What I Know For Sure...

 "Choosing trust over doubt gets me burned once in a while, but I'd rather be singed than hardened." -Victoria Monfort


I've had good relationships, and plenty of bad ones. Most of the good ones were only good, because the guy was nice to me, and not because I had the feelings I should have for them. The bad ones were abusive, either emotionally, physically, or both. And while any abuse is bad, I was not by any means, an innocent party in it.

What it taught me about myself as a 36 year old woman, is that this girl, is never again going to settle for less than she deserves.

It took me a lot of tears, heart to hearts, self help books, broken hearts, glasses of wine, highs and lows, friends, therapy, (legal) drugs, and miles and miles of running meditation to get here, but here I am, and I'm not going anywhere.

I've made a ton of changes in my lifetime. At one time I felt defeated, and helpless, and then I felt empowered, and unwilling to lean on anyone else. It took a very special relationship to break down the walls I built up, and let me know that it is OK to be me, because I am loveable, just the way I am.

Of course, we now refer to this as "the great heart break" because for the first time I allowed myself to feel my feelings, and be vulnerable, and trust, and I was still hurt in the end. But what I learned and felt was worth it all.

I'm thankful for everything that happened to me. From getting divorced, and losing everything I had, and needing to be coached by my therapist on how to take a bath. "one day, run the water, the next day, sit in the tub, the next day, wash your hair"....and how to eat "one day, cook the food, the next day take a bite..." to making it on my own better than I ever thought I could.

From hating myself so much that I packed on over 100lbs, to finding my inner strength and happiness, and finally, changing the outside to match how I felt on the inside.

All of it made me who I am today. And I like this girl!


Once I took the time to be on my own for more than a few months, I stopped looking outside for love, and looked at myself. That is when I learned to be strong, vulnerable, forgiving, and kind.


Your life shapes who you are, but you don't ever get the luxury of knowing that, until you go through all the rough patches, better equipped to face the inevitable turbulance that still awaits you. There is always a lesson to be learned, as long as you see them as lessons.

And, after all that I have been thru in my life, I know when something feels right to me, and when it doesn't.

That being said I did have a really fun date recently, that didn't suck.. With someone that I think about alot. Some day, I will share more about this night, and perhaps future nights, should they arise.

Makin a List Checkin it Twice...

Manfriend came over yesterday. I didn't know when he was coming, as I was sitting on the floor, sweaty from cleaning, no bra, scrubby clothes, replacing my sweeper belt. I said if I knew you were coming I'd have put on a bra. But...get use to it, right? The joys of cohabitating.

He brought a clipboard and wanted to go over expectations for us moving in together. Things that would annoy us, or whatever. His biggest concern is that I'll change. It's because of his own experiences in the past. I am who I am. I'm generally a happy, easy going person. I've had my own bouts with control, and fighting, and being miserable. In all honesty, its way easier to be happy than not. It's not to say I never get annoyed or in a bad mood, but I don't let it ruin my day.

I like me that way.

I had to take the dogs to pee in the middle of this list making. Little Hill is 14, and does her business and comes back in. Magoo, takes a year to sniff out a spot. So, I picked up Hill first and said "manfriend, watch magoo so he doesn't pee while I'm out there" (usually, I lock him in the kitchen in case he has an accident while im outside so i can easily clean it up) I came back in and he had peed on the floor. On my brand. new. carpets.

I said hey..put this on your list, watch the dog, means watch the dog. Ugh.

I still thought it was pretty cute he made a list.