Even a spiney gets lucky sometimes
 

A busy year for me:

I took early retirement with a very small pension on Jan 1

Met Dr. Trescot, the most awesome pain doc ever, at U of W Medical Center

I took a very good job in San Jose starting on Feb 2

I got laid off from the San Jose job on Sept 18

I immediately returned to the Seattle area, Kent to be exact.

I got married on Oct 24. I'm 56 now and it's my first marriage. I now have a 17 and 10yo daughter. So far it's going great.

I considered myself mostly retired until the marriage. Now I consider myself mostly unemployed. I want to give my new family more.

WOW JIM... What great news! CONGRATS on your new family. I'm so happy for you.

Thanks Mark!

That's fabulous, Jim. I'm very happy for you, and quite understand the wonderful feeling of being newly married. Except with us, it's been six year, but still feeling like one ;) My husband was almost fifty, and like you, it was his first as well. I had a bit more practice :D

I am a member of another forum, horse related, and a member started a thread yesterday asking if everyone was truly happy. Unfortunately, despite a very comfortable life style, she was not.

I was very relieved to realize that I could say YES, that I am very happy, and content...two different emotions, I think. Even with five levels of my spine needing replacing, even with great pain some days and being on even greater amounts of narcotics on a regular basis, I can honestly say that I am happy.

And I can say it with great knowledge, as I had earlier spent almost twenty years being very UNhappy (in that first marriage). That was before all the physical pain too. Which goes to show that mental anguish can easily overpower physical pain. It was an interesting thread. Perhaps we can start a new one here on the same vein. Not meaning to hijack yours of course...I'm very glad that you are able to express such joy in your life. Sometimes we forget how fleeting it can be.

Edited to add that you are truly blessed. Thanks for sharing.

Katie,
Thanks for the nice thoughts. Several years ago I heard about a study that concluded that wealth, looks and health had little to do with how happy a person was. I try to remember that when I'm not feeling good.

Congrats!!
 

Wow! Great news Jim re the marriage and new family! Coooool!!!!!!

It's so nice to be in sync with someone you love... the greatest feeling I think!

For me that feeling has mostly been with my dog and cats the last few years tho that's OK too.. animals are great emotional therapy for me and the dog got me walking like crazy so I'm really thankful for that.

Looks.. hmmm~ covering the mirrors with sheets lately!

Stay happy and healthy and my best wishes to you and the new family re life love and happiness!

Thanks Maria,
So far things working out really nice except the 17yo can be a challenge. Imagine that.

teen challenges
 

I too married into a family and my step son was 16 when I first met him. He was pretty not into sharing his father after having him to himself since he was 2y.o.!

Oh well.. that's life. He went thru quite some times and just because I was a bit of a challenging teen I pretty much understood tho it's difficult when one is the grown up and the step parent~ altho he's 30 now and just had his own son 4 months ago so everything turned out A-OK!

Good luck w/all;)

Maria,

I know it's tough for step kids. I was fortunate to have my parents together when I grew up, although they weren't on the best of terms. I would not have handled a step parent very well.

I've been very patient with my 17yo and it's paying off. On the big scale most parents would be glad to have her. The 10yo is a completely different personality. She started calling me Daddy during the engagement. She is fun and bubbly.

Now another change I hope I can handle. I've verbally accepted a job in San Diego. The plan is for me to move to San Diego and start work sometime in March. The rest of the family (wife and girls) will move in June after school lets out.