Yes ~ I was One of Them

My hubby and I have really been reflecting on our lives and how we've made mistakes in the past with decisions we have made in order to "Keep up with the Jones". Yes it's shameful to say ~ I was one of them! Influenced by my former life in Southern California ~ needing to have the big vehicles, all the big toys, nice furniture, perfect house, etc. I didn't know it at the time, but have come to realize that it was exhausting! How freeing it has been to lose most of it and to live a simple kind of life. I find that I am so much more happier now, but did cry a lot along the way. My hubby and I both losing our jobs December 2008 really was in the end one of the best things that could of happen to us. It drew us closer, though we've always been best friends, but we really became a team. We did definitely go through emotional ups and downs, having to short sale our home, hubby feeling worthless at times since he was not working, and felt his worth was to provide for his family. But the nine moths he was out of work we got to spend our days together, along with 6, going to the park, buying ice cream cones at Rite-Aide for 99 cents. Little things that meant so much. Adjusting to our new life by shopping at stores that I would of never really considered before simply because I didn't need to and now kicking myself thinking how much I could of saved in the end. Moving to Auburn, Washington has been such a blessing, the obvious, my hubby finding employment with a wonderful company, but life here is so simple, and slow. People here are not trying to impress one another with their Juicy Couture clothing, or zooming by with their huge SUV's ~ the SUV's here are ones from the 80's that are rugged, but well loved and cared for and they would care less to what you drive and how big your home is. A dear friend of mine went through something similar and has a sign hung in her living room above her fireplace as a reminder reading "The best things in life aren't things". It took my hubby and I a big kick in the gut to realize that. I hope to find a sign as well as a simple reminder, because it is so easy to fall back into something when that's all you've know for quite a while and I don't ever what to be back there again.