A full year of beginning

It's still amazing to me to realize that it's 2014.
What I'm still trying to wrap my brain around is that I made it through 2013.
I survived the trials and the tribulations.
Granted there were times when I felt like throwing in the towel.
Times where the burden seemed to be smothering me.
But I persevered through it.
Why?
My kids were (and ARE) the lights of my life.
It's because of them I got out of bed.
It's because of them I did everything that I did in the last year.
It's been ONE YEAR since I finalized in my mind that my marriage was over.
Where I am today is so much different than last year.
Amazing how everything was turned upside down.
The kids and I are happier and more settled.
Christmas was GREAT!
Hopefully it'll set the foundation for all our Christmases to come.
This is going to be our first official full year as a threesome.
And it's going to be AWESOME!!!!

Relishing in our time together

The kids and I have been spending some quality time away. We had our two weeks of uninterrupted time and we (in my own view) had a blast. We went to my hometown visiting with my family. We visited the beach. We spent a day at a fair that is set up for 3 weeks each summer. We ate at a bunch of different places. We ran around. We slept. We talked and laughed and had a grand ole time.

My latest small pleasure

For the people who know me in real life, they know that I'm a simple person. I take pleasure in some of the most tiniest things. The smell of newly dried white towels that I've used bleach on. The feel of fresh linens on my bed. The satisfaction of a "full" refrigerator and pantry.

Soon it'll be every month on the dot

Tomorrow starts another journey for our little family. Actually, it'll be an adventure for my daughter that I'm just going to have to be a part of.

In the morning my daughter will get some teeth removed. Why you ask? She is scheduled to get some metal put in next Wednesday.

Oh yeah! Another pre-teen getting orthodontic work done. She'll be part of the "crew" that has metal in her mouth.

I have to tell you that I'm glad that she's getting it done. Her teeth have been crooked - crooked - crooked for ages! Her top two teeth actually make an inward v instead of lying flat in the front there. And there are so many teeth on the bottom that it looks flat and then goes back - in a rectangular manner. It'll be good to get those two major items fixed. Of course, there are other minor aesthetic issues that'll be corrected. But MAN, it'll be good to get it started.

She was a bit nervous when I announced to her after lunch that she was scheduled to go to the dentist to get some teeth pulled. We'd just gone there on Friday for their cleaning. No cavities! Woohoo! Who knows how it'll go once the metal is in her mouth though.

Any Moms out there have any advice on how to help a teen keep their teeth clean while wearing braces? Electronic brush? Water pik? Any advice would be appreciated!

Officially official

Little did I know on when I last posted that I was actually already divorced!

My attorney emailed me late Sunday to let me know that he got the signed papers in the mail. That the papers had been finalized on Tuesday, May 28th. Right after Memorial Day weekend.

It felt strange to read the email. It was so surreal. To realize that it really was over. Granted, there are some minor "housekeeping" items to get done, but in reality it's done. Finito.

All for the greater good

I took a well deserved break from my site.

Trying to get used to living in Arizona.

Work has been crazy.

My kids have been taking a larger chunk of my time with all their homework. Their bickering truly gets on my last nerve too.

Changes

Here's a quote that I saw last night that really spoke to me:

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance, take it.
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said that life would be easy.
They just promised it would be worth it.

Making Mommy Laugh

Last night at dinner with the kids, I talked about some educational stuff I want the kids to learn over the summer. I brought up the continents and that I hope to have them learn the countries that make up most of the continents. We started talking about South America. One of my children shouted out...

I know two of them! Bolivia and Egypt!

Egypt? Really?