Lately my life has been nothing but a series of miserable occurrences. My husband left me and it’s final…we are getting a divorce. I lost the job I so wanted to keep (for someone with more experience). My niece’s daughter (14) was in a horrible accident. Her registered child molester father, who has no license, was drunk and drove her and her 2 little sisters into a damn telephone pole. In a van with no back seats. She is now paralyzed (waist down) in a rehab (the best…my suggestion…Chris Reeve was there for his recovery) down the street from me. Her poor mother has 4 other children and no husband. She lives in a 2nd floor apartment about 30 miles from here. She works, but very little money.
Well, I am going to Florida to get away from my memories here and to recover from the pain my ex left behind. It doesn’t help that he lives down the street. My roommate has an influential position waiting for him and he will not go without me so his boss agreed to hire me (because of my skills and his reccomendation). We go down there next week to meet him and look for apartments. I don’t want to sell my house because i really do love it, so I am going to rent it out. It also makes sense because I couldn’t get enough money to actually buy a house I would be happy with down there yet with the equity. But renting it, I can not only pay this mortgage but pay for the rent on the apartment in Florida!
It just dawned on me tonight…rent to my niece!! She has section 8 and they will pay for close to what I was asking (I don’t mind the loss). My neice will be so much better off here too. To finally live in a home, not a dingy apartment. Her daughter will be close to her therapy and the kids can go to the best schools in the nation. They just built a 3 million dollar boys and girls club within 1/4 mile from me. All the rooms are on the first floor. A ramp over 2 steps to the front door will be nothing. 4 bedrooms…brand new kitchen about 4 months ago…she will love it here…my son is going to introduce them to all his friends…it just seems like someone up there had a plan…and I can help my family.
When you think of all that had to happen to come to this…incredible.
Wow.
It is hard to condense the train wreck that is yours/mine/our lives into a cohesive manner, but you did it!
I am a firm believer of a couple of things:
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Things happen for a reason.
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Eventually, we all walk through a Valley of Shit ( sometimes with Monkeys flinging poo at us.)
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The Valley of Shit looks much better from up high on Sunshine Mountain. Flinging poo is forbidden.
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We all have to walk the Valley of Shit in order to learn compassion.
Terrific strides are being made in the area of spinal cord recovery and the therapy and equipment today are nothing short of amazing. ( My FIL is paralyzed from the nipples down.) Given her age, your grand-neice will probably adapt very quickly, though it still sucks beyond measure.
Good luck with Florida & the job and best wishes to your family during this horrid time. You will be out of the Valley of Shit, I promise. I know, I’ve walked that route a few times myself.
Thank you Shirley Ujest “I am getting too old for this shit”. (Danny Glover)
Seriously, no. I am thinking of this as a new adventure in my life. I have had quite a few in recent years and it is usually precipitated by the same things. My husband leaving and loss of my job. Last time was in 2001 When I managed to find the funding to complete my bachelor’s degree in one year.
This time, I will be doing so much good for everyone. Including my kids who need a change. Memories can be a bad thing sometimes.
I almost sold my house and moved to 80 acres in Canada to build a mud house with my ex. Can you imagine how hard it would have been on us if he had left me then?
I think I made the right decision.
I am so glad to hear things are looking up for you. Too often we hear only the bad news. It’s nice to hear a story that worked out - just like in the movies!
Good luck to you in Florida. Hopefully you will bring Og with you Florida and stop all that nasty weather.
Inspired 
I am sitting here smiling after reading your OP. It is like you took all the crappy things in your life, tossed them around in a bowl, then took them out and rearranged them to benefit you and your niece and your kids!
What a woman! Glad to know you, Sensualips!
PussyCow thank you for the good wishes. I am leaving Friday for ten days. I know it will be a mess but I will also have a good idea of where has the best protection. Especially after this weekend. We are planning to offer our help for a day to the relief effort. I will only have 7 days to do everything I need to do. Driving down (24 - 36 hours). Og will be with me, I have confidence in this. This is not the first nor will it be the last time I will suffer heartbreak. The key is to make a good thing out of a bad. One door closes, another one opens.
smartini…your words have made me feel the best I have felt in many ages. I have been quite numb from all this and dare not allow myself to feel anything. When all this is done and I am living in the land of Sunshine and Hurricanes. Then I can cry and allow myself to grieve.
But not for long.
Like I said in another thread, “Lovers come and go, but friends are forever.”
OG, I hope this forum never ends.