December – “No more new”

December was perhaps the hardest month of mommy’s life. I am not sure Ava was too thrilled with it either. She is not old enough to think of it as a great adventure yet…

I started a new job as a Vice President at a college. The first two weeks Ava stayed at daddy’s house during the week. The dogs stayed with daddy and mommy and the cats lived in a one bedroom apartment until my house was settled. Making the most of it, in the apartment...

Ava's handmade Turkey picure from day care made for great artwork and her toys brought lots of color and life to the space when it felt empy. I couldn't resist the piano picture - the small apartment was much warmer than the old house we used to live in...

Ava moved to O and started at her new day care center on the 15th. I am not sure who cried harder when mommy left the day care center each day that week. To be honest, she has adjusted just fine – but it was not easy for her. As of today she calls day care the place where she has “new friends” and each morning she still says “no new friends” if we go out to the car. I know that will change but it is still hard to hear. We were in the apartment for one week - it was pretty tight but the majority of items at the apartment were Ava’s toys – when she was not there I was at work, so I did not have much of my own stuff with me. By the third week of the month Ava had, had enough with all the change and her new mantra (which I whole heartedly agreed with) was “no more new!” Fortunately, I knew that we only had one more move “new” that month and it was happening that day. And, day care was closed for two weeks around the holidays, so she would be spending a lot of time with family – although her two weeks of new day care routine would be shot when it starts up again on January 5th.

Ava, the two cats and I moved into our new house the Friday before Christmas (and yes I did get a Christmas tree up and Santa found us). That Friday we had a blizzard – I am lucky that the movers even showed up. It took them 4 hours to get back to C from O (traditionally a 1.5 hr trip). Ava went to Daddy’s for the weekend and I worked like a maniac to settle the new house a little bit before the holidays. That Sunday night Topi (our dog) came home with Ava from Daddy’s and we decorated our Christmas tree.

Ava hung most of the ornaments on the lower two feet of the tree – thank goodness I am not a glass ball girl. It was very cute – over the next few days we spread them out a bit more toward the top. We spent Christmas Eve at Papa’s with my brothers and sisters, my mom came out on Christmas day and stayed with me through the weekend – it was really nice because I had a lot of stuff to move around since the movers had moved me in, in the middle of a blizzard – so they were rushing and a lot of stuff had to be put in the correct rooms. The second half of Christmas day Ava went with her Daddy to his family’s celebration then she stayed with him through the weekend. Thanks to all of my friends that checked in – it made the holidays much easier!!!

Work has been busy! It is a hard time due to the National economic crisis to start in a senior level management position, let alone learn the ropes of a new job. Daddy and I legally separated the week that I closed on my new house. I know all of the “new” will settle… and I am ready for it to happen. I can’t say that 2008 was a very good year, so I look forward to what 2009 will bring.

As I say the statement above – I want to reflect on the bad for a minute and then focus on the good of 2008.

Bad: Stevie died, Dad C. sick, Kurt’s revelation, decision to split and sell house, said good bye to several people before moving jobs and to a new town.

Good: AVA!!!! – most of our good times together are documented in the blog, Martin from Vietnam coming to visit, my friends and their celebrations, had a great job and friends at IC, offered a new job at HC, getting the job I always wanted at a time when I really needed it, the house selling for “cash” at a time when home sales were unlikely, finding a house I could afford on my own and liked in my new town, getting a new day care spot for Ava at an excellent day care, new niece, generally our family has been healthy, and once again realizing how many amazing family and friends I have. When things are hard, it reminds me of how fortunate I am to have so many people in my life that love me.

I know that God has a plan for me… I just have to be willing to let it unfold and hold onto my faith. “I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for bad, of future and of hope” Jeremiah 29:11.

Now – on to 2009…