Let the countdown begin...

I am finally starting to believe that 2013 will end with me still in one piece, both mentally and physically. It's been a tough year.  And, sadly, I believe it's been a tough year for everyone I know.  My problems are not the worst I have heard of, and my heart goes out to those people.  Divorce is a very strange process.  It has the ability to bring out the best and worst in people.  And it has done both with me.  Like most people, I don't like to dwell on the things I do wrong, but I am not so ignorant as to believe that I played no part in the dissolution of my marriage. As I've touched on before, I am grateful that I have learned so many things from it and can move forward.  I've learned that I can handle a lot more than I thought I could.  And with that in mind, I've decided I can learn to be positive.  January 1, 2013 was a different world than I will enter on January 1, 2014.  I am a new person with new experiences and goals and get to build a whole new life for myself and the kids.  My brother put a 2013 recap on his facebook status and it really put things into perspective for me.  He hasn't had an easy year, either. 2013 will be a year to remember for both of us.  Some of it was bad, sure.  But I like to think that what we've learned and GAINED from this year will be what we really remember twenty years from now.  A new beginning.  A beautiful daughter.  New friends.  It's worth it.  Life isn't only about being happy and having good moments, and I get so frustrated with people who believe that.  A perfect relationship doesn't exist.  A perfect career doesn't exist.  Most days, you will go home tired, upset or exhausted.  However, there will be those days when everything goes right.  When you feel like you can conquer the world.  And those days are worth all the bad ones.  They're what keeps you going to the next great day.  So, I know a lot of you are looking to put this year behind you.  Try to find some good from it.  Be grateful for the things you have and the problems you DON'T have.  Start 2014 with the right perspective.

I hope all my teacher friends survive the last week.  I know I will NOT be moving from my couch all day Saturday unless a screaming child is needing something.