I'm Going to be Me

So, it's 2016 now.......

Wait...whaaaa???

Another year has flown by, but this time I had my eyes wide open and cherished every moment. One of the best years of my life to date. Thank you, Jesus!!

So.......it's January......of a new year......you know what that means!!!!

New Year's Resolution Time!!!!!!!!!

...................................................

Nope, not this girl. Not this time.

Maybe these "resolutions" work for some people, but not me.

After my 10+ years of making out a list of my next year's failures, I think I'll pass this time. 

I mean, honestly! If you're reading this and you've known me for any length of time, look back for a second and think........."How many times did Mary say she was going to quit smoking?"

I'm pretty sure I have posted "My last day as a smoker" at least 7 times.

Pu. Lease!!!!

Raise your hand if you believed me!!

Yea, me neither.

Or that time I said I was going to go to the gym Every. Single. Day.

Or was it every other day?

Oh, I think I meant if I can get there at least once a week.......

Why?

Why do we do this to ourselves?

I guess I should be talking to myself....

Why do you do this to yourself?!?!?

It's like I went completely out of my way to conjure up a list of ways I can suck at life. And by the end of the year, I'm thanking God it's over......

Until a few weeks ago....

You see, that was the end of 2015 and I was actually sad to see it go. That's a first. It has been such a wonderful year for me AND my kids. Wonderful? No. That word is weak.....my shoes are wonderful!

Marvelous! Extraordinary! Unimaginable!! Irreplacable!!!!

Absolutely priceless.

I don't know that any of these words completely sum up the greatness that was my 2015.

 But I do think that with a new year comes some self-reflection.
Do I have a Resolution?
I don't think I would call it that.

But what I do know is that I still have some work to do on me.


Until the good Lord comes back, I will always be a work in progress. This I know.
But this evil world sure knows how to find your weaknesses and kick you while you're down.

Luckily, I have found myself slowly climbing out of that hole. And the feeling is liberating! I'm reclaiming my life!!

So what did I choose to work on this year?

Confidence and self esteem.

Soooo many changes have taken place this last year and I find myself pretty vulnerable to it all.
New town, new job, new schools, new husband :)....dare I say, new PEOPLE.....EVERYWHERE!!!

Say it with me......A N X I E T Y!!

Self esteem has also declined, but I think that's pretty typical post-mom, right? Surely I can get an Amen on that one.

So, my goal?

Hold my head up high and make some new friends. Lol.
To some, this "goal" is a total copout.


But for this girl........the struggle is real.

It's exhausting to think about having to "train" new people to realize that I'm not a snob, I just don't like to talk in or around large groups of people.
I say "train" and that's exactly right. Once people have a chance to really know me, they respect my boundaries. They don't push me to do or be a certain way to test our friendship.

But the new people I encounter don't know these things about me yet.

My plan?




Be confident.





How......?

I have made a list and I'm sure I will find things to add to it along the way.




Numero Uno:

I am going to recognize the positive qualities about myself without feeling cocky or arrogant.
Arrogant people...they're the worst, aren't they?? And most of the time, they really are beautiful people!.....on the outside. The irony is that once you get to know these types of annoying people, their physical beauty seems to fade.
I just want to be able to say to myself that I am good at ___________ and that's acceptable. I am neither cocky nor arrogant for this. I am merely acknowledging the gifts God himself has given me and figuring out a way to use them for His glory......cause that's kinda of why we're here in the first place.

Number Two:

Accepting that I'm not going to be good at everything...............and that's ok.
I'm tired of beating myself up all the time. I can't be great at everything. I'm not Betty Crocker and I'm not Martha Stewart. I'm not a stay at home mom that is able to devote my entire day to my family and the household.

So quit comparing yourself to these types of women!!!!!

If my life ever becomes this reality, THEN I can set a new standard for myself.
But until then, your kids and husband seem to think you're pretty great the way you are.

Number Three:

When my husband compliments me.....I'm going to believe that he is telling me the truth instead of believing he is just telling me what I want to hear.

