Want a dose of self-exposure? Well here you go.

In the span of a couple of weeks, our family has experienced several ups and downs.

A DOWN – The jaw dropping piece of mail announcing that our property tax was going to quadruple from last year. It wasn’t all a shock, since we just moved into our house and the land was the only thing assessed last year. But quadrupling? Reeeeeeeally?

For some strange reason, I suddenly felt like an adult, in a whole new and different way.

An UP – Hubby and I had the overwhelming privilege of baptizing our 9 year old, the youngest of our three, this past Sunday. We strongly believe in letting our kids initiate this decision. They were never christened or baptized as babies because we want them to come to the decision on their own, when they’re ready.

Our church does baptisms differently than any other church I’ve attended. They let mentors or parents who are Christ followers do the baptizing. Its was an extremely humbling and meaningful moment.

A DOWN – In a backlash decision, the Chief of Police in our town decided that Hubby’s entire unit was to be cut (he still has a job, just an up-in-the-air, very different one). This is a bad move in my (and so many other’s) opinion. The units they are cutting are the proactive, community building units that businesses and schools love to have present. With the “proactive” element missing, that just leaves the less desirable “reactive” policing.

I know our Chief feels his hands are tied, and it feels like the gross mismanagement of funds is being repaid on the backs of the blue collar, under-appreciated men and women who put their lives on the line every. single. day. Oh, how I could go on and on and ON about this subject. But I won’t. And I’ll try to continue to focus on how blessed my family is. I know we have it so good when so many others face far worse.

It just stinks to be at the mercy of politics. Really stinks.

An UP – Aforementioned hubby and I celebrated 18 years of marriage this weekend.

Just typing that makes me feel old. Still feels like we’re dating. And I guess that’s a good thing…given the ups and downs called life. Its not always a bed of roses, is it? I thank my lucky stars I have someone like him to walk through this life on earth with.