2011 - Coulda Been Worse

Almost everyone I know ushered out 2011 with a huge sigh of relief, a loud exclamation of "Thank God it's over!", or similar expressions of joy.  2011 in three words?  A lot of people went with "coulda been better". To my surprise, and probably that of those who know me best, I didn't feel the same sense of exhilaration.  Don't get me wrong - I wasn't sad to say goodbye.  But my first thought was "Coulda been worse!"  Which is rather unlike me.

So here's my recap of my 2011. If you know me, you probably know all of this.  If you don't know me,  you probably don't care and aren't reading this post anyway. The saying is "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly."  I think I'll stick with the good and the ugly, since bad and ugly seem almost the same to me.

Ugliest: 2011 came in with my 17-year-old having been a runaway for a month.  We had a vague idea of where she was and what she was doing, neither great news but she was at least unharmed and relatively safe.  After finally being picked up, she spent a month in juvenile hall and then we all hopped aboard a roller coaster for a wild ride through a six month group home stay.  At some point in the future I'll write more about this in detail - in hopes to help others who think they're alone when their teen is in trouble.  For those who are told it's all their fault.  For those who aren't told it's their fault but blame themselves anyway, because that's what parents do. And for myself.

Runners-up: 

• The large child support payments due to the aforementioned group home situation. 
• Owing taxes for the first time ever, and for thousands, thanks to cashing out my retirement when my husband was out of work and me being an idiot and not being on top of things.
• Stupid ass high deductible plan with a company I will leave as soon as I can figure out how to swing it.  $120 for an appt with my primary care provider to try to get a prescription that I'd been on for years before switching to said company, only to be told I had to see a psychiatrist.  Tried to make that appointment but was told I had to see an intake counselor first.  She thought my primary care provider should be able to write my prescription, but had to check with the psychiatrist who then decided she needed to talk to me first.  So after 15 minutes with an intake counselor, 15 minutes with a psychiatrist, and another $550 out-of-pocket I finally left with my prescription.  Same company charged me $110 for an eyeglass and contact lens exam and then told me after that exam that I'd need to schedule a contact lens fitting for an additional $125 - a $40 discount from the standard fee.  Coulda had both done, at the same time, for $165 somewhere else. 
• Feeling my depression and anxiety reaching the point that I needed to go see the doctor to begin with.

The best: My daughter coming home from the group home and getting and keeping a job since then.  It's not all rosy - having an 18-year-old with no driver's license who wants to be on her own but isn't quite ready and who knows how to push all my buttons is challenging - but the group home experience made a huge difference in her life and ours.

Runners-up:

• My two oldest daughters graduating high school. 
• Finding a best friend I can talk to about anything.  She's a little crazy, and sometimes I feel like I have another child, but she is always there for me.
• Watching my youngest grow as a cheerleader and make new friends.  Sometimes she hated it, but most of the time she loved it and we both made friends through her involvement.  
• My son finally pulling out of his funk (albeit it having to move to his mom's to do it) and getting his grades back on track.
• Spending Thanksgiving with my mom in Idaho - seeing her new house, checking out the falls, and just spending more than a few hours together.
• Getting involved in Burlesque and performing three times.
• Being dubbed the "Starbucks Fairy" at the office and getting my own gold Starbucks card complete with my name printed on it. (The two have nothing to do with each other.)
• Finding Mushroom Printing and Band Back Together.  Two fabulous sites that let you be the writer or support those who do write by leaving comments or both.  Also found Mommy Wants Vodka and TheBloggess and many other great blogs. Most of which make me doubt my own ability to be a blog author because they are so well done.
• Finding a chiropractor who genuinely cares about his patients' health.
• My husband getting a much deserved promotion.
• American Horror Story.
• Underarm waxing. Painful but worth it.
• Milo's gyros.  

I could eat one of these almost everyday.

So there you have it.  Not too exciting, I know.  2012 is scheduled to bring an iPhone 4s; a 6-day,5-night all-inclusive trip to Los Cabos; a new tooth for my husband; my husband's first ever trip to Vegas - a guys trip for his 40th birthday; and Disneyland for a cheer competition. All before April. Something entertaining and blog-worthy is sure to come out of this!

What were your good, bad, and ugly moments of 2011 and what are you looking forward to in 2012?