Friday, January 10, 2014

Changes


2013 was full of change for me.  I started the year with a family of 6.  At the beginning of February, my husband moved out and we got divorced.  We split custody of the 4 children 50/50.  So, being alone 50% of the time was an adjustment, but I navigated my way pretty well through that change.  In June, Abigail passed away and I was left with one less child.  My family of 6 became a family of 4... Calla, Trevor, Nate and me.  I still haven't figured out exactly how to navigate this change so gracefully.  As a matter of fact, sometimes the way I deal with it is completely ugly and ungraceful.  I'm not sure how ANYONE would deal with it, but I am doing my best.

We still legally have 50/50 custody of the children, but Calla stays with me and my dad at my house.  There are definite emotional struggles that I still need to figure out how to deal with, but again, I am working on it.

The more "realistic" issues that I've recently thought about that I haven't figured out yet are things like grocery shopping and cooking.  I used to shop and cook for 7 people, and I haven't adjusted to shopping and cooking for 3 people half of the time and 5 people the other half.  I either really over-do the shopping and cooking and have so much left over that even if we eat it for 3 days, I still have to throw food away, OR I under estimate the amount of groceries/toilet paper and cooking and we run out of things.  If I could figure this out, I could probably save a good amount of money.

The other issue that I seem to be failing at, is making sure that my kids have enough of things... socks, boots, gloves etc.   With split custody, I think this can be figured out with time, experience and communication.  I assume that their stuff is at their dad's house and he probably assumes that they have these things at my house.   I recently found out that my kids don't have snow boots!?!  I should know this stuff... I guess there is a lot going on in my mind, but it's just another example of the adjustments to divorce.

3 children is A LOT less than 4.  I didn't realize what a big difference there was between those numbers, but everything take a little less work.  My kids are growing up and need me less, and my baby is gone.  Abby was the one that I had to help the most with day to day things.  It has left me with a lot of time on my hands.  I sometimes can't handle the downtime and just recently realized that I need to be more productive with my healing, especially during these times that I have to myself.  Someone recently told me that I have been spending too much time and energy ignoring the changes instead of dealing with them.  Although that was hard to hear, he was right.   Since then, I have sought help, found information to help me when I'm starting to panic and have made a plan of action.  It's in its early stages, but I am determined to see it through.

2013 took a lot from me.  Now it's time to find out who I am with my small family of 4.  This is going to be hard.