2022 was overall a really good year for me. I think my H and I have finally hit a point where life isn't full of all these big dramatic changes to our careers or where we live, so things feel steady and calm which is a nice change.
Highs: - Our trip to Croatia was amazing. We also had a nice vacation to Charleston/Savannah, met friends for a great weekend in Philly, attended my family reunion, and we went to visit family in TX twice and my parents came to visit us once. I am close with my family so all the family stuff was great! - My H and I both finished a year in our jobs we started late in 2021, and both really like where we work. I personally don't feel like I want to change employers anytime in the next many years. - We got new flooring in 2/3 of our house, so that's helping me feel more settled into our place too. - I started teaching as an adjunct online, and I found it pretty rewarding and seemed to be really well liked by my students, which feels good. - My student loans were forgiven through PSLF -Other than a couple of things mentioned below, my family and friends all are mostly healthy and alive. As I turned 40 this year, I've thought a lot about how lucky this makes me and how it won't be that way forever, so I try not to take it for granted.
Lows: - My grandma's dementia progressed a lot this year, so I feel like she's not really here anymore. This has not affected my day to day very much since we don't live locally, but I know it has stressed out my mom a ton and I do miss my grandma and having a relationship with her. - My sister is dealing with some mysterious abdominal pain issue and we're all worried about her. - Although it doesn't impact me directly at this point, the overturning of Roe vs Wade was probably the thing that was the most upsetting to me this year. - I honestly can't think of anything else other than the general shit of world politics, inflation, etc. I am very lucky.
Highs: two trips (Portugal with just DH in March and France/England with the whole fam in June). Teaching my daughter has been really fun this school year.
Lows: a rough three week span with some deaths that rocked my school, a very difficult student that apparently is here to stay despite everyone saying he can’t. Work in general has been tough in 2022.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
Post by redheadbaker on Dec 28, 2022 11:51:21 GMT -5
High: buying our first house
Low: in the past month or two, my employer has been talking about budget cuts for next year and only focusing on high-return projects. I updated my resume and started applying at other jobs.
Lows: -Trying to help DD deal emotionally has been very difficult. I know we are making progress, but I wish I could be better at being her mother. -My dad has had some health issues that don't seem to be as well-resolved as I'd like them to be. He's doing a lot better than he was this time last year, though. -I have lost a lot of patience and respsect for some family members due to their behavior.
Highs: -Starting lexapro has made life so much less of a struggle -I started a core exercise routine that has reduced my recurrent back pain by 90%. I don't understand why I didn't do this sooner. -We went on a few trips to see family. We got to see both of our grandmothers and the kids got a bunch of cousin time. -My job seems like it's going well. I feel like the position and the company are working out well for me. -We put in a screened in porch and it was my happy place when the weather was nicer.
Post by midwestmama on Dec 28, 2022 12:34:39 GMT -5
Highs: Travel. We had fun family trips and I went to Krakow, Poland twice for work. The second trip to Krakow was when the Christmas market was open, so I got to check off "European Christmas Market" from my bucket list.
Lows: Work. I feel like I've barely had any training for my job, and we've had vacancies all year due to open positions and maternity leaves, so I've been doing more than 1 job all year. However, I'm hoping things will improve soon related to people resources. (Only one maternity leave remaining (one of my direct reports in Poland, so she won't be back until probably June 2023), and hopefully the two open positions will be filled soon, crossing fingers.)
Post by bookqueen15 on Dec 28, 2022 15:45:20 GMT -5
Highs:
-Both DH and I got new jobs and finally got out of Florida! After both living there for around 30 years. -My new job was a big career advancement move for me and 40% higher salary and so far, much less stressful than my previous position and I really love it! -Sold our old house for way more than I ever would have imagined when we bought it over 10 years ago! -Found a great house to buy in the new location and were able to close on it over a month before we moved in, the timing worked out really well. Bought at the top of the market though but at least before the interest rates started going up so high. -New neighborhood has lots of friendly neighbors and kids the same age as my kids, which has been pretty amazing. And in walking distance to the elementary school! - My step-Dad who moved to the Phillipines in 2018 finally was able to visit us for a few weeks, first time since 2019 due to COVID.
