The Adventure Continues

I realized today that not only has it been a full week since I blogged, I've only blogged about Nike quotes lately. I guess I should blog about something different today. Like.... self discovery. I think I blog about that the least because I don't really want people knowing my business. Not that I don't at all. I do blog about my feelings a lot of times and even talked about my divorce when I was going through that.

Image borrowed from this dating dos and donts site.

So the other day I was posting a link about a restaurant review on Facebook. I mentioned that I used to go the restaurant and that it was a good place to go on a date. I immediately had people asking me if I was dating or starting to date. I think people had been wanting to ask me but were afraid to and now that I mentioned it they figured it was okay to ask. All I was doing was suggesting the place as a good date place. I found it very interesting how people took a sudden interest.

I wanted to know what one friend in particular was thinking so I sent him a private message and told him that I wasn't dating, but I could if I wanted to. He immediately answered that he would have to see who he could introduce me to. I was flattered and touched that he was so willing to set me up with somebody. Not that I want for him to do that, but it was nice to know that my friends have my back if I need them in that department.

Being single again has been an interesting journey so far. It's been eight months since the divorce. It's hard to believe that it's almost a year but it is. The truth is... I can't even imagine getting into another relationship at this point. I can't imagine going down that road again. Honestly, I can't think of anything that I miss that much about being married. You know how they say "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels?" Well, nothing tastes as good as freedom feels!

If and when I do date again it's going to be a completely different approach. I found this quote on Pinterest. (yes my Pinterest addiction) I know that I deserve a lot and I will only accept the very best next time. How's that for self-discovery?

"Love and Other Disasters" in My Life

This has been a pretty crazy week. Crazy in that unexpected things have happened and I've had to think fast.

Magnet by annetaintor.com

We had some changes at work that have made me have to step up to the plate and to take on some responsibilities I didn't have before. I thought I was being proactive and trying to think ahead, but I wasn't thinking far enough apparently. There was more for me to do.

On the home front, I'm working on my restroom remodeling and when the tile man came to start tiling my bathroom last Saturday morning I found out that I only had maybe a fourth of the tile I needed. I had to travel around Houston Saturday and Sunday visiting four different Home Depots to find enough tile. Lovely.

Then, I'm having challenges with my son and school. I'm afraid that on top of his challenging personality he's now being labeled and they are jumping on him for just looking at them cross-eyed. That can be emotionally challenging for him and also for me as the mom.

Finally, the divorce is final in the next week or so. Despite all of our differences, it is so sad to see fourteen years of work and our lives as a family changing. Life is such a series of struggles and challenges. It's how we handle them that makes all the difference.

"Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment & making the best of it..."- Gilda Radner

"Keep Moving Forward"

My kids were watching "Meet the Robinsons," by Disney this morning. It reminded me of how much I love the quote "Keep Moving Forward" and how much it applies to me right now.

http://www.waltdisney.com/

I also realized that I haven't blogged here about my impending change. I blogged about it over on skirt! but somehow never managed to mention it here. I know it's because even though I know it's inevitable, and there really isn't anything I can do, I sill feel a certain amount of guilt bestowed upon on me by society. That feeling that I'm a failure, even if I know it's not true. Yes, I'm talking about divorce- that dreaded word that I haven't used until now.

My days are numbered and although we are getting along just fine right now, very soon I won't be married and I'll be Loida Casares again. It's been almost 14 years since I've gone by that name. I wonder if I still know that person.

As self-reliant as I am, and as much as I believe in keeping my identity, I can't take away the fact that I've been married for that long. In those 14 years I've been a wife and a mother. I believe that when we give birth we give away a little of ourselves, both physically and emotionally. We have to give away a part of our body in order to give life to our child. Then as we raise our children we give away part of ourselves emotionally. As a wife we compromise a little or sometimes a lot. It's part of being a mother and a wife, but now I'm only going to be a mother.

I'm going to move forward with the plans that I have for the house and for the kids. I'll be starting a home remodeling project and I'm going to finish editing my novel for self-publishing. I also have to start working on middle school tours and applications this fall for my daughter. Life goes on and I do know who I am for the most part. The parts I don't know I'll have time to figure out in this new chapter of my life.