Let's begin now

 While I was sitting at home being married and having babies.  My friends were out exploring. I would get post cards and phone calls from around the world talking of amazing journeys and interesting places. 

My journey at the time was going to college then being a mom. I had spent all my energy and time on the adventures of education and motherhood; actually I had spent my whole self for that matter. Then when my children got older and after working various child related jobs I decided to start my own business.  As being a mother, it was fantastic, stressful, fun and an unforgettable experience.  In the mists of all this adventure another one awakened me. Divorce was its name. To begin life again as a single mother was a life of heart break and faith. I didn’t plan this.

Then a little while later...another word, bittersweet.

I clung to my business as it sunk, due to my rent being raised to an astronomical amount for a small art school.  I remember my accountant coming and giving me the bad news like it was yesterday. It was right after my divorce was to be final. I tried to start my art school again at a smaller new building but it never took. I think I had lost the passion and grip with all the turmoil of losing the first business and with my kids sadness mixed with the peril of divorce. Then we had to sell the house because we couldn’t make the payments.  My life as I knew it had slipped away.

Thank goodness for family and friends. I met some friends that lifted me up and helped me through the fog. I rented a small duplex where my children and I were very cozy. I proceeded with spending more time with my children and enjoyed our small adventures together daily. I began bible study fellowship and found myself surrounded by new friends and many places and parties and kinship.

I eventually was at peace with being a single mother.

I had found happiness in being with my children, family and friends.

I didn’t need a husband to make me happy.

I found myself for the first time dating and having a great time. I never really had dated before. I had been with my children’s dad for 7 years and before that a high school sweetheart for 7 years.

Until one night “he” appeared. I was content with my life and had fallen into a groove, and wasn’t thinking about meeting anyone special at that time. I remember the conversation. I was totally straight out with him about having three kids and expected him not to call me. I had good friends, men and women, and didn’t want to change a thing. In fact, when I look back at that time…. I was happy.

They always say you meet someone when you aren’t looking and that is exactly what happened to me.

This wonderful man who came into my life and kept trying until I realized he was for me. This man who endured through, what we called the acid test. When he “met”, no “experienced” my three children for the first time. I stuck him in my car in traffic from Redmond to West Seattle. My kids were 4, 6, and 9 years old at the time and didn’t like being in the car together for very long. I am sure you can picture the rest of the story.  I figured if he called me back after that day he had potential.

Well he did, and he kept calling me.

Now it’s another child and 7 years later. My husband jokes about getting through this 7^th year because my other two committed relationships were only 7 years. Yes…. it’s been hard at times but doesn’t everyone have ups and downs? I will not submit to the year seven…lol…I will make it through. If he has put up with me this long, he must love me :))

Anyway, I am telling this story because of him, is why I was able to open another chapter of my life. I was able to be a stay at home mom (well until just recently) and we were all able to travel. Finally, the countries I had dreamed about while reading friends post cards were in reach. We got married and began to save money. When our youngest (his daughter and mine) was potty trained and three years old. We had saved enough to be gone for a month. We began to plan out the trip to London, Paris, and all around Austria, Italy and Germany. The next stream of blog posts are going to be about those adventures…..

I hope you will keep reading and follow my posts. You can sign up to follow the blog in the side bar. I would love to hear everyone's comments. Your comments are what keep me writing. Thanks!!

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