September 2009 - Last Month of Misery

I decided that September 2009 will the the last month of my/our misery.

Just to recap last 12 months for you:

1. My husband lost his job overnight after 10 years without warning.
2. We had to pull our kids out from minor hockey due to dirty politics involving my husband
   
3. We had to use his severance pay to half finish our new house before winter (we we're living in a travel trailer).
4. I learned the truth about some people I trusted and lost one of my best friends in a process ( no she didn't die - she showed her true colors).
   
5. Christmas morning our 5 year old epileptic puppy died in a seizure.
6. My older son and I spent 3 months in and out of the hospital due to his diabetes complications.
7. My husband applied for 475 jobs in last 11 months - was hired 4 times - 3 times the company closed or project was canceled before he started or right after he started (he worked 3 weeks in last 11 months).
8. I started home daycare and after 1 month I lost half the income due to lay-offs in our local plant.
9. First time in my life I had to deal with Collection agency and learn my rights the hard way.
10. First time in my life I had to borrow money from family just to pay bills and buy food and medications for my children.
11. First time in my life I could not afford to send my son to the Diabetes camp in the summer (I think this one was the hardest)

As of October 2009 I am taking on a personal challenge to change my life from misery to happiness. I know I can do it......just watch me world!

My Life in a Nut Shell

Last 12 months of my life were a nightmare, but before I start you need to know a bit about myself.

I was born in former Czechoslovakia. Escaped with my family over the mountains from Yugoslavia to Austria at the age of 19. Spent 2 years in a refugee camp waiting for Canada to give us a Landed Immigrant status. Worked 2 jobs for a minimum wage to support my family as the only English speaking member and being treated like a second rate citizen.

After marrying a wonderful man I went through years of fertility drugs, gaining 60lbs, losing all the self confidence I had left. Bought a restaurant 400km away from my husband and our new house to fulfill my father's dream (he's a chef and can't work for nobody, but himself). Eventually, after reuniting with my husband I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Sold the restaurant after 8 years of hell working with (or for?) my parents. Had another healthy baby boy and decided to work from home...eBay here I come.

I also moved my sister, her baby boy and her husband into our guesthouse so I can keep my sister and her baby safe and taken care of. While I tried to help her manic depressant husband (now ex who is MIA) to overcome his drugs and alcohol addictions.

In 2004 my older son was diagnosed with ADHD due to his high IQ.
Christmas 2005 my older son was diagnosed with Juvenile (Type 1) diabetes (like he didn't have enough to deal with).

For next few months we were battling with our local Minor Hockey Association about letting our son continue playing hockey, allowing him test his blood glucose and administer his insulin in front of his teammates. (ridiculous, I know).

September 2006 I watched my friend to lose her extremely hard battle with Melanoma.


Then life settled down and we were your typical middle class family. Nice house, new cars, vacations, kids playing hockey, family membership at the golf course and stay-at-home mom working from home running her online business.

Till.......September 2008

I lived through some bad stuff, but nothing to compare with my life this past 12 months.


So I decided to give myself a year - 365 days of positive thinking, hard work and maybe a little luck to see if I can change my life and make it better then it ever was...

Stay tuned...