Wrapping Up 2012

Thank you, Jesus, this year is almost done.  This has to have been the most trying year I've had...ever...between issues at home and issues with Katie's behavior both at home and at school, I AM DONE.  2012 can officially kiss my ass.

In retrospect, though, some good has come out of this year: 

There have been tragedies, yes, the Newtown school shooting being the most recent.  In the wake of Newtown, an amazing group of people I am proud to be a part of, came up with something wonderful.  It is a Facebook page called Autism Shines.  This has led to an actual WEBSITE.  What is it?  It started as a grassroots photo project that highlights people on the spectrum and their gifts.  It really is beautiful.  You should check it out.  I am thrilled to be a part of it.

I found an amazing group of people this year, thanks to a dear cyber friend.  I now have a group of people, I have never met, that are the most supportive, amazing, funny, snarky, assholes I have every NOT met in my life.  I love them all dearly, and I can't imagine having made it through some of the shit that has hit me this year without them.  I would tell you who they are, but they would then be forced to kill me.  I swear it's not a cult.

Katie had her first Holy Communion this year.  She did a wonderful job waiting in line with 70 other kids to receive the Host.  I was a proud Mama that day.  I may have cried a bit.

I am beginning the quest to find myself.  I don't mean that in a drug induced, hippy kind of way.  I mean that somewhere along the way, I lost the strong, energetic, don't-take-shit-from-anyone, person that I used to be.  I am beginning to find her again, and I'm not going to stop digging until she's back.  She's been gone too long and I miss her/me.

I got my piano tuned.  I know that seems like something little, but I used to play all the time.  I used to be pretty good.  Somewhere along the way, I stopped playing.  Now that my piano is tuned, I have a good excuse to start playing again, and I have.  Talk about stress relief.  I had forgotten how therapeutic that was for me...except when I do something stupid like agree to play for the school sing-a-long that OMG got cancelled due to bad weather!

I made it through an election as a conservative without physically shooting anyone.

I enjoy my job.  The hours suck and I work with criminals, but I actually enjoy my job. 

We got a new car.  My old one finally died.  I don't get to drive it often, but we got a new car.

There has been a lot of shit that has happened this year too.  I'm not going to go into it all right now, and some of it is still going on, but I have made a pledge of sorts to myself this year.  Call it a New Year's resolution if you must.  I will work on making myself happy this year.  Somewhere along the way, I stopped doing that.  It is so easy to do when you have kids.  Especially a kid with special needs.  You forget to take care of yourself until it slaps you in the face.  That's what happened to me this year.  Not anymore folks.  I'm going to be happy, damnit!  I'll keep you posted on how that goes.

Thanks to my little following for reading.  Hopefully, I will be a better blogger in 2013 and will write more.  Writing is also very therapeutic for me.

I hope you all have had the best of holidays and will have a happy New year!