Lows -Had to cancel our California/Yosemite trip in early July, because it would have been a few weeks after the big move. Didn't do any big vacations this year due to the move. -My Dad died in July. He had advanced alzeheimer's, so it some ways it feels like he has been gone for even longer. It's been a weird grieving process. -My DD really misses her old friends and our old city, the move has been pretty hard for her and the adjustment is taking longer thank I anticipated but it hasn't even been a year yet. - I miss a lot of things about our old city (Tampa) than I thought I would, but I did live there for almost 15 years so to be expected I guesss. -I still haven't managed to lose the 50 pounds I gained when pregnant with DS, he will be 5 in a few months. And I tried several diets, etc. again this year but can never find anything I can stick with long term.
1.) We drove from NJ to SC for vaca and had a fabulous time. Our first big trip with no help as a family of 4.
2.) DS1 got straight As on his first report card with real grades and his new medications seem to be helping his emotional control.
3.) We took a lovely mini vaca at the end of the summer and I had a great bday doing all my favorite things.
Lows
1.) DS1 got covid as we were about to go on a big family vaca. We unintentionally exposed other family members and they had to miss half their vaca to protect one relative who has stage 3 melanoma (they quarantined and then split the week in the house with the unexposed family).
2.) DS1 had a really hard summer and fall. His meds were not working properly and he had some really upsetting outbursts.
3.) We finally got our “beach” house and the ocean temp barely got above 70 degrees. Lol
My grandpa died this year, which is obviously a low. But I am a beneficiary on his trust and will be receiving a sizable amount of money when the trust closes early next year. It has really opened up doors for us financially including knowing I can pay for my kid's college without them taking on debt. The other bad part of this is the only reason I am a beneficiary is that my mom is dead. This is technically her money.
Another high is watching my high schooler blossom this year. It has been a joy watching him really become self discipline and grow into being an active teenager.
Also we took a perfect vacation to Disney in November. I still can't believe how well it went. We also spent so much money lol.
Low- I have gained more weight, but I am now pretty determine to reset some habits starting in the new year.
Another low is I would have like to have taken a couple vacation in 2022, but finding family to watch our kids is challenging. H and I really use these vacation to reconnect.
Another low is I would have like to have taken a couple vacation in 2022, but finding family to watch our kids is challenging. H and I really use these vacation to reconnect.
I feel this so much. I may or may not be already planning a vacation with just H when DD goes off to college. Which isn't for another 6.5 years. I'm so jealous of people that can do couples vacations AND family vacations every year. We just don't have anyone that could stay with DD for longer than a night or two. It is what it is but I really miss our leisurely child free beach trips.
Post by maudefindlay on Dec 28, 2022 18:09:02 GMT -5
Highs: Trip to Disney, the kids are at perfect ages and they even went on some rides that are bad for my motion sickness without DH or myself.
Spent a month at our vacation home
DD has found a sport she really loves, swimming and is progressing nicely in her club. She is also going to be discharged from services at school soon for her dyslexia. She has worked so hard to learn to read. She used a Christmas giftcard at the bookstore today to buy 2 books, both over 300 pages.
Responsibility and motivation to do well clicked for DS1 this school year and he is taking on ownership of his assignments and getting all As and Bs.
DS2 has stepped out of his hermit, homebody shell a few steps to connect with and make 3 good friends.
I've made getting together with friends more of a priority now that kids are older and DH and I are going out on dates more as a result as well.
Lows: Realizing I don't like a lot of things about my parents. We were so close, it's sad I don't miss them more given we've known each other 46 years.
2 of my nieces are dating/engaged to absolutely terrible men. One makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up and SIL wants us to go on a cruise with all of them this year. She is actively trying to solve my motion sickness to get us to go. I will behave at holidays around them, but I will not spend money to travel with them and if the engaged couple have the destination wedding they are talking about I will put my foot down on spending that much to watch something that makes me nauseous.
pandorica, I would have cried at twins too. When we went for my first ultrasound with DS2, my OB said “just the one in there” and DH said “oh, thank god!”
I hope things are going ok now that they’re here. I’m sure the first year will be tough, but I hope it eases up after that for you.
DD1 is settling in so well in high school and is doing great! Better than my wildest dreams. She’s made such nice friends and her graders are good.
