I wanted to wait until 2016 was officially behind me before I said anything, no need to tempt fate.  2016. You were a good year.

If you’ve been following along at all, my years start out like this “last year was hard, but I’ve learned a lot, I feel better prepared for what life throws at me” and then life goes AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, I’LL SHOW YOU”.

January. Man. 5 days into January in 2012. Chris decided we were through. And we were, it was such a good call. But ending a 5 year relationship and watching how much that hurt our kids was devastating. He was my best friend. That shit was hard.

18 Days into 2013 we lost Casey. A few weeks into 2014 and we found out mom had pancreatic cancer and the odds were not great. 18 days into 2015 we lost mom, (on Casey’s death date no less), 2015 continued to kick at me as well. I also fell down a really dark hole of depression that lasted most of 2015. I’ve written about most of this before.

So 2016. 2016 started with a fantastic New Years seeing Skrillix and Purity ring with some of the baddest bitches I know. We partied it up for Christine’s birthday, had good luck foods at JoBeths. It was an epic and stellar weekend. A month later I left for Ireland with my good friend Carrie and we spent a week exploring and traveling and drinking WAY too much beer with the locals (thanks Joel!). Weeks later I interviewed for a job at a company I had been wanting to work for, for several years. A week after that I put together a wedding for my Son and his bride with literally, a week’s notice. Immediately after that I got hired for the job at Big. All this before my birthday!

2016 continued to roll out nicely. Some trips to chicago. Taylors graduation from college after 5 hard years. Taylor landed HER dream job.

Chase and Jo moved to California. And I was fortunate enough to have a job that let me take time off to drive my son across the country on a trip I will never forget. Both for the time I had with him and for the fact that somehow I thought we could make a 36 hour trip in 36 hours with 2 cats, a snake and a Kia Rio in the mountains. (lessons) My son is living in the state he always wanted to live in. He’s with a beautiful, driven woman who loves him deeply. I am proud of those two.

Almost to the end of the year, on their 7 year anniversary Taylor and Eddie got engaged. 5 years of that was spent doing the long distance relationship thing while they both went to school. I am so proud of them for making it to here. Eddie has been a part of our family for so many years, but in 2018 they will make it official. ❤

I learned how to be alone as fuck in 2016. But happy alone. Not seeking. Not really dating. Just being really happy with great friends and great kids and my gym membership and my new job. It felt really good. And the sky didn’t fall. And no one died. (except every single one of the icons of my youth and you know, PRINCE  . . . .)

I continue to meet cool and interesting people who wander through my life. Some stick around, some wander off. It was a good year.