Mandy's Blog

December 23rd, 2017, I met this very handsome, distinguished gray headed man with lots of style.  He had sent me a message on Match about 3 weeks prior and we quickly exchanged phone numbers, which turned into countless texts, phone calls and facetimes.  When I finally met Bob in person, I felt I already knew him pretty darn well but was so pleasantly surprised that I really, really liked him more than I could imagine.  We took it slowly... he lived an hour away, so we saw each other on weekends and talked on the phone every single day and night.  So, when we talked into moving in with each other it was a natural progression of our relationship.  But long before when we first started dating, Bob had said he wasn't going to get remarried, he said I've been married twice and I don't want to have to go through that again.  I would always reply with understanding.  I knew it had to be hard on him.  I told him, if he wanted to marry me, that he had to want it, not because I pressured him into anything.  If he was marrying me, it was for the long haul, for the forever.  Not for this death do you part crap, he was either haunting me, or I was haunting him, because neither of us want to spend forever without the other.  

My Clayton, my oldest forever baby, graduated this year.  Clayton has no idea how wanted and needed he was by me.  His dad and I tried for many years to have a baby, I had pretty much given up when one Thanksgiving back in 2000 everything smelled awful/rancid.  Later that week, I felt car sick when driving back from the movies.  A couple of pregnancy tests later, I knew I was pregnant with my little miracle.

9 months later when he arrived into the world, my life had been altered in a very drastic way.  My step dad, Jody and my mom had passed away within 2 months from each other and I felt lost and alone in a way I'd never felt before.  Then this wonderful, beautiful, magical, sweet little 9 pound, 6ounce baby came into my life.  Perhaps at the darkest part of my life at the time, I had the greatest joy.  

Fast forward several, several years and you have this wonderful young man, finding himself in this vast world with so much to learn and already knowing so much.  I love you my darling one.  Always, always, always.. I love you.

When my marriage ended I had no idea that it would be one of the greatest things to happen to me.  Clearly at the time it was devastating and I went to a pretty destructive place, however looking back as only time can, I realize how unhappy I was and I now know how happy I can be.  In April, Bob and I closed on a house and moved in together, blending our lives even more and taking our kids with us.

It was a hard decision at first, a huge one actually.  I was apprehensive of such a big move in both our relationship and literally with moving away from Mt Vernon and moving my boys to a different school.  Not being married is of course huge too, and I know many were surprised I made the decision to move in, unmarried, with my boyfriend.  (I'm sure I have been the topic of many the conversation for my scandalous decision).  But this move was a very big move for us both, we were both very much excited and understandably nervous having both been through divorces around the same time with long term spouses.

And even though my oldest man-boy wasn't coming with me, (Clayton lives with his dad and it's his senior year so I get that).  It was such a great decision.  I knew Bob was an attentive, amazing man before but over the past several months, that has been reconfirmed several 1000 times over.  The boys even though they had to change school have both tried things they would have never tried prior.  Collin tried football and Cregan tried wrestling, all the boys get along and Alex is just one of my boys, and the boys are all just brothers.

The house, the home I thought I would grow old in was sold to some friends that I've known for many, many years and I'm so glad they will build memories there.  The purchase freed up some of Josh's obligations, and he has since purchased a home too.  Bob and I bought a beautiful home that we have been able to put our own touches on, and I love it so much more than I thought I could.

This is what life does... it gives us lemons sometimes and from those lemons we can pucker up or we can add some sweetness to it and enjoy the heck out of that lemonade.  And I'm so enjoying my lemonade of life....

New Years- starting a fresh, a new plan with a new year.  This year Bob and I had planned to spend the evening just the 2 of us.  The kids were all gone and we had decided to stay in and ring in the new year just like the old fuddy duddies that we are.... but Clayton had different plans.  He calls me early in the day of NYE, "what you doing tonight, lets get together".  Now this man-boy is 18, and he wants to spend NYE with ME, his old mama!!  Oh heck yea! I was gonna make it happen, he convinced Kayla and her family to come on over and we rang in the new year playing games, eating food, enjoying each others company and that is how I think I'd like to spend my 2020... With my loved ones around me having a blast..

Christmas is a magical time of year and this year was no exception.  We had to get a new Christmas tree this year, well I suppose we didn't have to but we did and we got it at an awesome auction website for a great deal (like we do with most things) and we needed to make sure it worked.  So in November, early November, we decided to put up our tree.  It was wonderful to see the tree twinkle each night, often turning on the fireplace and truly enjoying the moment.  We probably will never have the tree up that early again but man, I was so happy to have it up this year that early.

This year was new for us, our combined families and combined traditions, but I like to think we did a good job at blending.

We had Bob's family over for a Christmas party, and I got to meet more of his family, I really enjoyed that.  Christmas eve was spent at Leah and Bob's reenacting the nativity with all the nieces and nephews, of course I loved that.

But by far my favorite part of Christmas was Christmas Day with all my kids and bonus kids under one roof.  Alex was here, Cregan and Collin and Clayton and Cora.  It was wonderful.  It put tears to my eyes watching all this amazing people that I love so very much under one roof.

Christmas truly is a magical time.