After a long break from writing, I’m back. And ready to give my followers some much needed love and attention! We won’t talk about why I had taken a long break from my blog, but 2023 is the year we are coming back stronger than ever.
Strength is built from experience—both the good times and the bad ones we want to forget. Like child birth and pregnancy, the positive outcomes outweigh the pain and discomfort. We remember the good experiences and treasure that feeling of happiness and glory. We are tormented by the bad experiences and haunted by that feeling of failure or sadness or fear. Today, we take all those memories and we navigate life based on all that has happened in the past.
However, we can’t let the past define us. It’s true that the past has molded and created the person we are today. But that doesn’t have to be where the story ends. Living in the present and realizing we have the power to build and shape our future self gives us the power to push back on the old you and to welcome the new you that is going to kick some ass and be successful while also burning bridges and creating new paths!
Just a few years ago….ok, 31 years ago, I was a single, pregnant, senior in college, and soon to be Army Officer. On the same day, I learned I was pregnant and I had been assessed Air Defense Artillery plus chosen to serve on active duty. Back in the early 90s, that’s 1990s for you younger folks, it was hard to get active duty from an ROTC program. Later that year, I had a beautiful baby girl while also taking summer classes. I missed 4 days of class after I had the baby, and returned to finish the semester with straight As! For those that know me, that was my best semester GPA during undergrad. Much later that year, I graduated with a BA in political science and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. 1992 was a hard year for me even with the bonus of a new daughter and successfully obtaining my goal of going into the Army after graduating from the mighty fine college institution known as “the” University of Florida. Go Gators!
Let me explain….a few weeks before I found out I was pregnant, my boyfriend of 2 1/2 years broke up with me. Should not have been a complete surprise as we had been open to seeing other people the previous few months. However, maybe it was the pregnancy hormones or maybe it was the immaturity of being 20 years old and pregnant, but the break up hit me hard. A month later, I’m pregnant and living alone in a small apartment since the sorority house asked me to move out when they learned I was pregnant. I had taken in-completes the previous fall semester because I had been so sick, which we later learned was first trimester morning sickness and not the flu. So trying to finish the fall semester while taking new classes in the spring semester plus moving and accepting my new life challenges, I sat home at night with my pregnant self and cried. Yes, I cried a lot when I was pregnant. But I also did so much better in school that year since all I did was go to class and study….and make late night runs to McDonald’s since I had a craving for Big Macs often. It was a tough time with a positive outcome.
Yes, it was a positive outcome! That beautiful daughter gave me a beautiful granddaughter in 2022! I went from being “Mom to “Gigi” early one morning last June! Let’s skip back in the story, I married the baby daddy in January of 1993 and had two more kids. My only biological son and my second daughter. While that marriage ended with my first divorce (yes, I have two divorces under my belt), the amazing children that came from that relationship trumps the pain of divorce. Additionally, my son gave me a grandson in November of 2022! Yes, I’m now the proud grandparent of both Milli and Hunter. My heart is bursting with love and pride! Definitely a positive outcome for 1992!
My point….for a brief few months in 1992, I thought my world was crashing in on me. The waves of depression and anxiety were overwhelming. But looking back, I rode those waves like a professional surfer and won the best trophy in life—-family! I gave birth to 5 kids plus won a bonus step-son. I now have a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law as well as “Adam”, also known as my daughter’s boyfriend. I have TWO grandchildren. And not to brag, both of my parents and my step-dad are still healthy and doing this adventure called life. Despite the many crashes and bruises I’ve acquired over the years, I’m winning!
I’m winning and I’m back! Ready to take on 2023! Ready to share My Awesome Disaster of a life with my followers and new readers. Let’s put the past behind us, treasure the gift of today, and not focus too hard on tomorrow. As cliche as it is, “Life is short” and we need to face each day like it could be our last! Thrive instead of just living! Let’s go ride the big waves and win this competition!
