My Life the condensed version

I grew up as a tom boy and softball was my greatest love even after I started liking boys. It wasn't untill I fell in love with my husband that softball seemed less important. I played softball all year long from the age of 6 when I started t-ball untill I graduated from college at age 21. I struggled with depression through school with dilusions of the world being against me and that the only people who loved me were my parents. I struggled making friends outside of sports and didn't make time for boyfriends (2 week relationship was my record untill I met my husband).

I married my high school sweetheart and best guy friend, Ben. We were only friends for the first 3 years of high school (I had moved to the area my freshman year) and then decided to date our senior year. After a year of being separated during the week at colleges 3 hours apart we got enganged and he transfered schools to be within an hour. The next summer we were married and lived near my college (he made the 1 hr commute). We graduated from undergrad 2 years later (I had a BS in biology and he had a BA in economics). I started looking for work and he prepared for law school. I was lucky enough to land a job at the same university he was attending law school and we moved to the big city. That first year of law school was awful. He was so busy studying and I was so not busy with no friends and nothing to do. We decided to move home with my parents after that first year so that I could have people to talk to when he was unavailable and we could save some money. We now had over an hour commute every day. Soon after that I found out I was pregnant and then Tyler came along after a very difficult delivery. He is now 2 and a half and very bright and big. Due to the complications at his birth I will not be able to risk another pregnancy and so hopefully this blog will someday discuss our adoption of a few more children. My husband Ben has now since graduated from lawschool, passed the bar and opened a practice. Things have deffinatly not been easy to this point nor do they appear to be getting easier any time soon.

I have transfered my job closer to home and it has been a great blessing. I now get to see Tyler most lunches and am home much earlier. Soon I will be reducing my work schedule to spend even more time with him. However, as the primary breadwinner for the majority of our marriage I am apprehensive. This change requires Ben's practice to provide at least half of our necessary income. Pray for us.

I have been fortunate enough to have a very kind and patient best friend over the last 12 years. She has been there for me when Ben was not able so many times and has been a godsend in a babysitter for Tyler. Her name is Cori and she has a 7 year old daughter named Jessie whom she has raised all on her own while holding down various jobs and more recnetly going back to college full time. It is her ability to do all these things that has kept me going during the difficult times of Bens schooling and my recovery after having Tyler. I thank God for her role in my life everyday and I look with both joy and sorrow at her moving next year to get her master's and PH D. I regret all the times that I wasn't around for her when she was struggling with being a single mom (while I was away at college). It is her turn to go away to college and I will miss her greatly but I am so excited for her.

Well, thats about it for now.