Going Through Changes: Our Summer Recapped

And of course that title should most definitely be sang exactly like Ozzy Osbourne does it...I love that song!

Wow, it's been a long time since I've written a blog post, it seems like the majority of my time is spent working and trying to keep my house from looking like a hurricane came through that I just don't have time for much else...sadly.  Since I have missed blogging so much the past few months, I decided to clear my schedule and do some writing and honestly, I couldn't be happier!


In June I resigned my position at The Popcorn Factory to start another work from home position with my dream company, which was both sad and exciting, sad because I loved the people that I worked with and the customers that I had the pleasure of helping every day, but it was also exciting because in leaving that job, I had the opportunity to work for my dream company...Apple!  While I am still very (very, very) new and still learning each and every single day, I know that I made the right decision for me and my family and I couldn't be happier! 

June also brought the official end of the baseball season for my husband's Tee Ball team, The Rockets!  In the span of a few short months I had the pleasure of watching a group of amazing little boys become awesome baseball players and getting to see my husband do what he loves best, teaching kids about baseball, was worth all of the long, hot games and running around that I did.  I have to say, I am so proud of how far our team came in such a short amount of time.  I cannot wait to see what next season holds! 

July was a tough one for all of us, as it marked one year since my Dad passed.  It still seems unreal and often I find myself making plans to stop by and see him, before I catch myself and remember that I can't. Since it's still a little too much for me to talk about, I'll stop there.

August so far has been a blur of school shopping, work and getting myself mentally prepared for my youngest baby Lil Diva to head off to kindergarten...oh my gosh y'all where has the time gone.  Given that this blog was created when Diva was just a month old, way back in 2008, it puts a lot of things into perspective for me.  I can't believe that in just a few short days I will find myself alone at home for the first time in seven years, part of me is excited for the alone time, but the other part is terrified to let my baby go.  Thankfully Lil Diva is super excited about kindergarten and making new friends and just everything that starting a new chapter in her life entails, which makes it both easier and so much harder on me, but I have faith that she'll do amazing and that I will learn to relish the quite time before the school bus stops in front of my house and unloads all my kiddos! 

And that's about it...changes are a comin' and while I am nervous to see how those changes are going to impact life at our house, I'm excited for what the future holds for my family!

Until next time...

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Help For Addiction is Out There!

Growing up in the 80’s, when every school had huge “Just Say NO” posters plastering the hallways, it was easy to think “I’ll never do drugs!” or “No one I know does drugs!”, but those posters just provided us with a false sense of security, a ridiculously naïve point of view that would one day become a lot more clear and a lot more real.

I can’t tell you the number of people I know, people that I went to school with, people I grew up admiring, people I love, who I have watched struggle with drug and alcohol addiction.  Growing up in such a small town, you get to know everyone and as in most small towns, you also usually get to know everyone else’s business too.  It’s hard to keep secrets around here, everyone knows who has problems with drugs, everyone knows who has been to the various drug rehab centers in neighboring towns, and everyone knows when someone has slipped up and used and it’s a horrible feeling to know any of those things.

 

I’ve seen friends fight (and thankfully win) the battle with heroin addiction, I’ve seen family members destroy their lives and become homeless because of various drugs and sadly, I’ve seen more people than I care to admit, overdose and die because they couldn’t beat their demons.  Addiction is a disease that slowly, overtime, destroys families, faith and friendships, but thankfully, there is help out there, people just have to be willing to admit that they have a problem and seek that help!  If you suspect a friend or loved one of having a drug or alcohol problem, don’t be afraid to try to help, all the other person can do is refuse it.  There are a number of drug and alcohol treatment centers all over the country who specialize in getting addicts the treatment and counseling that they need to stop using and lead a happy, productive, drug-free life, you can find many of them online, Advanced Health and Education in New Jersey is one that offers treatment for all types of addictions and they also have a lot of resources on their website if you’re in need of more information on a specific type of addiction or treatment options.

Recently I ran into the family member I mentioned above, I hadn’t seen him in several months despite him being a very close family member, I was shocked at the state of his health and how badly and with no mercy his addiction had taken over every single moment of his life…it was heartbreaking!  Honestly, I don’t know if he’ll ever seek help for his addiction, all I can do is hope that one day he realizes what his life has become and want better, but in the meantime, I won’t stop trying to help him come to that realization and if you know someone who is going through similar issues, I hope you don’t stop trying either! 

Until next time… 

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