And away we go!

Come on over. You can find me here!

A month has passed and things are very similar to the last time I checked in.  V is growing like a weed and is sporting some 5t clothes in the rotation.  I am going to be forced to start chopping off appendages soon if she wants me to continue carrying her around all the time!  She is now in a big girl car seat...which as many of you may know is a huge freedom for me!  No more five point harness to adjust and cram bulky jackets into.  The cutest part is that she can let herself out now.  So, anytime we stop she asks very politely is she can push her "buddon."  In Vionese this means she is asking to take her seatbelt off.  I never get tired of it :)

She has also just wrapped up a ballet class at a local community center.  Unfortunately, I'm not really sure she enjoyed it so we are going to try something a little different soon.  There is a place nearby that offers toddler tumbling classes I am going to look into.  I think she would enjoy that...and if not...there are plenty of other things to try!  She just loves being with other kids!  I may have mentioned that I have her with a sitter two days a week now.  V loves that time with the other kids and pretty much races me to the car on those mornings.  I must admit that I do love picking her up in the afternoon and having her run to me with arms open yelling, "Mommy!"  I find that everyday my heart swells a little more with love for that little girl.  All I want for her is happiness and security and stability.  I just want her to have a full and complete life without a million worries.  I don't know that I will be able to give her that...but I am going to try my hardest.  I have to put her first and do what is right for her life.

As for me, school is school.  I am about to wrap up my first semester and it has kicked my tail.  This semester I took five classes when normally I will just be taking three from here on out.  Jumping into school with both feet has been hard, rewarding, but hard.  I am already ready to be done!  Wouldn't it be nice if you could get your MBA in just one semester?!?

With regards to general life direction, I have no clue.  The divorce is final and I am a single woman.  The house is on the market and I am just waiting for an offer to finalize that portion of this battle.  I am relieved that it is over and I have no desire to return to that portion of my life but I am finding that the uncertainty of where I am now is uber-stressful.  Not knowing where I will be in a year gets me sometimes.  Today I sit here in a silent house surrounded by laundry and to do lists completely melancholy.  It's a little scary to think that you really can't count on anyone except God.  That is a frightening realization that I have wrestled with for months.  Sometimes I think that there is another truth.  That maybe that isn't concrete, but somehow  I always end up right back here.  That's not to say that family can't be counted on or that a friend won't drop everything to come hold your hand.  Sometimes it is just hard to accept that things aren't always what they seem.

The only truth I can be sure of is that I must be faithful to God and He will support me.  Maybe not in the way I would expect Him to, but in the way that I need Him to.  No lesson is in vain, and no test should be too hard with His love.

The cars on the track go round and round...

I am without my little monster for four days.  That isn't something I am used to and it isn't something I really like.  When I dropped her off to him I cried all the way home.  The upside is that I had Chuck to make me laugh and we met close friends for dinner.  I am such a needy mom!  At least I recognize that and am working on it :)  I have put V with a sitter two days every week.  That was something I didn't want to do, not even for a second, but my parents were adament that I was going to make myself crazy.  I gave in and it has made homework and quilts and even laundry soo much easier.  It allows me to spend more quality time with her when I have her.  V gets to play hardcore with a couple of other kids.  My sanity is in tact.  I hate it when my parents are right!

Anyhow, back to the point...I am off to the races.  My family goes every Spring and Fall to Atlanta Motor Speedway.  It is good times, good company, good drinks, good food, great entertainment, and the list goes on.  I haven't been without V to a race since she was born...heck, I haven't used the camper without V since she was born!  It is bizarre.  I have space to move around.  The camper stays clean for more than 5 seconds.  It is like I have tripped and fallen onto another planet. 

Don't get me wrong...my time on Mars is going to be fun...it is just taking some adjusting!

Peace, Love, and Shenanigans.

Swamped!  Homework has me swamped!  I am doing everything I can to get out of school and get a job quickly but with a toddler in tow at all times life can get very interesting!  That being said I am currently in a great place.  I am loved and supported which allows me to be a better mother for V.  V is loved and supported and spoiled beyond belief.  It is kinda crazy how much fun she has every day.  She thinks this is the world's greatest vacation.

