It's Over

Nov 4: I am thankful that the last ten weeks is finally over.

Dear Reader,
I haven't been totally honest with you over the last ten weeks. Truth be told, I have been keeping a secret from you more than anything. It had to be done, but I am really glad it is finally over... there have been many times where I could have really used your guidance, comfort and friendship.

For the past 10 weeks, Puddie has been out of town-- like big time out of town. Home only twice the entire time for 4 nights (split). Too far away for an easy quick visit or to let it be known in the blogosphere that me and Miss Add were home alone.

10 weeks.

70 days.

This meant that I have gotten a little itsy bitsy taste of single parenthood and I gots to tell you, single parents deserve a medal.

Seriously.

My breaking point came only a few weeks in when I was desperately trying to get my grocery shopping done with a feisty three year old when she ate her banana too fast and PAINTED (and I do mean PAINTED) me, herself, Gilbert, half of Walmart and the front end of our cart with puke at the tail end of my grocery trip.

I remember thinking... Do I just go home and put us through this all over again tomorrow? Or, do I grab the spare clothes, try to clean us up and get things done?

Then I realized we had no milk, no bread... seriously... and no one to watch her while I try to do it all over again. So, I sucked it up (ewww... poor choice of words--sorry) and cleaned us up and got the heck through the line-- feeling demoralized.

Single parents everywhere--

I. AM. AMAZED.

Kids don't just stop being kids because Mommy has a bad day or a deadline or needs to cook dinner because it is already 7 pm and the day just now stopped enough for her to realize that we haven't ate.

Vet appointments, Halloween, dirty kitchen counters and laundry don't just stop needing tended to...

These past 10 weeks have about done me in and I have had fantastic grandparents willing to help when work projects came calling... but that didn't change the fact that the buck stopped here... the pressure of that alone was surprising to me.

I am not going to pretend that I know what life is like for single parents. I am sure there is GOODe and bad--just like anything else. I just want to say, I have found a whole new respect for them.

That--and, I want out of the club (if I was ever really in it).

I am so thankful for my understanding and flexible family, friends, colleagues, clients and not to mention Miss Add.  Your willingness to work with me as I worked through one of the most difficult times of my life amazes me. It is a true testament to the amazing people I have been blessed to surround myself with personally and professionally.

All this goes without mentioning the man-- Puddie-- who made the sacrifice to take the training for his promotion for the betterment of his family.

I have been giving him a hard time about the "honey-do" list that is waiting here for him...  ya know, the one that says you are responsible for everything cause mama needs one heck of a break. (Which he assures me that he will definitely grant ;) ).

But, truth be told, I am thrilled to have my best friend back. That we made it through this insanely hard time and that I can once again hold his hand and laugh with him.

That, and I am INCREDIBLY proud of him. He can do anything he puts his mind to. I know it hasn't been easy for him leaving his heart and soul in Indiana all while dealing with the pressures of a very intensive training where failure (less than 90 %) meant no promotion and weeks lost for nothing.

He is one amazing guy folks... and if you think he is leaving my sight any time soon, you'd be sorely mistaken... just sayin'