking cancer’s butt in 2014! We had a pretty good year, except for the giant tree on the house incident. Our general contractor bailed on us, and we’re still waiting to get the house painted. Oh well, we have our health, which is a precious gift!
It sure is! Health is everything. The same thing has happened around here a lot with the hurricane rebuilding. It’s insane!
Wow, you definitely had some ups and downs. Here’s to a great 2014!!