My year(s) in reflection.

One of my favorite songs. Image found on Google.

2010 was not the easiest, in fact one of my besties commented it was probably the toughest yet. I'd have to agree with her.

It's been a busy one, if I'm going to put it mildly as to not scare you away. Trips, family dealings, kids moving in and out..mild things, I censored the other stuffs out.
But my hubby and I survived it intact.
Points to us for that. I insist.

We sit and talk about the years we've had, going back three, ten even twenty years. We don't always remember everything but the times that do matter we remember when..

Twenty years ago, tough times were measured in days. Each stretching out to it's full maximum with us doing our best to hurry them along. We were parents for the second time, full of knowledge, hopes and a belief we were going to make it through the good & bad. The apron ties had been cut years ago and we had just completed a nest of our own.

Ten years ago found us in the complex, aggravating stressful world of teenagers. We were chained stayed there for  seven/eight years. Not a place I'd willingly go back to unless there was no choice. ( may the powers that be see their way clear I don't ) Such a rough right of passage these days, ours fairly tame in comparison. We felt our way in this world of confusion, emotional roller coasters and a complete understanding of why some species eat their young. No family near to help, to advise, to guide. But DAMN if we didn't pull a fast one on our teenagers, we survived them. Barely.

Three years ago found us at the tail end of that rough time, watching our 'baby' turn twenty finally finding the beauty and belief in her differences. It had been such a struggle for her, heart wrenching for us, unable to help. It also found us on our knees thanking GOD we saw our youngest baby find her 'self' after years of struggling with hurt and pain. She had chosen a very hard road to walk but we wouldn't stop till we helped her off of it. The fight was mostly hers but she came out on top, pregnant but not alone. She had her sister, she had her parents. Through thick and thin, the way it always was.

This year found us struggling to be, once again, the couple we were before kids.A lot older, a boat load wiser.. It was an awakening of sorts. A feeling that we had weathered a long drawn out season, peppered by periods of calm, with times of raging storms. When you have two daughters, it is bound to be an overdose of emotional highs and lows, coated with a thick layer of bitchy estrogen.. and that's just me. Our girls were/are a whole other kettle of fiery finicky females.  But we had signed up for such a thing, perhaps a little naive but in it for the long haul.  To this day, we'd do it all over again if we had to but all I can say is THANK GOD we don't. ;-)

2011 will find us thirty years together, no small feat this day and age. A source of pride for our girls, not many of their friends, sadly, can say the same. It will also find my husband turning 50. A time of decision for him, a time of change. Together we will explore our options and I will be beside him as he stands at his crossroads. I will follow, whatever direction he chooses to go.
I'll face my own crossroads in two years but it can wait. Really.

More than anything, I hope 2011 going forward will be a more evenly paved road. We've had a lot of bumps, potholes and walls to climb on our travels and should there be more ( there will be ) we will weather them together, through thick and thin.
As we navigate this new road not far behind will always be the proof of our love and belief in each other, our children and their children will be forging their own paths.
I pray our roads always intersect and run parallel to each other, our paths forged in love and the strength that has carried us this far.

Goodbye 2010, we survived.
It is with open arms I welcome you, 2011, and with you, the second half of our lives.