Ema K: find happiness

Adios 2011. I am happy to see you go!

Grab yourself your favorite cup of tea or coffee. This is a little bit long but this girl needs to talk. I seriously need to let 2011 fall behind and I am looking forward to 2012 but first I must purge what was of 2011.

For me, 2011 began with high hopes of focusing on my art work and my business.I had great plans at becoming better organized in planning shows, creating interesting pieces of jewelry, growing my business and loving every minute of it. I purchased an event calender so I could keep track of upcoming shows, to make sure I kept on top of all the wonderfully fun challenges that my awesome jewelry making buddies put together and get better on top of my marketing points. Those were my priorities. Mind you my family and my husband's business always comes first. It is non negotiable that I will be available to take care of my children as needed. I have three boys; one is well on his way to being independent, another is learning how to be independent, the third is a tween and still in need of a parent (almost) ever present. So I figured I have 1.5 children well on their way so I could afford to throw a fair amount of my energy toward my work.

But alas 2011 was not going to be the year I had intended it to be. Somewhere during the first quarter of the year I decided it would be a good idea to get a part time job and help out with the home finances. My husband is self employed and the last couple of years have been slow. We have managed but with one kid in college and a second on his way in September I figured I could contribute financially. This was tough! I have been a stay at home Mom for many years. Managing a household, three kids, a part time job and providing office support to my husband in his business was too much for one person to take on.

Then came the cancer! In late February my sister began to have a series of tests which, by mid March, confirmed she had breast cancer. This diagnosis threw my family into a tail spin. We have NO history of this in our family, but that is a story for another day. All creativity was out the window and all my energy went toward supporting my sister with whatever she would need over the next few months.

At the same time my second son was preparing to graduate from high school and readying for a big move to college. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him make the leap from high school to college, he was so ready! But as you can imagine I was dealing with a sister undergoing chemotherapy and a son graduating from high school. Two very conflicting emotional places to be.

In late July, early August my other sister was diagnosed with breast cancer! Another surgery and another loved one beginning chemotherapy. Oooooi!

In late August my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer!!! Can you imagine? In the course of a few days, we were awaiting results on my Mom's surgery, my son was moving into college, my niece moved to New Zealand AND I had a preplanned show! I cancelled the show. Something had to give.

Finally September arrived. I quite my part time job. Really there is only so much one person can handle, physically and emotionally!!!! Now I had a new plan. Plan A wasn't working out, I was on to Plan B or was it C, I don't know anymore....I was going to love my family through it!

One sister and I were able to attend almost all of my other of my sisters chemo treatments. We actually made the best of it and had some good times together. We got together often and found a really cool old Cider Mill where they sell antiques at affordable prices, we learned Kumihimo braiding together, we did some crocheting together, we drank LOTS of tea together. We actually had quit a bit of fun together. It occurred to me that this was the first time in our adult lives that ALL of us were not working at the same time and able to spend time with each other. Since both my sisters were and are in a great frame of mind about their situation we truly were able to make the best of this time. My Mom was able to join us on most of these occasions too. I do think we provided quite a boost to all the patients in the cancer center. We were happy but not obnoxiously so.

One sister is DONE with her treatments...YEAH!!! Mom is done with her radiation...Yeah!!! My other sister has some treatments left but she is hanging tough! So we celebrate what we have and move into 2012!