A lot can change in a year....

It's going to be almost 80 today. Of course this is NOT the weekend that I'm moving, so probably next weekend? It'll snow. This is, after all, Michigan.
After a nightmare two weeks, I got bank approval this week for my mortgage and it's at MSHDA/RD for final OK (but they generally go with whatever the bank underwriter says). So barring any complete and utter disasters, I should be a homeowner next week. Woot! Woot! Now I really have to get to packing. LOL
I had a blog before this one, called "What a long strange trip it's been"... and I went back and looked at the posts I had. Amazing how much can change in a year. A friend of mine said that once to me and it makes me stop a lot and think about how much really has changed in the past year.

2007 A year ago I was scraping up pieces of a devastated 10 year old off the ground after the fuckwit decided that because he was mad at me (not 100% sure why, I think it's because I called the filthy whore a filthy whore?) - he wouldn't talk to my son. Ever again. He was the only real father figure that my son ever had. And he was well aware of that when he made the conscious decision to fuck with his head. And he's a parent. My thoughts are that he should never have any kind of custody/visitation and should be fixed. Permanently. But I digress.

2006 A year before that, I was living in a million dollar home on a gorgeous lake, with a boyfriend that I thought loved me, an adopted family (his) that I thought loved me, and fighting for custody of a cute boy who's mother was a nutjob. We were talking about getting married when the nightmare of the custody battle was over.

2005 A year before that I had just "officially" moved in with this guy that I was absolutely nuts about, and we (my son and I) were adjusting to having another person around on a full time basis. I turned 40. And got coupons for my birthday (don't even get me started). No party with my friends. No present. Coupons. That I was never able to cash in. (Looking back, I should have known then... LOL)

2004 A year before that. I was living in Michigan, working part time, going back to school. Life was good. I was enjoying being a part time stay at home mom. Having fun hanging with my friends, and making a new life for us. Josh was doing good in school, making friends. His teacher was a pain in the ass, but she wanted all perfect kids and she was definitely not going to get that with him. LOL No drama.


2003 A year before that. I was still living in MA. Had been laid off from my job in July and was heading towards losing my house because I couldn't make the payments. I didn't want to go back to work in the city and have my 6 year old be the first dropped off/last picked up at daycare again. I knew that there had to be a better way. What I told my friends and family was that they would (hopefully) always be there, but my son wouldn't always be six. I was moving to Michigan after I sold my house because the cost of living was so much less, I could work part time and give my son the mother that he desperately needed.

I could go on. But it's true. You never know what can happen in a year. I went from living with a millionaire, not having to worry about money and seeing life through rose colored glasses to realizing that no amount of money can't make an asshole NOT be an asshole. Selling my stuff on Ebay to pay the bills. Turning in change for gas money. And being so much happier. My son is doing well - he still desperately needs a male role model, but I think he's got some friends with great fathers that can help fill that role. I will never stay in a mediocre relationship for the wrong reasons ever again (and no - the money was never one of those reasons).
I'm working full time for the first time in over 5 years. My son is almost 12 and doesn't need me as much, but he still needs me. I am back in the driver's seat and loving the ride!