So much happening!

Before last week, a whole lot in my life was going right.I was really happy.

My husband and I, after some bumps in the road, seemed to be getting along really well.

I was really happy with the routine I'd established with the kids at home.

I'd taken over paying the bills and managing our money at home and I'd been doing really well with it.When I took it over, we were in a bit of a hole, and within six to eight weeks, I'd had us whipped into shape. One of my friends who did the Dave Ramsey plan and was very successful with it has been offering to teach the class and let us take it for free for ages, but I thought we didn't have enough money to pay our bills in the first place, therefore making following Dave's plan impossible. But after I took over, I realized this wasn't the case at all. The only bills we have problems paying are our student loans. That's another story for another time, but in a few short weeks, I've managed to whip the rest of our finances into shape, and I'm hoping to be able to take my friend's class in the summer if she's offering it and I can fit it into my schedule.

Aug. 5 was my last day of work at my job as a reporter at the San Antonio Express-News working for the community newspapers they publish. I loved my job dearly. I was sad to have to leave it. But when their parent company Hearst bought Prime Time, the company that owned us previously, they froze our salaries, putting us working next to people who were making double and triple what we were. It felt awful, for one, but then they froze our salaries not only for that year, but for the next three to five years, and I could no longer afford to work there. I stayed for as long as I could, but after the twins were born, paying for day care took up more than what I was paid for my job. So it was costing me money to work. I knew I could make money freelancing with my writing because I'd done it before. It's not my favorite way to make money, but it's doable, and it was the only way we were going to make it, especially with recent health problems I'd had crop up.

Prior to last week, I'd finally settled into my routine at home, happily being a housewife and writer, working hard and managing our money, bringing in a little of my own but making out budget work even if I didn't bring any in. That way, whatever I bring in is extra, and can either be spent on me, the kids or the husband, or thrown into savings or toward something that needs to be paid off. It's a great way to live, and I'm happy with it.

Ro had just finished up his EMT training, meaning he can get a second job, the proceeds of which can go toward our student loans, which is a huge load off of our shoulders.

So everything was going along great. My surgery for my gastroparesis was scheduled for yesterday (which went great, and I'll talk about later), and everything was speeding toward fantastic.

Then, last Monday, I had a schedule I wanted to stick to. I had some work I wanted to do and then I wanted to take the boys to Target and Costco. When I grocery shop, I have to go to both because there are things I need from each. But the boys were being IMPOSSIBLE. So I decided to go to the stores first and then come back, put the boys to bed and do my work. That's when the mugging happened, all because I decided to stop at the mailbox first.

I still can't get the mail. I want my diploma. I've been waiting on it to come in the mail. My mom went to check the mail for me yesterday while she was here. I worked my ass off to earn that master's degree, and I want to see it! I guess I'll have to wait a while longer. I bet I can get my husband to check it for me every day for a while. He got his certificate in the mail for completing his basic EMT stuff. We both accomplished a lot last year.

I'm pretty proud of us. And on top of that, we're raising three pretty great little boys. We're also learning a lot about being married. Marriage is hard freaking work, and it has its ups and downs. We've had to work pretty hard at it this past year. This year, 2012, is going to be better. I know it. We'll make it better. Ro, Mitch and I have all learned a lot about being members of a family and working together to live harmoniously in a household. I don't think it comes naturally for anyone.

So just as I was getting past the mugging, which you never REALLY get past, I had to go in at 5:30 a.m. yesterday for surgery. It's not the hardest surgery I've ever had. The hardest surgery I had was my hysterectomy. This was probably the second hardest. I've only had three, with the easiest surgery I had being my C-section.

I felt great when I came home yesterday. They let me go around lunch time, which was fantastic. They gave me a wonderful prescription for pain meds. I already had some pretty good pain meds flowing in my system from my IV. So before supper I took some of my marinol (synthetic THC) just to calm myself down and help me sleep with the discomfort last night. It worked. I slept all night, only waking up a couple of times to use the bathroom, and felt fine throughout the night.

When I woke up around 7, though, I was in a TON of pain. I took a large dose of pain meds. A large dose for me, which is enough to take down a T-Rex. It didn't touch the pain. I was doubled over. And I have been for much of the day. I removed all of the bandages to clean the wounds and check out how big they were. I took photos, but I'll refrain from showing them. They're pretty foul looking. I can't get the adhesive off my torso where all the tape was. I got it off my arm and hand, but I could press hard on my hand and arm. I can't on my torso. It's way too sore. I was missing my children for most of the day, but I'm unbelievably grateful to my mother for taking my twin toddlers for a week so I can heal here at home.

Anyway, the last bad parts of 2011 bled over into the first parts of 2012, so I'm glad everything is now over. I just have to heal, and then we'll be done and ready to start fresh. Bring it on, 2012!