I think I like it...

There are lots of things this single girl has learned to do since becoming single. Oh, sure, there were many things I knew HOW to do, I just chose NOT to do them - haha. Some things, I have ALWAYS done but now that I'm single, there are lots of things I HAVE to do.

For example: I cook for myself and my children, I have to wash all of our laundry, I have to wash all of the dishes because the only dishwasher I have are the two at the ends of my arms. I fill up my car with gas, I make sure all of the fluid levels are correct, I check the oil and the tire pressure regularly and keep track of when the oil needs changing and the tires need rotated. I set my alarm to get up for work, get Edison ready for the sitter and make sure Kensley is up for school on the days she is here. I add 20 miles to my 50 minute commute to take Kensley to school, drop Edison off at the sitter and then head to work. I work an 8 hour day and then the 60 minutes it takes to get home! I pick up Edison, come home, cook supper, clean up, wash a load of laundry. On soccer nights, I pick up Edison, come home, grab snacks, take Kensley to practice, chase Edison around for an hour and a half while Kensley practices soccer, come home and cook supper. Sometimes I clean up and other times I wait until the next night to clean up after dinner. I try to throw one load of laundry in each night (or at least every other night) - wash, dry, fold and put away. On weekends, I grocery shop, attend soccer games, change the sheets on the beds and attempt to find time to dust, sweep, mop and clean the bathrooms. I also have to sack up the garbage and try to remember to take it to the curb once a week. I'm also solely responsible for paying my bills, balancing my checkbook, and taking care of household issues. Between all of this, I still find time to read and play with Edison each night and spend some time on Facebook. Thank goodness for my dad who comes to mow and trim my yard because I have no clue when I could ever squeeze that chore into my day!!

I have wonderful parents who help me in a crunch and ex-in-laws who are helpful with the kids when I ask. Weekends with the kids are a whirlwind of activity. I have a 16 year old with a social agenda, a 12 year old with a soccer schedule and a social agenda, and a 3 year old who acts like a totally different child when his sisters are here than when it's just me and him. On the weekends when the kids are with Wasband, I look forward to time alone with no one to wait on but myself. At first, I felt it was very important that I try to be out and about, meeting people and staying busy, but lately I find myself wanting to spend time alone. It's nice to stay at my house, alone, eating pizza and watching movies or football while sitting on my comfy couch. I use those three days to try to regain the energy I have expended over the past 10 to be able to make it through the next 10 days where it will all start again.

Who has time for going out? Not Dana. Who has time for dating? Not Dana. Who is enjoying her time alone, just learning who she is? Dana! I got married at age 18 to a boy I met when I was 16. I never knew who Dana was. Most of the decisions I made were not made by me, they were heavily influenced by others. You know what? I'm making my own decisions now. I'm doing my own thing. I enjoy some assistance occasionally and yes, I sometimes complain that I have to do it all, but bare with me - I've gone through some major changes recently - I've never been this independent - I never HAD to be! And the best part about it? I'm happier than I have been in MANY, MANY years. I'm enjoying the freedom I have of not having to answer to anyone, doing what I want to do when I want to do it (well except for the things dictated by my children's schedule). Is it easy? No, it's not! Can I do it? I've proved I can :-) and the best thing? The fact that I hardly ever get a chance to sit down, that I spend a lot of time chasing my son, running with my girls and always doing stuff that needs to be done around the house has helped me lose close to 50 lbs! Yeah, I can handle this, but can this world handle the new me? We shall see :-)