A Decade in Review

Wow! Where has the last decade gone? I think with each passing year the time goes just a little bit faster or could it be that I am just a little bit busier with each passing year? A thought for another post I suppose.

Having had the day to reflect on where my life has taken me over the last 10 years (it seems I've either had a touch of a 'bug' or one hell of a hangover which is unusual for me on ONLY 2 martinis!)

When Y2K began, I was a new bride and new mom - I know what a combination... and I had realized what a mistake that I had made in getting married to a man that I truly didn't love but as many people I thought to myself that I "made my bed and needed to lie in it" and tried to make the best of a not-so wonderful situation. My then husband chalked it up to me having post-partum that kicked in 6 months after the birth of the oldest prince. Shortly after this I found out I was expecting the second prince. I know *shaking head* some of you will be asking "why". I've asked myself that million dollar question many times and I always come up with an answer but that's another post.

Three years later brought the youngest prince and my accomplishment of finishing my teaching degree, giving up my job to raise my little guy who came early and take care of my princes. It also brought to the realization that I was married to a man that didn't actually care about my well-being which was definitely apparent when I was placed on bed rest and he chose to ignore the medical issues that I was having and it was still required that I take care of the house, other 2 princes and the yet to arrive prince.

A year later in 2004, went through ups and downs with family - had A LOT of money scammed from us by someone we trusted and had let into our lives. Needless to say, I had the last laugh in 2005 when the SOB was arrested and he tried in 2006. That is definitely another post! I can tell you about super-duper sleuth skills and my "undercover" assignment.

Then in 2005 I became involved in an organization that gave me a purpose and unbeknownst to me I would be introduced to my prince charming! It just took a whole year for that to become apparent.

The year 2006 rolled around and my close friend moved to the Wild West the past August, I increasingly started doubting my husband's devotion to me and his family and started questioning what the fuck I was doing with my life. It was the year of change for me... and boy, did it ever. The friendship that I had made with this person that would end up being a god send helped me realize that I was not me any longer. I long had "lost" who I once was - that fun-loving, silly at times, strong but serious when I needed to be girl that moved to a town that I had no one 10 years before. I decided to take a leap of faith and step out and find her again and knew that to do that I needed to make changes. The first was to stop lying to myself and the people I truly cared about and finally step out of a relationship that I had allowed to suck the life out of me. With that first courageous step, I have finally found ME again. You know you are on the right track when your mother looks at you and tells you that she has her daughter back. OUCH!

The last 3 years has had it's ups and downs but I am a stronger person because of them. I continue to grow in who I am - I still have my prince charming that was there when I needed him the most, my princes adore their mom and I adore my princes, I FINALLY have a job that I LOVE!

Now, as I begin a new decade.... I am still a new bride but this time it's a dream come true so I say bring on the next 10 years!