So, I guess I'm like any new blogger, not sure how to start.  So I guess I'll just start from the here and now.  Significant event coming up for me on July 15th!!  That's the 1 year anniversary that I became a single parent.  Also the day my husband of almost 9 years left me and my daughter.  Oh well - of course he'll tell ya that he didn't leave his daughter, but trust me, he did.  She was six and I was only 6 weeks away from turning 40.  Funny thing is, I met him right before I turned 30.  Immediately thought, what a waste of a decade!!  Except of course for my little Gracie.  Here she is when she was born:

That is me with her.  Love that picture!!  Such a happy time!  

So actually I guess I should say the 17th of July is a good day to celebrate.  Obviously the 15th isn't so great of a memory, but the 17th was the day I decided that things would be okay.  No matter what obstacles came my way, things would be okay.  I would survive this separation/divorce.  And Grace was going to be okay to.  She was still going to have 2 parents that love her.  It was the day I figured out that, this is it.  This is the rest of my life.  Raising her is my number 1 priority.  Not that it always, hasn't been, but when you become a single parent, the level changes.  I can't explain it.  It's like a different life just hits you.  And the way you raise your child takes on a whole new meaning.

I guess that's one of the reason's I'm doing this blog.  I have tons of family and friends to talk to.  Some of them single parents themselves, though not many.  But it seems like even those that are doing this on their own like I am have different levels or degrees of being a single parent.  Some have more support and help from their ex-spouses.  Others have very little or none at all.  And sometimes I love talking to my friends about all this.  But sometimes I just need to vent and not have an opinion given - at least not verbally.  LOL!!   Sometimes you just need to pretend you are actually saying these things.  For me, writing them is as good as saying them.  And I don't always like to be the "Debbie Downer".  I feel that way a lot at social events and get togethers.  I guess that's why I have tended to avoid them at all costs this past year.  

My days and weeks consist of working  Mon-Fri, 9-5:30 and at home if necessary.  And then being with my daughter anytime I'm not working.  My ex gets her on Monday and Tuesday's all day during the summer, before and after school the rest of the year.  And then one other evening during the week he'll pick her up from daycare and have her for a couple hours.  The rest of the time she's mine.  During the school year I do get a little break on Sat mornings for the 1 1/2 hours of CCD!!  Yeah!!  She doesn't like to stay overnight with her dad yet.  She's just not ready.  I'm okay with this.  I know he's frustrated.  But I think his patience with her will pay off in the end.  She'll get there someday.  I don't feel that it's ok for us to dictate where she sleeps.  We didn't give her a choice about him leaving, so I feel that it is only fair that she has the choice as to who she wants to stay with overnight.  

Well I'm off to bed with my last season of Army Wives!!  Great show.