As many of you know close to this time last year we received the news Danny's job was being moved to Singapore and he would no longer be employed as of the summer of 2009. Then in March we learned the end would come sooner than expected; his final date was moved up to April 10th, 2009. We didn't panic....we started planning. Then by the grace of God in April I was contacted by my former employer offering me a contract position. Knowing the change was going to be hard for all of us, I took the position and watched our family dynamics change drastically.
Here we are nine months later still surviving and not denying 2009 has been the most challenging year our family has had to endure to date. Future plans were put on hold, major role reversals took place and cut-backs happened and then happened some more. Frustrations ran high, hopelessness peaked, patience levels were tested and some days felt endless. In the end it will be a year Danny and I will always remember.
This year brought some difficult times, but for Danny and me it also brought a newfound respect for each other. Going back to work, I have a much better understanding of the pressure and exhaustion a long day at work brings. And with him being at home, he now realizes running a household and managing two small children is no walk in the park. We have learned we can live on A LOT less than we ever imagined. We made some hard decisions towards the end of this year and decided to get real serious with our money. Our decisions to part with things we thought we “had to have” and other sacrifices has allowed us to be debt free with the exception of our home and it feels REALLY good. Never in a million years would I have believed you if you would have told me we would be here at this time last year.
One of my favorite things born from this penny pinching time is our Family Movie nights. One Friday night a month is spent in our darkened living room watching a rented Blockbuster movie the entire family can enjoy while munching on movie theater popcorn with butter (Brynn’s favorite). It has turned out to be a big hit in our house. So far we have seen Alvin and The Chipmunks, The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch stole Christmas.
Another thing I am truly grateful for is during this past year we were able to keep both Brynn and Braden in their Mother’s Day Out program. They both love school and their teachers. Brynn amazes us daily with the things she is learning. She is constantly quizzing Braden on Spanish words. Her favorite class in school in Music, she loves to sing and dance. Braden on the other hand is our little prankster. His teachers tell us he’s a bundle of joy and keeps them on their toes in class. I am so glad they get this interaction with other children and teachers.
To wrap up a trying year on a good note, Danny received a phone call from his old boss a few weeks ago and was offered a job. It is a contract position and he started work today. He is excited to be back at work. It has been a long road for him and although this is not the end as this position is a contact position, but it is a job and it gets him back out into the workforce. Danny’s first day was my last day at work. I will now be back at home with the kiddos and it is a little bitter sweet as I have made some new girlfriends I will miss seeing on a daily basis, but at the same time I am looking forward to being home again to witness Brynn and Braden’s daily growths. To be able to be home with them again is a true blessing and we can not wait to see what the year 2010 brings.
We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and has a Happy New Year!