I mean, come on Mary!!! He wouldn't have married a dog!! Physical attraction, though not most important, is still a pretty darn important element in a relationship. So, when he says you're beautiful.......BELIEVE HIM for goodness sake!!!! Know that he is telling you the truth.
Say it with me: you are pretty, you are pretty, you are pretty......



Now. Believe it.


I feel like confidence and self-esteem go hand in hand. So tackling the two together seems to make sense to me. I'm sure I will struggle with this at times, but I'm the daughter of a mighty King. And He created me in His image. And He doesn't make mistakes. So I feel like I should feel pretty good about me. Lol.

Nothing is impossible with Him by my side.........and the great man He's given me to do life with. :)

I am one lucky lady.

Look out 2016!!!
Cause this chick's gonna make her mark!!!!!

(in a very calm and non-aggressive way)

:)



Skeletons

I have to take an intermission from my fairy tale life to be real for a minute......

 

 

When I first started this blog, I talked about the "bad days" that I would have....well, I'm having one of those. And all of these thoughts are going through my mind a hundred miles an hour, and I just need to....sort them out.....

 

 

So.....I have mood swings. Completely shocked, I'm sure.

I mean, really. I'm a classic case for mood swings.

I am a woman.

I have children.

I have a history of hormone imbalance.

I have children.

Irregular cycles. 

I have children.

Extreme anxiety.....did I mention I have children?

 

Haha. Just kidding.

 

The sad truth is, for a long time, I blamed the stresses of having kids for the cause of these mood swings. Really, I truly felt like I was completely validated by the cards that were stacked against me.

 

Married young. Financially unsuccessful. Four kids. Working mom.

 

Every day was considered a success when everyone went to bed still breathing. I lived my life in Survival Mode for a very long time...and assumed that as the kids got older, things would get easier.

But they didn't.....they progressively got worse.

My problem finally revealed itself to me, so I went to the doctor.

Long, boring story short....I got medicated. When I thought I was getting mentally healthier, I was actually just getting better at suppressing my feelings.

Fast forward to today....


I married a great man. Not just a good man...a GREAT one. I know that I am a lucky lady. More blessed by him than I will ever deserve.

And I have never wanted to be dead more than I did this morning.

Who feels like that?!? That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!!!!
But I am failing him as his wife. And to know that, makes me want to not even live anymore. He deserves so much better than me.

Old skeleton's are coming out. Dammit!!!

Why?! Why won't they just go away??

The Devil is winning again.

I looked at him this morning as he was leaving for work thinking, "I wonder if this is the last time I will ever see him again"....secretly hoping a semi would just hit me on my way to work.

God has given me the greatest gift.....and I'm just sitting over here f***ing it up. Why does He even waste His gifts on me?

My own worst enemy. That's what I am.

I know that none of these feelings are rational at all, but....it doesn't make me feel them any less.


WAKE THE HELL UP, WOMAN!!! Shake those demons!!

Or you're going to loose everything.....



Dreams Do Come True

Where do I even begin?

Last time I posted, my life was on an upward climb.......more rapidly than anticipated, but no complaints here.

It's been almost a year since my last update. The time has flown by and I did my best not to blink and miss it.
Just so much joy.....

And now?

My life is full of more blessings than I could ever begin to count. But lets start with the most obvious....LOPEZ!!!!

Yep!! I am a married woman!!

Who?? What?? When?? Where?? Why?? How??

Well, here's the answer to all.....mostly :)

Joe.

MY   Joe.

Our first picture together May 2014.

First of many selfies that would be taken....

Laughing....such a simple concept. I mean, most of us do it everyday. You know, hearing a dumb joke from a co-worker (or close family friend, uh-hum...dick archer), or giggling at something silly your kids did or even when someone gives you a compliment you weren't expecting (maybe I'm the only one that does that). But that's not the kind of laughing I'm talking about.

I'm talking about laughing so hard you snort because you've lost all control to breathe like a normal human being. You are now a pig and can do nothing but snort louder and more violently because you can NOT stop the insanity.

Like laughing so hard you cry. Not cry like a glistening tear rolling down your check as you gently chuckle...umm, no. I'm talking ugly! Tears pouring, makeup running, snot blowing, full blown belly laughs that double you over in pain from your stomach muscles cramping. Even your face feels permanently disfigured...LAUGHING!!
Pure joy and laughter, because you cannot have one without the other.

