What Do I Know?

I am sure many people who have read this blog have thought, "What the hell does she know? She's no expert!" My response is that I agree with them whole-heartedly. I am no expert in love, life, kids, or the world in general, but I have had many experiences. In my mere 34 years on the planet, I have worn some pretty interesting hats. I have been a little sister and the big sister. I have been a teen mom and a military wife. I have lived in both rural and urban areas. I have moved to places where I knew no one and had to start from scratch. I have had to rebuild my life after a disaster. I have been married and divorced more than once. I have been the child of a divorced/blended family, and now, I am the adult with children in a blended family. I have been a leader and a follower. I know what it feels like to be the custodial and noncustodial parent. I have been homeless after a foreclosure. I have helped raise and love children that were not my own. I have worked in 8 completely different industries, been on unemployment and received welfare. I have had good credit and declared bankruptcy. My life's resume has been one of varied and dynamic experiences. I have made my own path, and that has taken me many places.


The point of this blog is to share my experiences and lessons, in hopes of several outcomes:

1. First, I want the people who know me... to really KNOW me. After the death of my grandmother last year, I realized that you can know someone your whole life superficially. I thought I knew my grandma, but I really didn't. I did not have heartfelt talks about her experiences. I knew the general timeline of her life, but only the one I pieced together through the years. Maybe those missed moments would have made an impact on my life. Maybe they wouldn't have. Regardless, I don't want to go the rest of my life with people only knowing me on the surface. There's much more to me than that. 
2. I hope that my words will be an encouragement. Sometimes people just need to know that wherever they are in their journey, they are not alone in their thoughts and feelings. I have been touched deeply by others' words in my own life, through conversations, music, letters, emails, books, texts, and other blogs. There have been times that those words were a lifeboat for me. I hope that I can do the same for another. 
3. The third outcome I am striving for is to continue to grow and learn as a person. I have received several messages and emails from people regarding their life experiences since starting this blog. I love people in general, from the old man I spoke to at the breakfast counter yesterday to the lady having trouble carrying two kids and groceries I met a few months ago. The encounters and conversations I am lucky enough to have in my life have made me who I am. I never want that to change. 
4. I hope that my choices, will lead someone to make positive change in their life. I have learned many lessons the hard way. Maybe if I tell you about my epic failures in life, you will know what not to do. Maybe if I tell you some good things too, it will give you a good example to follow. 

If my sharing makes a single person really stop and reflect on anything -- than it is a wild success to me. I truly appreciate anyone taking a moment out of their day to read this, and hope you will continue to think it worth your time.