I live by the saying "Every day is a gift from God", but three months before I turned 20 it hit me I wasn't going to be a teenager any more. By the time my birthday came around it didn't bother me a bit. The only other decade birthday that bothered me was my 40th. My Mom had passed less than a year before and I somehow felt leaving that decade behind was leaving her behind too. I'm looking forward to "retirement". Other than being paid to write for a website's blog, I haven't had a "job" in almost seven years now. I don't think of myself as retired until my hubby retires and we're both looking forward to that. Gibby wow! You most certainly have the right kind of attitude. I think part of the reason I feel that every day is a gift is because I almost died twice as an infant and toddler. Happy upcoming birthday RoseAbby & Marlene I've a March b-day too. Ha ha Annie! I've been that way for years. My Daddy was too. And if you really think of it once you hit a birthday you are really living the next year of your life. As in when you are 49 you are living your 50th year. I'm like RoseAbby in that I am never sure what age I am. I'm always having to count the years in my head. Snort at your last comment about not remembering what you learn. Ellendi made a point that has bothered me. Looking back I think how fast the time has gone, makes me sad that there is less to live ahead of me than there is behind me now. I'm so sorry to hear of your diagnosis BillyGoatJoe That, pardon my french, sux!

Boy does life really take us on different journeys. Started 2010 taking down commercial holiday decor. Continued family fighting over estate matters for my Great Aunt. Decided to build our dream home on our land. Met a con artist contractor to facilitate home build. Fired con artist who stole our dream, building funds. Hired a lawyer to commence civil litigation regarding home build. Communication broke down completely with sibling (co-executor of Great Aunt's estate). Hired lawyer. Tried to talk our best friends from Scotland out of coming to Canada with 2 daughters (they booked for July in January) due to having no home to host them in. Had a mental health break down, tried to commit suicide. Got help - again. DH purchased weekend trailer day before our home sale closed for us to live in on our land. Home effects went into storage. Worked with lawyer to build a major lawsuit. Met more new friends (neighbours) who opened their hearts and doors to us. Helped us make a decision to fight back and stay here to fight for our 16 year dream. Found a new contractor equivalent to 'Mike Holmes'. God sent us a miracle. Continued fighting with family. Continued getting help, seeing doctors. DH went to doctor. Wore down from stress. House build commenced, health started to improve. Made our little trailer our home. Built flower gardens around trailer area with plants from previous garden. Experienced horrific winds that demolished outdoor tented area (had my clothesline....). BBQ blew over, awning tore off side of trailer...felt like I was going to Oz. Learned lifespan of plastic pail port-a-potty. Appreciated construction site toilet hut - luxury at last. Experienced bird baths in large buckets. Washed some clothes in large pot of boiling water. Traveled to laundry mat every 2 weeks. Finally got power to trailer, unhooked generator. Got telephone line and internet in the trailer - the world returned. Came home to KT. 6 months later, moved into new miracle home (downsized dream). Launched major lawsuit against group of individuals for original disaster home build. Continuing to work with lawyer for estate matters. Said good riddance to 2010. Starting new life with new hope. Promised myself to get back onto a healthier lifestyle and to enjoy the small things in life again.

Sorry I didn't update earlier, been a busy week. The doctor called on Tuesday and everything was good. Urine culture was negative, thyroid was good, iron levels were good. She hasn't had an accident since Saturday night. Doctor said if she does continue to have thirst/urination issues, she would refer us to nephrology. I don't know if it is related or not but DD now has runny nose, cough, etc. Perhaps it is the "bug" that arkansas girl's husband had and the exhaustion came before the other symptoms. The little boy I watch, 3 months old, is sick too with the same symptoms. His mom took him yesterday to the doctor and they checked for RSV and it was negative. I'll just keep watching, like I do. Thanks for waiting with me.

A number of years back my mom gave me a used drink pitcher for Christmas. Not a nice pitcher or one with special memories, this had the nasty dishwasher etching and no idea where she got it. . At the same time mom gave my brother’s girlfriend old coffee cups, based on the design they were probably from the 80’s. No clue what was going through my Mom’s mind, she was not having financial or health difficulties. My husband and brother received very generous gift cards to Best Buy and she gave nice nice gifts to all the other family members. It was as if she was upset with us for some reason. Never figured it out.