Stay positive - things do get better!

So as previously mentioned, our family relocated to the PNW in January. I have to admit that the task was daunting and trying on our family...the first month we were here (Talia and I), Kirk was back in MI finishing up some projects at work. During that time, she started at a new school in a new city where she knew no one...then I broke my foot in a freak accident in our home. Kirk arrived in early February, expecting to find employment within a week or two, but we all know the reality of the job market.

Through the whole process, I just kept reminding myself, my husband, my daughter, and anyone else who would listen, to Stay Positive! We are going to be presented with challenges in our lives-that much is guaranteed-but how we handle those challenges and our outlook on life throughout can greatly affect our overall sanity!

To keep things positive I would take Talia and Kirk on special trips to see some of the infinite natural beauty surrounding us...Mt. Hood, Multnomah Falls, the Gorge, etc. We rode the MAX into town for fun adventures via mass transit. We looked for fun, inexpensive places to eat that we could start calling our own. Then, things started falling into place...Talia is making friends at school, blowing away test scores on the Oregon standardized tests, making friends in the neighborhood. Kirk finds employment. I'm getting into the swing of things in my new position at work. Little by little, we have all noticed that things really DO get better!

When your life presents you with challenges, how do you handle them? It is so easy, so TEMPTING, to give in, give up, and let the grey overtake you. Don't get me wrong, I've my fair share of a good old fashioned cry over the past 4 months! But all in all, by focusing on the positive, the possibilities, that's what gets you through to the other side of things. Take care, everyone!

Talia, on our first adventure downtown...