6 years ago today my last long term relationship ended. It was really sad, and it wasn’t my call, but I completely agreed with him. For awhile we stayed friends and after awhile we weren’t anymore. There are still days I want to pick up the phone and call Chris and tell him something about the kids or something about my life but I can’t, and it’s ok. We are off on our own journeys.

Since I left the life of partner/stepmom I’ve done some incredible things and made beautiful memories that would probably have never happened if we hadn’t parted ways. I was thinking about that today. I was sitting in the sauna at the gym with my bff after a great workout and I thought “If we were still together, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t have the friends I have or the life I have.” I just casually mentally strolled down the last 6 years and thought about all the things I’ve done since we split:

• Started this blog
• Took my kids to Disney
• Graduated two kids into adulthood
• Traveled to Ireland
• Ridden in a parade in downtown Chicago (on my 45th Birthday!!)
• Gone to countless concerts
• Road tripped with all three of my kids to North Carolina
• Changed jobs
• Made so many great girlfriends (sidebar: I know so many great women who I have become great friends with in the last 6 years, I can’t even tell you how humbled and honored I am to know you guys. Love you)
• Camped, hiked, kayaked
• Fallen in love. A few times.
• Had weekends in Chicago that were like: museum, girl friends, museum, brewery, Blackhawks game, bar, hookup with that guy you had a crush on 7 years ago, brunch, museum, girlfriends! bar, rooftop wine night, party in river north, wine in Lily pool park, wine on beach, girlfriends, wine on beach, girlfriends, wine on beach.
• Reignited my love for working out and having the time to do so.
• Taken my KIDS to Chicago
• Drove my son across the country to California
• Welcomed my son back home to Indiana
• Watched my daughter graduate from Nursing School
• Watched my daughter buy a house
• Watched my son by a house
• Watch my youngest blossom into the coolest kid I could have imagined
• Grown the fuck up

Sure some of those things would have happened, but I wouldn’t be the me I am now without the last 6 years.  I like me now, a whole lot better than I liked me then.