I've been thinking

There are many things in life that take people by surprise...  Love, Children, Breakups, Marriage,
Death and of course Divorce.   How many of you have been through all of the above?   Most are happy with  Love, Children and Marriage and not so happy about Breakups and Death.  Then there is Divorce.  How come when it comes to divorce, over half of all people that go through this are happy?

Throughout my life, I have had the joy of children and marriage ( a couple of times).  Then of course there were the divorces that go with repeated marriages.  I have been through one amicable divorce and one that cost cost cost.  Of course I was on the lucky end of that divorce as it was the one between a wonderful man and his ex wife....... he is now my husband of 27 years.

I was the lucky one.  I am the lucky one.  My husband is the one and only man that I have called my best friend.  We don't always see eye to eye but, in the end we see the others side.  He is a quiet, subdued,  perfectionist and I am, as others put it, loud, flamboyant and a helper.  It is funny to see the way people who are so different interact.   I love being around people, and he is a homebody.   I want to teach others, and he likes doing things himself.    He has learned to accept help when offered, and I have learned to keep my mouth shut when not asked for information.

Now some people will say I am very structured, and expect people to follow the rules.  At work I tend to be a little unbending.  I expect the rules to be followed and tend to push people to do the same.  I have been compared to an "old army nurse".  I do not take that as an insult, but a compliment, even when it is not meant to be.  Hahahahaha.  I love my job and what I do.   Taking care of people is something I have always done.   I have been a nurse, waitress, barmaid, manager of a nightclub, administrator of a medical unit, mom and wife...... hardest being a mom, and all of which I loved. 

My life has not always been one of happiness and joy.  There were times throughout my life that come back to haunt me at times.  I went through some really crappy times in my twenties.   There was the loss of my youngest son, to his underhanded father.  You never know what is going to happen when you go to work...... I went to work in the late afternoon and returned home for dinner to find my baby gone.  Then the war began.   I called every person I could think of to try and get my son back.  I got lawyers, sheriffs, judges and police on the phone, only to find that all the rules had been followed.  My sons father had moved into my house for exactly six months, the legal time needed to take a child without reprecussions of the law.  So one child down and two to go.

Then there was a wonderful chance of a great job.  Calgary was so far away.  A new start.  Why not?  There was an underhanded ex mother in law in the background.   Offers to keep the boys while I got my life together.  Wow how wonderful.  Off to Calgary I went, with little knowledge of what was happening at home.   Return to find she had gone to court and got both of them with me as a mother who deserted her children.  That is when the drinking and drugs started full force. 

House.......gone......... Car.......... gone....... money........ gone......... life as i knew it......... gone.

What next?  I drifted from friend to friend.  Stayed with anyone that would let me have a bed.  I used friends for a place to stay.  Then they used me.  I almost ended up in jail, due to a friend, who I trusted.  I asked this friend to put my check in the bank, so she took it to the bank, cashed it and left the area.  Checks bounced.... I had a warrent out for my arrest.  Lucky me, I looked cute and innocent when I went before the judge.  He saw how scared I was and let me off with a warning and a fine.  Lucky me.  That is when my life started to change.

I decided to leave the home I had always known and move 1000 miles north with a friend.  I was lucky and found a job the day I arrived.  That same night I met the man of my dreams.   After telling him I was there for a good time not a long time, he laughed and asked "do you want to see some puppies"?  What a line.   It is used all the time.  After work we went to a trailer and guess what...... there were puppies..... lots and lots of puppies....... what a nice surprise.  I became this wonderful date's roommate.   From there the rest is history.......... Love, marriage, and a life like no other.  The man of my dreams..... the life I have always wanted........ the joy of life with my best friend.  Funny how things happen.  I love how lucky I am to have had the life I have.  I hope that through the years, everyone can and will look back and see the things that have shaped their lives.  Reflect, re-examine,  and love how things have turned out.  This is what happens when you start with "I've been thinking".