Independance Day

Yes,  I know it's not July 4 that it is indeed January 20th.  I've not entirely lost my mind.  However, 10 years ago this month I declared my own independance day.  Ten years ago I made one of the hardest and best decisions I've ever made for myself.  I do not at all regret that decision.  I would not begin advocate divorce for everyone out there.  My decision was based on my situation.  For me, it was one of the best decsions I ever made and have never looked back.  Another reason I don't regret it is because had I not made that decision I wouldn't be the person I am now and I wouldn't have Aaron or Michael in my life.  I can't imagine a life without either one of them.  It was not as easy as some might think.  I cried a lot.  I agonized over that decision even after it had been finalized.  There were times that I thought I was being punished for it, but I persevered and definitely feel I landed on my feet.

Over these ten years I've learned a lot.  Here are some of those things:

• I'm a stronger person than I ever could have imagined.
• God had/has a purpose for me.
• My mom isn't the enemy.  She can be my friend, if not one of my closest friends.  I remember the night before she had to leave Altus and how we cried along with Brenda DeBusk.  We were sitting at Sonic and the three of us just lost it.  They didn't want to leave me there alone and I didn't want to be left alone.  We all knew it had to happen though because I had a degree to finish.  I think our relationship made a turn then.  We still have our ups and downs but I know that no matter what I can always, always count on her.
• That you can fall in love again.
• There was a Prince Charming waiting just for me.  Ok so maybe Aaron wasn't "waiting" on me.  Looking back, though, there was definitely a path that led me to Jess and Adam which in turn led to Aaron.  Without some of the experiences I had as a single person, I would have never met Aaron.  By the way,  I have been with Aaron over seven of these ten years.
• Who your truest friends are.
• That I can pull my self up by my bootstraps and move on.
• That it's ok to admit you made a mistake even a big one.  I also learned that as a parent you need to tell your children that it's ok to admit that they made a mistake and that you love them in spite of that mistake.  (Thanks Mom and Dad!!)
• That making friends is easy.  Making life long friends is hard.
• That it's ok to let go of "toxic" people and not think about it again.  (Thanks Erin!!)
• How to truly love and be loved.  Don't get me wrong Aaron and my marriage is far from perfect.  We do have our own issues.  Any couple that claims not to have issues is either lying or in severe denial.  We are happy and in love.  I know that no matter the disagreement that he and I have, he still loves me at the end of the day.  I always know that when no one else has my back, he does.  He is definitely my biggest cheerleader.
• That even though you might stumble what you're stumbling over may not be a stumbling block but actually a stepping stone to something bigger and better.

There were a lot of little things I had to learn to like how to scrape ice off my own windows, how to eat alone, how to cook for one, etc...  I'm still learning.  I made many mistakes along the way those first few years, but I had fun making them.  Like I said, had I not made some of those mistakes, I would've never met Aaron.