Speaking of the World's Greatest Vacation...V has been here there and everywhere.  She has been making some new friends and has been taking advantage of every opportunity I have to get them in the same place.  Two of my favorite pictures were from our recent trip to the aquarium and a cold day trip to the mall for a ride on the carousel, lunch, a peek into every water feature, and some playtime on the indoor playground.  They cracked me up running through the mall holding hands and telling each other every single thing they saw!  The only downside is that they are very close in age and seem to just love each other.  That can be good and it can also be bad...they are definitely partners in crime...and crime could be trouble ;)

V, in addition to playing with new friends, had been reaping the benefits of having four adults in the house doting on her at all times. Violet has been cooking up a storm in her play kitchen (and note in the picture talking on her play phone!) and ropes in the nearest adult to have tea every chance she gets. She has also been working on some pretty serious art work in the little art area. Between the paints, markers, and crayons she has a pretty good time. We even put up a magnet board complete with magnetic letters so she could display her favorites.  Lastly, on V's horizon we are starting  toddler tumbling classes this month.  It should be a riot and I am positive V will love it!  When that class ends I have my eye on a Mommy & Me ballet class for toddlers that might carry us all the way into summer!

With regards to life in Missy's world...I mentioned homework above.  I am taking four classes and still mommying full time.  It is a lot but I wouldn't trade a moment of it.  I am slowly adjusting to life not in Athens but I will admit that I sometimes get a little sad when I visit.  The house is on the market, folks are looking at it and I have started packing my stuff up in a very real way.  I am so ready to have that portion of my life behind me...I just can't begin to tell you guys.  I am certain, now more than ever, that God has given me this opportunity to regain control of my life and take it in a direction that is both positive and full of love.  I know my marriage served a purpose in His plan and I wouldn't take it back because V was the greatest gift a person could ask for.  That being said...I don't think I will miss it.  Taking this opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and trust God's plan for my life has shown me more joy and peace than I was ever expecting to find when this whole thing started.  I am happier than I have been in a very long time.  Don't get me wrong...stress still exists and crappy stuff happens, but the bigger picture is brighter, clearer, and somehow simpler than it ever was.

With regards to my search for a new church home I think I may have found one.  In a few weeks I will share that link once I feel a little more settled.  We have only been twice but are really enjoying it.  It feels really good to be pursuing God corporately again.  I have missed that regular time and the direction it helped give me.  Sometimes it is easy to to get lost and caught up in day to day stuff.  I, often, need to be reminded where my focus should be.  It has also renewed my cravings to spend time in God's word...to see what He would have for me.  When I moved I was hesitant about finding a new church and to be honest I didn't think I would find one with the kind of love and support my old one showed.  I am definitely not saying that it is home yet...but I am optimistic in saying it possibly could be one day.

In addition to school and church I thought I should probably pursue something for me (besides the gym...which I love...but it can be a chore).  I am playing on a co-ed kickball team and our games start in March!  I will keep you guys informed of our going ons and I will be sure to take pictures.  Lastly, I am excited to say that Mom brought me home four old jars of buttons.  They were rusty and even smelled old...but they held the coolest treasures!  There were carved wooden ones, plastic ones, glass ones, celluloid ones, rhinestone ones, and so much more!  I can't wait to find something fun to do with them!  It feels like it has been forever since I have had the opportunity to do something creative...school rules right now but I am lucky to have my first really lazy week.  I don't have a ton due so I am planning on playing in my buttons, quilting a little, and sleeping a lot more than I have been.  

The only thing standing in my way of rest this weekend is the start of OM season.  The first tournament kicks off Saturday in Flowery Branch.  If you are around and want to see kids do some pretty amazing things, feel free to stop by and take a peek.  If you need me I will be trapped hanging out in the score room :)

Lemons? Nah. Lemonade!