We’re in a really good groove as a family. Because of the lows we’ve really come together. I’m closer to DD1 and our relationship has grown in leaps and bounds. It brings me to tears. DH and I really make a great parenting team and we took steps to defend our family and let people know if you fuck around you’re going to find out. I completely shed my skin as a doormat and nothing has ever felt so good.
Lows:
Truth be told this was the most difficult I may have ever experienced (2010 was rough but in different ways). DD1 had a traumatic end to 8th grade and was treated so poorly by pretty much everyone in her life besides her family. It was disgusting and heartbreaking and hideous with failures abound. Im still sick over it, I haven’t recovered, and I don’t know when I will. She seems to be much more resilient than I and that’s all that really matters. I guess the rest is between me and God.
My dad has dementia and it’s really made itself apparent this year. It’s new and I’m still sorting through it.
pandorica, I would have cried at twins too. When we went for my first ultrasound with DS2, my OB said “just the one in there” and DH said “oh, thank god!”
I hope things are going ok now that they’re here. I’m sure the first year will be tough, but I hope it eases up after that for you.
Thank you! Our US tech was so bubbly and nonchalant about it and seemed caught off guard by our (not pleased) reaction 😅 It feels like we're barely surviving most days - figure we'll be just hanging on for the first year and then reeeeally hoping it improves!
Lows: -Pipe burst last winter in the den. Several months spent with a remediation company and a contractor putting things back the way they were and getting the new LVP in. -Being broke all the time. -Work.
Post by hannahgruen on Dec 28, 2022 20:29:54 GMT -5
Highs: I didn't get covid, we're talking about DH retiring, found new dog sitters for my 2 greyhounds, and dogs are both healthy. Lows: This didn't actually happen this year, but last year my best friend of 20 years passed away, and not having her was the low of this year.
Post by sunnysally on Dec 28, 2022 20:55:38 GMT -5
Highs: I went on a solo vacation to St Croix, Savannah with my MIL, work trip to Miami, H and I went to Amsterdam, Oslo, and an Arctic trip around Svalbard, and Disneyworld and Universal. I've lost 20 lbs. I'm starting a new job in January.
Lows: Current job has been stressful. I had an extended SVT episode that resulted in an ambulance ride and ER stay. I've been bleeding for 67 days.
I have both cardiac and endometrial ablations scheduled for February. Not the ideal way to start a new job, but my health is important.
Post by aprilsails on Dec 28, 2022 22:22:24 GMT -5
Highs: - DD learned to read. It was like a lightbulb went off. Such a difference in her interest and happiness with school. Thank heavens. - DH and I took a short vacation to Mexico which was needed. - our family vacation to Toronto went so well. It was so fun seeing the kids be shocked by such a large city. We need to expose them to the larger world. - I took DD to the Nutcracker ballet at the end of the year and she was enamoured. - I’ve taken on additional responsibilities at work and am now supervising employees. Hopefully my review next week goes well.
Lows: - DH fell apart this fall. He just started meds for ADHD but I’m really hoping counseling will help in the new year as well. His mental health is not good. - I dealt with a couple of major losses at work (sudden death of coworker and three retirements brought on by health issues). It’s been a lot. Makes work much more stressful. - The kids have been sick at all times since March when the mask mandates lifted. We have not had to go to the hospital, but it’s been a rotating parade of viruses and bullshit. Since CoVID, our family support network has failed so we have no backups for any of this. We can work from home, but it becomes impossible when it is week after week after week. . - FIL has dementia and won’t do anything about it. It’s not bad but becoming fairly problematic. MIL is in poor health too. - DS is never going to potty train. We were going to do it this week but he’s freaking super sick again and miserable and resistant to the idea.
Post by basilosaurus on Dec 28, 2022 22:56:49 GMT -5
High is probably all the amazing food I ate in Singapore. This tanned from the humble Burmese tea leaf salad all the way to a top 50 in the world 3 Michelin star
Low sister's death and the horrible family interactions it led to. I thought bottom was what led to me cutting out my mom a decade ago. Nope. They topped it while 100% blaming me which is unfortunately par.
But even that trip had highs: first trip back in over 4 years, got to visit with people I love and adore, ate only tacos my first 3 days (sense a theme?). I even found a silver lining in shopping which I normally abhor. I found shirts that reached my wrist and not mid forearm. Lol
Look at me being all positive. I'm surprised at myself