Something my life has been lacking.

But not anymore! Thank you, Lord!!!

There is laughter in our house!!

Ok, so back to the whole "I'm married" thing.

May 12th 2014.

My life changed that day. Little did I know I had just met the man I would later call my husband.

So, we met on Christian Mingle. Yep. The internet. I've never been a huge fan of the internet dating scene. Just soooo many horror stories. And in my mind, that wasn't a romantic way to meet someone. But who am I kidding? I didn't need romance. Not after the roller coaster from hell I'd been on.....

 I still had my reservations about it though, for several reasons.

First, I trust people waaaaayyyy to easily. There are some sick freaks out there!! Yes, even on a Christian dating site. And I knew that. Which is why I had to be very careful. I didn't want to end up on the news as a missing person only to turn up 10 years later after being discovered chained up in someone's basement...no.

Second, "Hello. My name is Mary and I am a doormat". "Jump off of a bridge? Ok."
I was really trying to find myself and I didn't want to wake up one day and realize I was right back where I started.

Third, like I said before. It doesn't make for a very romantic story....I'm not completely unrealistic, but, selfishly, I still want the fairy tale.

And quite frankly, I had very little faith that I would find anyone with any sort of moral value. It's a show! The internet is just a show. A way to hide behind a computer and make up a life that is perfect. Everything you've ever dreamed of...and once you've emotionally invested, the ugly truth shows its face. And none of that interested me.

But I'm still a sucker for the fairy tale. And decided, despite my better judgment, I'd see what all the fuss was about.

Approximately a month.

That's how long I browsed before he found me. And even then, it took me a while to decide whether or not I would respond to him.

I did. Duh.

We talked back and forth for about a week before we decided to meet.

Talk about Ner.Vous!! I was shaking like a leaf when he came to pick me up. Yep. You heard me. Little Ms. I Trust Everyone just gave a stranger her address. What?! Pull your head out girl!! Sheesh! That should be on Internet Dating 101, but I........but nothing. No excuse. That was just stupid. Period. Luckily, once again, God had my back. Instead of teaching me a lesson on common sense with a sick nut, he gave me a free pass with a charming and handsome cowboy.

I loved our first date. It was perfect.

Dinner at Red Lobster. Putt putt at Sports World in the middle of the Dust Bowl and then drinks at 7 Bar & Grill. The conversation was great! No awkward silence (like all of us introverts worry about).
Just fun.

Made our relationship official (on FB of course) on August 1st, 2014

at the play Texas in Palo Duro Canyon

His story is pretty similar to mine, which I love because he knows exactly how I feel sometimes. He's already been there and done that. So there's no guessing when a situation pops up. We both understand each other. Finally! Someone who understands me...mostly. He already knows what my future (with kids) holds. The struggles, the expense, the utter chaos!!!....and he picked me anyway!! Some day, when my kids are parents themselves (when they are graduated from college, in their 30's and married....in that order!!!), my kids will truly appreciate the man he is to them and for them.

He has three kids too....we are the Brady Bunch!!!!

Two sons and a daughter, which makes three of each....like the Brady Bunch. ;)

I haven't had the chance to get to know his daughter since she doesn't live here, but those boys? They are something else. I've never been more impressed with two "juvenile delinquents"...as my dad would call them. They are the most polite, respectful and, mostly, responsible young men that I have come across in a long time. A true representation of a great daddy. And of course, my son is their biggest fan.

A very proud daddy

Thanksgiving 2014


Being his girlfriend.........best time of my life!!
From the phone calls that lasted until early morning hours, the date nights, the last minute mini weekend trips, to the times just sitting on the couch watching a movie.....the BUTTERFLIES!! All of it was just perfect. I don't know if I will ever be able to accurately express to him how much I love him. But I have a long time to try....the rest of my life to be exact. ;)

I could go on and on and on and on........and will in a future post (we haven't even gotten to the proposal yet :)......but what it boils down to is, he is my gift from God and our lives have been blessed 100% by this man.