So Exciting: My very first blog!

Ok, so to start this may seem a bit rambling, but I’m going somewhere I promise. Enjoy the journey. (I’m including pictures, and I started this journey on the beach, so at the very least there’s that! 😉)

 So, this whole journey is definitely a new experience for me. To be clear I’m learning as I go, but I need to remember that’s the best way to learn something. Just jump in and do it. That’s really how my life has always been. I’ve been lucky enough to have some wonderful role models in my life. I hope to be one someday… Well, I’m a mother to three young ladies, so I hope I am to some degree.

My babies aren’t babies anymore. It doesn’t take as much effort to take care of their day to day- It’s more of an “on call” position now. I’ll admit, I have a lazy streak, but when I do a job, I feel it’s important to do it to the best of my ability. I also feel strongly that since I’ve been given the freedom to do something I love I should make the most of it. My job for almost 18 years (updated to say 19 years!) has been to raise my daughters and run our family’s home. Sometimes on very little resources. It’s a wonderful job, and one I love. I’ve learned a lot along the way.

It was good advice- Keep moving forward!

Recently though, I’ve been really considering something my grandmother in law once told me. Essentially the point was to always keep learning current skills and maintain a semblance of independence. Regardless of how involved in caring for your husband, and children you get keep moving yourself forward too. At the time I figured, well duh, of course. How could I possibly lose that? But you know what? Caring for a new household is a new skill (actually many, many of them), and it takes up a lot of a parent’s attention!

Like many young moms, early in that chapter of their lives, I was confident. I had an education, and knew I had a good husband who supported me. What I didn’t count on was the simple fact that life gets away from you, and kids and family life tend to take, like ALL of your time.

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely loved that chapter of my life! LOVED it! I still do. I think I got pretty darn good at it too. Especially since fate brought me three lovely daughters! I was not prepared for daughters. I was raised by a single dad for most of my life. I went to school for and was certified as an aircraft mechanic. I was just generally a tomboy, and liked it just fine. Looking back now maybe that’s the thing that made me the right person to raise three strong, smart, and beautiful young ladies.

I love my family but they really did take over my life

The only problem is that without realizing it I did let them (and my husband) take over my life pretty completely. My girls now range from 14-18 years old. Eldest will (with any luck) be going to college more regularly. Middle girl, and Youngest are quickly on her heels.

Now, while still enjoying their company, and embracing the stages they are at, I need to do some exploring of the world, and living life for myself again. I hope to capture the moments, and maybe I’ll inspire you to keep moving forward for yourself too. Maybe you’ll remember that lesson sooner than I have. I feel like I’m starting from the beginning again. Some days that’s a wonderful inspirational thing, and very freeing. Some days it’s just really intimidating.

Time to get me back!

My first adventure with my new outlook was a trip back to where I went for independence the first time, Myrtle Beach. I took Youngest with me because I really do enjoy the stage she’s at while she’s still there. At thirteen she still enjoys my company, and really doesn’t take all that much parenting most of the time.

While we were there I discovered something important, well it was important to me. I discovered a love for Photography. I’ve always known I enjoy taking pictures. I take them of my family all the time. (Middle girl HATES this!) The important part though, was that I discovered that I love it enough to jump out of bed before sunrise every day while on my own vacation. The vacation where I specifically made sure no one had any expectations of me. It was just me and the beach, and I found myself up at sunrise! I need to do something with that. I also I need more new experiences. I need to learn new things. So, here’s where I’m starting. I want to embrace trying new things, seeing new places, and watching those around me grow and do the same.

Edited to add- That if you were inspired to start taking back just a bit of your own time this might be a good place to start! https://mytranslucentreflections.com/use-simple-routines-to-gain-free-time/