So...how's married life?

I get this question occasionally....and the answer is always the same.  Feels the same as unmarried life.

At 19 married life was significantly different than unmarried.

Unmarried - live with parents or room mates,  I did both...

Married - together,  experience the morning breath,  the unwashed,  the dirty dishes and the "fun" stuff.

Unmarried - talk all night on the phone or on the front step,  just to be together.

Married - go to bed at 10 and think that's great.

Unmarried - spend every moment waiting to be together again,  act stupid in love when together,  think that you're not acting stupid in love...but you totally are.

Married - about the same.

Mr. C and I lived together for 1.5 years before getting married.  Why?  Oh,  the complicated answers that don't fit on this blog. 

Pro - I knew what I was getting myself into with this guy.  I knew his good, bad and can tolerate that.  

Con - see above.

Pro - I knew that I still wanted to be with him.

Con - He got stuck with me due to the above. (wahaha)

What has changed now that I sport his name and wear his ring?  Not much.  A general sigh of relief from those that weren't handling the 'not married, living in sin'  but not much else.  The kids have had different levels of dealing with change.  I think they've done well.  They've all spent time with us since the wedding and been able to see that nothing has changed.   Mom and C are still the same,  it feels the same at their house.   We have always been as open with them as is appropriate for their age.  We continue to be.  They ask a question,  we answer that question.

Moving on...

Dear Wave of Change,  thanks for the ride.

So the Wave of Change thing was about my job.  I was on the Reserve for a year.  I didn't hate it,  but too many aspects of it were not playing well in the mental health area.  I consider myself a confident capable girl,  generally smrt... : )...and able to handle what comes her way.  Working FT has been an adjustment,  but it fits.  This position had played it's time and the fat lady was bellowing her final lines.  I cut back for the summer,  and started looking for something else.  The role I found is not too much different in task,  but light years different in attitude and environment.  Plus the commute is cut by half.  Have to dress up everyday rather than jeans and flip flops...but I can handle that.  The accessory junkie in me loves that part...and "adding to the work wardrobe" is a good excuse for frequent retail therapy.

Old Job - Office Manager,  Tsuu Tina Nation

New Job - Financial Services Manager,  Canada's Sports Hall of Fame,  COP.

I have some big goals for this job...financial is not where I want to stay forever.  It's what they need for now,  so I get my foot in the door.  

Jody at Sanity is Overrated linked us all to an interesting blog today.  I followed,  read,  was intrigued.  Check the side bar for new listing of When the Flames go Up.  Something to ponder.  Hits home for Mr. C and I.

I co-parent 7 children with 3 other parents.  My children and their father,  my stepchildren and their father, and my step children and their mother.  Doesn't matter how you look at it,  we're all in this together.  We may not communicate,  may not make plans or set schedules,  may not even agree on aspects and concepts together..but the fact still remains...I co-parent 7 children with 3 other parents.  I also co-parent 7 children with 4 sets of grandparents.  They all play a different role in the life of these children than they did before.

Advantages...these kids get a lot of love from a lot of different people and places.  Their families have grown as they experience new people and new relationships.  Disadvantages...it gets a bit confusing where they fit in,  who plays what role,  who all these new people are,  and if it's okay to love new people.

For now,  I think we'll be fine.  We all love our kids,  all want the best for them.  All are trying to help them deal with the change in their life with open ears and open minds.

And to start,  let's have them all at our house...at the same time....welcome to my week.

More to come,  if I'm alive....and have held onto my sanity....which as Jody makes perfectly clear,  is often overrated.