So you may have noticed over the last few months all the vague references to my living situation. Mr. Smartypants was always home, our house was for sale, he was always interviewing, house sold, we stayed here & there, and lots of homeless jokes. Well I am so happy to say it is over, and only now I can talk about it.
Here is a quick rundown of my last year in cheesy Fussy photos.
October- Hubs lost his job, but had a severance package. I was all, "No worries, we'll hang out until Christmas and then move in the new year." I was so cocky and naive. I had no idea what the next year would hand me.
Then, after Christmas, I noticed he wasn't getting magical job offers and no one ever came to see our house. The house I planned on raising my children in, and no one was begging for it? I was not pleased.
I decided to start an online women's magazine, a cafepress store, and a jewelry business. I became a shameless self-promoter. The proverbial dancing monkey.
I worked and worked. I went from super confident to terrified as I learned just how quickly life can go from cushy to down right scary. I now understand how easy it is to lose it all.
I went on bedrest and turned to you, my friends, and was given love in an amazing amount. Your comments, emails and notes were like a lifeboat in the middle of my storm. I am still humbled by the love y'all send my way everyday.
You welcomed sweet baby, Jeremiah, with us. Thank you!
I watched as God used our situation to teach Mr. Smartypants and I faith and preserverance. I watched as my husband was slowly humbled and then built into an amazingly wise soul.
I had my tough moments. Moments when I lost faith. One night I cried and told God how mad I was that this was happening. I felt utterly abandoned by Him. I questioned if He cared. That very next morning without any notice, my sweet friend Meredith showed up at my door with a hot lunch for my family and every single dime she made in her huge yard sale. She refused to take no for an answer. She was the messenger to tell me I was not alone. Yes, when her blog says 'cheerful frugality'- she lives it! There are just no words to describe her.
Another night I called Karla in tears. The anxiety over what lay ahead for my family was overwhelming. She told me to go read Shannon's post called, Wilderness. Her words spoke to me and I began to feel like there was light at the end of that long tunnel.
We packed up our house, and watched job after job fall through at the last possible moment. We held out for a job in a good area for our family and feared we had waited too long. I remember how my heart was breaking as I took this photo and while I wrote this post.
We spent the last month with my sweet family. It was such a lesson in humilty and gratitude. It was hard, scary and now that is over, I see that is was wonderful. Forgive me for not giving you more details as life was swirling around me. I think I felt as if I spoke of it, the enormity of the situation would be too much. I needed to address it when I could look back.
We are coming back home to Nashville! Hubs has a wonderful new job. We are earning half of what we did before so you'll see me starting even more things online. I'm officially a work-at-home, homeschooling mommy now. (Lord help me!) Sure, the house is gone, and that is fine. I may have lost my house, but what we gained for our family is priceless. We have come out of these long hard months with a new perspective on my life. I'll write more and more about it as time allows. Today we will be gleefully searching for a rental house!
I don't pretend to know what life has in store for my life, but I know He is in control and I will continue to trust in Him.
Now, share with the world exactly why your life doesn't suck. Anything that makes you happy will do. Have fun with it! ;)
Love you tremendously, Alli
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