Before Ethan’s diagnosis, even before Ethan, I would set myself goals. What do I want to do this year, where do I want to be in two years time, a five year plan etc. Some people have said I was a bit of a control freak but I was happy with having a plan.
Ethan’s diagnosis has knocked my control freak planning ways right off track and we now have to live everyday as it comes, our priorities have changed and looking into the future can sometimes be a little scary.
So what are my life goals?
I would say at this moment in time there are four. The first is to live a happy and content life with my family.
The second is to get out of debt. I wasn’t very good with my money when I was younger and I’m still paying for it! I know that in life you sometimes have to have debt, for example a mortgage, but you must make sure its a debt that doesn’t choke you.
The third goal is to clear our mortgage. Now this one will take some time and I don’t think the house that we live in now will be our last purchase. I’m also not putting every spare penny into paying off the mortgage, I know that would be the sensible thing to do, but I also want us to be able to enjoy Ethan’s childhood.
The fourth and final goal is to prepare a future for Ethan when we are no longer here to look after him. This is a big fear of mine that I will have to face, hopefully not for a very long time yet.