Simple Paths Forward

Simple paths forward.  I am on a quest to discover how I can make every path simple.  Let me introduce myself since this is my first blog.  My friends call me Cat.  I'm a 45-year-old recovering paralegal.  A few years ago, I gave up my job to stay home and take care of my father during the last years of his life.  We moved him out of his assisted living facility, brought him to our home, closed off a couple of rooms on the first floor of our house for his use, installed a wheelchair ramp and made his two kitties our two kitties.  For three years, he blessed our days with his smile at the table and his silly jokes to entertain us.  Our family learned a great deal about life from watching him fight for his. 

We lost my dad almost a year ago and we miss him greatly.  In the meantime, I've decided not to go back to the corporate world.  We've decided I will stay home and make a difference here in our own home.  We have a typical 2011 blended family.  Three amazing girls and one hilarious boy.  I say girls and boys, but in actuality, they are young adults.  Three of them are living with us as they start their careers or save money to buy homes.  We love having them here and I'm not just saying this because they may get bored enough to read my blog someday.  I mean it. 

We find that we are not the only American family in this living arrangement.  Our economy is causing this dilemma for many households.  Unlike most, we love it!  We have found several easy ways to make our family of six, now five, work.  It is a calm, relaxing environment where we enjoy being surrounded by family and friends.  Well, maybe not always calm.  But very friendly and loving!  

At dinnertime, we come together and share our days.  We enjoy laughing and poking fun.  There is love and mutual respect.  Our family is my greatest gift.  I dread the day they all move out.  Not that I won't enjoy being a couple and having less footprints to clean up!  But I will miss seeing these amazing people every day.  I love them, but I also truly LIKE them.  They are great human beings!

So my blog will be about family.  It will be how I run this household ... or at least how I perceive I run this household ... depends on the day!  I think we all need to find balance.  We all need to find our simple paths forward.  Sometimes, we just need to learn how to make good gravy.  That's my next blog.  Gravy.