What a difference a decade makes...

10 Years ago, I went to bed probably a couple hours from now as a college graduate.  It was the last night I spent living with my very best friends at the time.  It was a night full of promise and hope.  The world was our oyster, of course.  I was engaged, starting a full time job soon, and one week from my birthday.  My mother's day present to my mom that year was my graduation.  Graduation on Mother's Day was such a wonderful gift.  While my mom hadn't graduated from college (you would never know this), I could see the pride in her eyes after the ceremony.  My parents took pictures of me and my friends in our cap and gowns.  We were picture perfect.

10 Years ago, I woke up on May 11, 2003 and packed the remains of my college life into my parents car (and a truck I'm sure).  I hugged my very best friends goodbye and told my fiance I would see him soon.  I cried leaving my home for the last four years.  I cried leaving my very best friends.  But still...the world was our oyster, of course.  I thought about all the wonderful things coming up in my life.  A new job, wedding planning, and the official start of my life as a college graduate.

A little over one month later, I spent Father's Day crying.  My wedding was called off.  My heart was broken.  I called my parents and begged them to come get me.  I was visiting my fiance's father in the hospital and I wasn't sure I could drive home.  I hugged the women who I felt were part of my family, his mother and two sisters and cried.  I cried at the loss of my love.  I cried at the loss of what was supposed to be part of my new family.  My parents were there faster than I could have imagined.  I packed what was left of me into the car and cried the whole way home.

Tonight I go to bed married to the love of my life.  Our two little loves peacefully sleeping in their beds. My in laws are asleep in our house as well.  Half of my family is here with me tonight.  I am happier than I could have imagined 10 years ago.  While our life is not picture perfect, the world is a wonderful place filled with Sweet Pea and Monkey's laughter.  Instead of seeing the world as my oyster, I look in their eyes and am filled with hope.  The world is at their feet.

Tomorrow In a few hours, I will wake up and get ready to celebrate Monkey's birthday.  In less than a week, he will be 3 years old.  We will spend the day preparing for the party, from picking up the cake to wrapping that last present.  We will laugh and ticke and just enjoy our family.  We will see our families and some of our very best friends at the party and marvel over how big the kids are, how happy the little things make them, and have a fabulous time just being all together.  Most likely at the end of the day, I will cry; although the tears will not be of sadness or loss.  My tears on birthdays are always due to the amount of love I have in my heart.  The love that we receive from our friends and family.  The love of us.  We have the world at our feet.  It's our oyster, of course.

Changes

In September I went from being a stay at home to working full time again.  Sweet Pea and Monkey are back at the same daycare/school they attended when I was working last year.  They are doing phenomenal.  I can't tell you how happy I am to see them both thriving in school.  The transition for me going back to work has been relatively smooth.  The only difference is that I know have an alarm clock to wake me up (2 hours earlier than I used to get up!).  I miss playing with the kids during the day but I know they are happy and we all seem to be in a pretty good routine already.

The week before I started back to work, I went to the doctor for a routine visit.  Turned out to not be so routine and the discussion of surgery came up.  I explained I really didn't have time for surgery as I was about to be starting a new job.  That all changed when some test results came back and my doctor told me that waiting on surgery wasn't a good idea.  I scheduled the surgery that day.  After talking it over with RoadTripDaddy and a lot of thought on my part, it seemed like it was time decide on kids.  Since I was already going to be under, we decided to get my tubes tied.  It was a decision that I am 100% sure on and have thought about for over 2 years now.  Sweet Pea and Monkey are all we could have dreamed for in children and we love them dearly.

As the surgery date got closer, I started pre-apologizing to people in my life.  I get nervous and it makes me a tad bitchy stressed.  I have a tendency to take that stress out on the people closest to me.  The surgery was yesterday and everything went well, with one complication.  One of the procedures the doctor was hoping to perform didn't work.  RoadTripDaddy said he could tell my doc was disappointed when she spoke with him after my surgery.  She truly is a wonderful doctor.  One of those doctors that you drive an hour to her office because you love her that much.  Even if it means driving a little over an hour to get to the hospital she works out of to deliver your children.  I'm pretty sure I have told her she can't retire a few times.  I didn't sleep well last night but that's to be expected.  I am on pain meds now and will be spending the next week in bed.  The munchkins are headed to Grandma and Grandpa's tonight so I have some more time to heal without having to deny snuggles.  If only snuggles and kisses healed all wounds.  :)

Two Surprises

On Saturday, RoadTripDaddy and I got the kids up early and headed out the door for the first of two surprises.  When we got to the train station, we told the kids we were taking a train ride.  Monkey LOVES trains.  They were very excited for their first train rides.  We boarded the train and headed towards the city.  The kids were enthralled looking out the windows.  It was fun to watch the excitement in their eyes.  Sweet Pea asked why we were stopping.  At every single station.  All 10 stops.  We had to change stations when we arrived downtown so we could head to our next surprise.  We walked the couple blocks to the Ogilvie and hung out for a bit until it was time to head to Ravinia.  On the train we told the kids that we were headed to see Laurie Berkner!  Sweet Pea kept asking if we were going then.  She later proceeded to tell a nice woman on the train that we were going to see Laurie about 15 times.  RoadTripDaddy and I figured she was excited.  However, this didn't stop her from asking why we were stopping again at every station.  This time there were 12 stops to question.

The kids had a blast at the concert and it was definitely worth the trip.  After the concert, we headed into the city and explored Millennium Park.  It was a ton of fun but we were exhausted by the time we finally made it home.  More about our weekend to come later.

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Why don't friends with kids have time? TELL ME ABOUT IT

I came across this article on Facebook today and did a quick Google search to find the original article.  I ended up also stumbling on 1 Bad Mom's blog and her comments.  This pretty much sums it all up.  Follow the link to see what I mean.

Why don't friends with kids have time? TELL ME ABOUT IT