So this morning, I was so disappointed in myself. I had planned on getting up early to surprise my husband by taking him to breakfast at this new little place here in our neighborhood. Instead I slept through the alarm, must have shut it off.
Then I was shocked thta my battery operated toothbrush was dead. So I had to brush my on teeth, with no asssitance.
Now I am dreading having to start on my taxes.. I started off all organized, then towards the end of the year, i just threw reciepts and invoices in a big basket.
I am mostly disappointed at how spoiled I have become. I keep remembering when we had no money. At least now we have enough to make it month to month, with some extras.
Don't get me wrong, we still need to knock down this house, that is falling down around us. We need at least a new roof, but cannot afford it. Our property taxes are way higher than our house payment ever was,, But at least we have a home.
I know I am blessed, but sometimes, i have to stop and take it all in..
Have any of you noticed you are worried and disappointed by the trivial day to day?
Yes, our property taxes are way more than what our house payments were, but we have lived here in Central Austin for over 20 years.. Our house is actually not worth anything..They place a value on it, but it is considered a tear down.. it is the land, because of our
location.. We are 15 minutes at the most from anywhere her in the city.
On they way out to my SUV from the convenient store, my candy bar melted, and I got chocolate on the screen of my GPS.
I LOVE first-world problems!
And whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed, I read a book of historic fiction or even a real biography. And then I feel much better, and thankful for electricity, running water, modern medicine. E-mail. Telephones. Automobiles. Etc. Etc.
Hang in there, lady!
Seriously, are you yanking our chain?!
You're one of the most brilliant women ON this board. You help DOZENS of us daily with your kindness and insight.
Ahem, anyway, I suppose just this once you can have a problem.
Anyway, it's likely your aspiring to be better then you are is what makes you so awesome to begin with.
Take him for breakfast tomorrow. But really, you must know if these are the worst of your own shortcomings.....makes me feel silly offering YOU support!
<3
:)
I try really hard not to be.
My husband works a lot and there are times when he really starts feeling down. "I work so MUCH and I have nothing to show for it."
Oh no you don't.
http://listverse.com/2012/12/03/10-images-of-where-childr...
I made my kids and my husband look at this with me. There are a lot more pictures if you go on the web, but it's basically where children sleep around the world. Kids that are sleeping on a mattress or a couch OUTSIDE because they have no house. Children that are sleeping with their other family members on one broke down bed. Children that are in hiding. CHild soldiers.
It's so sad.
We have a place to live, a roof over our head, running water, food in our bellies, schools for our children, each child has their own room, a TV and phones, medical care, dental care, and my children can be CHILDREN. I don't have to worry about suicide bombers or whether or not my daughter is covered appropriately. My boys are not being recruited to be in militia. My country is a democracy.
When my husband starts to feel down or even when *I* do...I have to pause and reflect. We got it good. Better than a HUGE chunk of the world. (although I think that a good percentage of America would look at us and think that we are struggling, which we are, since we are below poverty level) But we are not struggling the way lots of people are.
L.
I was taking my kids to pre-school on the way to work this morning and realized I forgot my cell-phone. It's strange how I can feel so lost without it nowadays. I borrowed the teacher's phone to call my husband, as he would be on call with the kids since I didn't have my phone.
But I also managed to have him call my sister (who works with me) and have her pick up my phone on her way to work. It worked out because she drops her daughter off at a school near my house. A lot of effort just so I could get my phone for the day.
Somewhat in my defense is that I didn't want it so much because I needed it for myself, but I wanted to have it in case there was an issue with my kids. The nanny frequently texts me so there is a reason for wanting it with me. But in reality, there rarely is something that urgent and it's not like parents didn't survive without cell phones before.
I lived in Kenya during my second trimester with my first son. I had so many reality checks there... I would be about to whine about the terrible toilet paper we had to use (seriously, the stuff is like prickly card stock)...and then I think about the people on the other side of the barbed-wire topped wall who probably have family members who have died from lack of clean water. And a few miles away new born babies are a regular find on trash heaps. I held a few of those babies in an AIDS orphanage my last weeks there. It is a crazy feeling, holding a child with a beginning like that with my own growing baby...already the proud owner of a bedroom and health insurance and a college fund...tucked safely in my well-fed body.
Yes...some days go like this:
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/05/sneaky-hate...
:)
I think as long as you can recognize that they are trivial and you are fortunate for many things, then you're fine. We're all still entitled to our annoyances; I don't think it makes you ungrateful.
I think that whatever your level of normal, a change makes it a problem. I try to keep perspective. If my DD has a bad day at school, we can afford to send her. If your toothbrush battery dies, you can still use it manually. Etc. It's definitely small potatoes compared to no running water, no health care, children dying...For myself, I periodically look around, am thankful for what I have and do something to give that back. Like donating a bed kit for a child who doesn't have a place to sleep. Or donating a toy to a Children's Hospital. Or picking up one of those "buy this bag for a hungry family" things at the grocery store. Take a few bucks and pay it forward. Then buy yourself a new toothbrush. ;)
I can so relate.
Live in a lovely house (that I hate the design of) in a lovely neighborhood in a safe city with lovely children and a responsible husband and entertaining pets.
But like you, the income tax will be a pain to do because I didn't keep some receipts for medical stuff. Then in October the hubby had a major medical event and now we can probably deduct all those med bills-if only I had them. Either way we get $$$ back so I shouldn't be complaining.
I HATE when my Sonicare toothbrush battery dies. I am addicted to that thing.
The lovely house needs a new roof and some interior repairs. We have a roof over our heads.
One lovely child backed into another car and that will be $1000 out the door to keep it off the insurance.
We have insurance and we have the $1000.
The pool needs re plastering. We have a pool.
All first world problems and we laugh about them every day...but truthfully enough of any problems will wear on you. Anything out of your normal puts a blip in your day.
I'm on my 4th housekeeper in three years. I'm not picky, but they flake and don't show then are too embarrassed to call. I keep having to clean my own house. These days I'm doing that pregnant.
Our landlords have decided to sell the house we rent. We are working on buying it from them directly but have to cash out of our investment at all time lows to raise cash for the down payment! Ouch.
This is an interesting post. We all have our ups and downs. Since yesterday morning, my home phone, business phone, my WiFi are all out, my home burglar alarm can not be set, all because of some construction in the neighborhood that cut the phone lines. The good news is that our business phone is always transferred to my cell phone so we are not missing any business calls. Good news, too, is we are not getting the annoying calls from telemarketers, charities, political parties
on our home phone. These inconveniences interrupt our lives to make us stronger and more grateful and slaps us back to reality.
your property taxes, divided into months, is greater than a mortgage payment?
wow - must be a super nice neighborhood!
But I'm guessing you probably meant your annual ppty tax bill is greater than one month's mortgage. Yep, I think that's probably about the same for everyone. :)
Yes! I do! I know I think sometimes "Murphy" is against me! But, then, I try to put things into perspective and realize how lucky and blessed I am! Its really hard sometimes, though!
