I feel it’s safe to say that this has been a bit of a rollercoaster year, complete with ups, downs, and loop-the-loops.
It started off with a lot of uncertainty and frustration. My mom had just begun chemo, everything around the house was breaking, and the people we brought in charged us huge amounts of money, and the stuff still isn’t fixed. My husband had a job opportunity that he was excited about – slight problem, it was on the other side of the country.
The job was back and forth. At first it didn’t seem like it was going to happen – then it did… then it didn’t, then it did… This went on for so long I jokingly called it the pet cemetery job. Every time we thought, “That’s it. It is not happening,” my husband would get a call and the whole process would start again. (If you have read Stephen King’s book by the same name, then you’ll get the reference. Though I hope our ending is better than the book’s 😀 )
On the upside, we were able to travel and go to more shows this year than we ever have before: plays, Cirque du Soleil, family vacations, and such. Which has been a big challenge for my daughter in the past.
Lots of ups and downs, as I said.
No surprise that my creativity suffered. I was able to work some on the third book in the Stolen Away series, and start a new project – posting stories and such on Ream. But finding the words was a struggle.
So now, at the end of the year, as the river of time seems intent on rushing us into the new one, everything has changed. My mother has successfully (fingers crossed) finished her chemo. My daughter has taken the next steps in her life towards being an employed member of society (for someone on the spectrum, this is often a long process). And my husband is in Wisconsin, starting his new job. From South Florida to Wisconsin, that is a BIG change!
Funny enough, I am not one for changes, especially big changes, but as this year draws to a close, everything feels oddly… hopeful.
My husband is off on a new adventure, and vicariously, so am I. Don’t get me wrong, all of us here miss him, but it has been kind of exciting to share with him all the new things that he has been experiencing – like snow! And these last two weeks, I’ve had a chance to breathe, and my muse has been peeking through the window to see if I’m ready yet for her to come back.
Next year feels like it will be one filled with excitement and hope, a sloughing off of the old as we race forward into the new year. It may not live up to all my expectations, but I feel like we have started out on the right foot.
Wishing all of you, everywhere, a joyous and prosperous new year.
Idyll Dreams & Nonsensical Things 