New year

It was mentioned yesterday in meeting of how nice it was the the first day of the new year was on the first day of January and first day of the week. Makes it really feel like time for a new start, fresh and clean.

In thinking about some of this years ups and downs, I can see the experiences that I wish I would've used more as a learning experience and less of a get me down experience. Some good changes that I made for myself, especially after learning that I was pregnant (finally:)) was just of distancing myself from the emotional side of our business. The business we are in is brutal and the people we work for are just about as bad. So it can be emotionally really stressful in the unfairness of different situations. Then to top it off dealing with the people who work for us is so hard. Again because of the nature of our business it is hard to get good people to stay with us for a long period of time. So we spend extra time and extra money to interview and train people and they quit within days. In 2 months we had 2 people get fired, 3 people get hired and 2 quit within the first 2 days. Because we are a small business if we are down even a guy it is a big deal, it means this momma is working a lot more which means Camilla is also a working girl or spends days at grandmas. I know of people who have questioned why we stay in this that it's not worth it. Well, for us it is. We pay our bills, we have dependable cars, a big enough place to live, a little extra money to do things and essentially I guess peace of mind as far as finances which a lot of people these days don't have. Not that we are millionaires but if you talk to people a big portion will say we are paying our bills and that is a big deal. Every day we see homes that people have lost, some because of their own financial decisions. Some because of situations beyond their control. There are little handprints in the concrete, writing on the wall from kids being measured and bedrooms they have painted just for their kids. We see it all around us, the consequences people pay when they lose their jobs or just can't find one. For us it's not about having millions it's about paying our bills and that in its self is good. Camilla is taken care of, we are self sufficient. I'm not trying to act like we are just rolling in dough, the job is stressful but it would be more stressful to not be able to pay what we need to pay to live. Besides are there any jobs that you don't have to work hard at to be successful? There are few get rich quick things that actually aren't a scam. I think back to when my parents first had their business and how it was not easy. My Dad worked a lot and they didn't always have a lot to show for it. But I'm sure now that they are glad that they stuck with it. Especially where they live in their little town, jobs are scarce. Well anyway didn't plan on that big ramble but that's what I have on my mind.

So to 2012, to being content, to holding a little boy, to watching my first baby take her first steps into kindergarten, to loving my little family, to being a help to my friends and most of all thanking God every day for all that I have because of him.