It seems that when things get tough, we all start to return to the simple things that have made us happy. That has sure worked for us in our current situation. While my husband has been working somewhat, substitute teaching, doing mystery shops, and working hourly at a supermaket - we are still bringing about a fourth of what we once did. Like I heard someone say on a program I was watching the other day, having very little money makes you very creative! So true!!
During Christmas this year, we could not afford gifts (with the exception of the small things we gave our 4 boys) so we had a drop-in and asked all who attended to bring a snack and some non-perishable food items for a local food pantry. It was one of the best Christmas gatherings I have ever had!! The best thing is how good it felt when we took the food to the pantry and it weighed in at a whopping 95 pounds! Since we now know what it is like to worry about your next meal, it felt so good to know that others who may not have a Christmas dinner would be able to feed their families. I think we are going to make this a regular tradition in our family.
Another thing that has really boosted my spirits is something that I used to do years ago. Baking cookies! I forgot how much fun it is and such a simple pleasure. I even baked cookies for our dogs for Christmas from a recipe I found online. It is one of the few things I can still do and I look for recipes that are inexpensive and easy and sometimes we cheat and my husband brings home those mixes when they are on special. Either way, the smell of fresh cookies baking and eating them right out of the oven is one of life's simple pleasures that just don't ever get old.
The New Year is off to a not so bad start so far and we are still working on cutting every corner that we can. We are so very fortunate that our home loan is an FHA and we have been able to get assistance with that. Otherwise we would be like so many others and be in foreclosure right now. Thank you so much Mary Lee (no relation) she was our mortgage lender when we bought this house 4 years ago and she set it up as FHA. God Bless her!!! My sweet brother funded the cable bill for our Christmas gift - he stuffed a hand full of twenties in my hand at the drop in and it was just the exact right amount to cover the cable and internet for another month. My husband's sister gave us a grocery gift card which sure helped us through the holidays. My wonderful boys came together and got a computer for our 13 year old since we could not afford to do it ourselves this year.
Another funny thing is that last year before things got so crazy I accidently gave away a box of winter clothes thinking it was one I had put together to donate. It was, in fact, our off season clothes that I put in our attic every year. Soooo - this fall/winter, both my husband and don't have bath robes, my 13 year old lost his sweaters and I also lost most of mine. The thing that I missed the most was this old ratty bath robe that I had had for years but it was warm and felt so good after a shower or bath. I even started to get depressed when a commercial came on or a television program and a woman was wearing a luscious bath robe - oh sigh - I will never have another one like that in my lifetime. Well guess what - my wonderful 27 year old son gave me he most beautiful pink fluffy soft luxurious bath robe that I have ever had. His long time girlfriend told him that I had talked to her about how much I had missed it. I would never have thought she would even remember it. My Mother-in-law gave me the most beautiful red sweater - cashmere - feels so good!! Now I just have to get a robe made for my poor hubby but he did get a most wonderful wallet which he also needed and it was full of gift cards for a restaurant and Wal-Mart. Life is good!!! We are taking notes and remembering all of these wonderful gestures and we will pay them forward every chance we get. It is the best part of life because we are all our brother's keepers - each and everyone of us!! Oh and all our stuff that we accidentally gave away - like the line in the "Chirstmas Chour" Hallmark Movie - I guess someone else needed those things more than us!
Spring is finally almost here and I can't believe that we have almost made it to the date we will agagain have health insurance. What a miracle. My husband finally found a job making something similar to what he did previously. While we are still making considerably less than we die before, I finally feel that we can survive and move on. We are more thankful than we can say and we will be paying it forward from now on. This experience has humbled us, made us stronger and made each day so much more enjoyable. I don't believe we will ever again look at a job or income or any of our blessings in the same way. 
