Looking up (imported post)

Last year sucked. 2008 sucked, too. I’m pretty sure 2007 was pretty damn sucky as well. Things have not been good for a while. And the first week of 2010 wasn’t looking so hot.

Things are starting to change, though. I’m working on my attitude, which is the first step. I had a nice little nervous breakdown Saturday night, which continued on into Sunday and didn’t really start resolving until Monday morning. I took Monday and Tuesday off work as mental health days and spent a lot of time thinking. (And try to detach my velcro children from my side, but that’s another story.) I’m not going to wax all philosophical here, let’s just say that I gave myself a stern lecture and couple of good mental slaps upside the head.

Also on Monday, I bought a car. That helped. A lot.

Ok, well, I didn’t actually buy it, but I’m going to. Fortuitous connections led me to a 2000 Saturn SL1 in perfect condition with — seriously — only 65000 miles on it. When I get my tax return, which I filed last week through turbotax even before the IRS began accepting returns, I will hand over a check and they will hand over the car. I will OWN it. In MY name. No loans, no payments. I will have an asset. And transportation. SO. EXCITED.

It’s bright blue. That’s what the girls are excited about.

A friend with a daughter in Girl Scouts called for my cookie order yesterday. Also good.

I’m getting a massive tax return. Enough to pay cash for the car, catch up on my bills, and put the rest into savings. Well, with a little fun money set aside. I guess this is what happens when a two-income household suddenly goes to a one-income household for an entire year. I’ve already adjusted my exemptions for this year so as to have more money in my paycheck every month this year, though. While a return is nice, there where many times this past year when an extra couple of hundred dollars a month would have made a huge difference.

I’m thinking about buying new beds for the girls, the kind that can stack into bunks or trundle beds, and then come apart when they are ready for their own rooms. Nice to be able to contemplate purchases like this without prefacing it with “someday, when I have some money…”

And I had enough money in the bank to send some here and here. Just a bit, but I had a bit to spare, and that's a lot for me. Not to get maudlin, but yeah. I have a roof over my head, clothes, food, a steady income, and I know my children are safe and healthy. For today, that is so much more than enough.