With Christmas and the New Year celebrations past V and I have settled into a pretty nice routine.  I am busy with school work and she is busy with everything.  Her new favorite thing is the childcare at my gym.  I love the ability to run without pondering what the actual effects of hypothermia are and V loves the childcare center there.  I like to think of it as a win, win situation!  It has been a long time since I have exercised really regularly so I am loving this opportunity!

School is a lot right now.  I am taking more than a full load so I can knock out my prereqs and get in an MBA level class.  The upside is that since I have so much flexibility I am going to graduate in just over a year.  That puts me back in the workforce at record speed with a new degree and a new lease on life.  I like to think I am making some pretty tasty lemonade out of the lemons I was dealt :)

Speaking of lemons.  Divorce is in full swing.  We finally came to terms and the papers are signed and being filed.  I am ready to have this all behind me.  There is still much to do to tie up loose ends...namely, the house in Athens must be packed up and then sold.  I am starting the process today and plan to make substantial progress this weekend packing and cleaning and getting the house ready to sell.  I just hope that the other half of this equation puts in a little effort with regards to getting the house ready to go on the market.  That would make things much easier for both V and me.

On the horizon...V and I are planning a trip to the aquarium with some friends, I am super excited about a wine class in my future, and V and I are going to be trying a new church.  I will let you all know how it goes!

Yes, I realize how late this is!

Christmas has been an adventure of epic proportions.  I have been here and there and everywhere it seems but it has been wonderful fun!  V arrived here Christmas Eve already asleep and we slept until 9:30 Christmas day.  Normally that would be completely unacceptable in the Flanders household but, in the case, I enjoyed it quite immensely!  Christmas here is an early event to be enjoyed only after Dad has a diet pepsi and Mom has a cup of hot coffee.  The gifts must be photographed in their places and then, and only then, one start distributing the gifts from Santa.

Sidenote: Yes, I am an almost 29 (in just one day) year old woman.  Yes, I do write Santa a letter.  Yes, I do believe.  You see...we have a little saying here in the Flanders house..."When you cease to believe, you cease to receive!"  So folks, you can see why I believe.

V got lots of wonderful things from Santa, Me, Granny and Pop, Uncle Chuck, and Uncle Doug.  She got fake food, and movies, and books, and toys, and babies, and baby carriers, and clothes, and and and...It was excellent to see her having so much fun.  She laughed and giggled and oohed and ahhed.  This was the first time I have seen her really excited about unwrapping gifts.  It cracked me up!  I will say that only one gift makes me crazy.  V has, in the past, gotten fake food and cooking sets.  She loves to cook and make pretend meals.  I thought it would be a wonderful idea to buy her a giant set of all kinds of fake food.  That would have been fine except this particular set of fake food came with like 20 small fake hot dogs (and strangely enough, no buns).  So she drives her grocery cart around the house and hot dogs come flying out everywhere...the dogs are chasing her eating fake hot dogs and I am trying to pick them up as she goes.  It was kind of stressful for someone like me that has a touch of OCD.

Fried turkey, a few games of cranium, and the world's best nap were the perfect ending to an amazing Christmas.  Sorry you are just getting the update now!

Guess what?!?

...and she puts off the Christmas post even longer...

I know that seems crazy given that today is New Year's Eve...but I have wonderful news I wanted to share: I finally got word that I start grad school January 7th!!  I know that is practically tomorrow and I am scrambling to get things in order but, I am still super excited!  I was hoping to start this summer.  That would have been totally fine but with the divorce and only a six month break before school started employment options were limited.  Having the opportunity to start next week means I finish a semester earlier than I had planned and it gives me a clear path for the next couple of years.

I just finished financial aid paperwork, I am registering via e-mail this week, and I need to do the mundane things like buy books (and a bookbag...bizarre).  Then presto...I will be in the process of earned my MBA!

I am still working on a few things quietly on the side.  However, if those fall through I will have a greater opportunity to provide for V and I in a more comfortable way.  That, in and of itself, is a huge relief.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and I pray that the New Year is nothing short of a gift from God.