It will be a better year

I think I put a lot of pressure on myself last New Year's for 2013 to be the year. It was the year following the most disastrous one yet. I was sure 2013 would be when it all turned around.

Don't get me wrong, it WAS a better year.

The girls and I have made our peace with the situation and are doing quite well, although they have continuing underlying issues because their father has NOT made peace and can't figure out how to keep his nasty thoughts about me away from the girls.

Financially, sure - I'd love to be in my own house with the girls, and I even have dreams about it. I could move out from my mom's. Get an apartment. Rent a house. Buy a real cheap house.

But I want to do it right, and I don't want the girls to have to move a lot.

My goal remains to stay here until Little Bit is in kindergarten in fall 2015. I won't have her day care costs by then, and I should have continued to save enough money for a down payment on a house (I hope). To that end, if you're interested, I'm using this savings model, except I started at $12 in January and will go from there. I'm estimating a savings of $2,000 a year:

Personally, I've been dating a wonderful man, but we have a lot of challenges: getting over our own previous relationship issues...me having kids...

Nothing insurmountable, yet sometimes I feel like I'm working way harder than I should in this. If a man wants you in his life, he'll make the effort, right?

Anyway, so none of my parenting, financial or personal issues were magically solved in 2013. And there will be no magic this year, either.

But, I keep moving forward, appreciating what I have, happy for what I no longer have to endure, and hopeful that my heart's desires will fall into place.

Here's to a better year!