Nature nerd/Dog mama/Tired gal

It’s been a long time since I’ve actually set time aside to share on this site. In many ways, there’s just been too much to unpack in the last year and a half, my life has settled into a lull of boringness that comes with finding love and stability, and sometimes I’m just too tired or busy to actually set time aside for another chore. What’s sad about that, though, is that when you look back to what you have written in the past, you realize it’s a beautiful chronicle of your life and you’re currently missing out on the chance to record your thoughts and feelings on important milestones and events.

Covid- thankfully we’ve avoided getting it (famous last words…) We’ve managed to be respectful of quarantine, find new hobbies and still manage to work around it.

Work- I just wrapped up the school year teaching and yes it was crazy. I was wholeheartedly glad to be back teaching in person because from home truly sucked. I needed to be at school to help kids and thankfully we did everything possible to do it safely. I never want to repeat a year like this again though. Lol.

Love – I’m still madly in love with Captain. Things are wonderful. Over six years now and we’ve evolved into more than lust and excitement; it’s true companionship, friendship and just deep. I’m grateful he’s my partner in life. No plans to marry anytime soon. I’ve just not felt the rush to do so.

Ex- He just got married to a young woman (yes, 18 years younger than him of course lol) but she’s wonderful. I fully support it. She helps me and is great with my kids. I truly hope they last. I hope he’s better to her than he was to me. I want my kids to have stability on his side.

Me – The post divorce power and high wore off. I’ve kind of settled into a me that is a mix of pre-divorce and post-divorce… I’m not anxious and sad, I’m tough and independent, but I’m not as focused on myself as I used to be. I’ve gained weight back so it’s hard for me to reconcile that 25 lbs could creep back up over the years, but it has. Sigh. I don’t hate myself for it. But I’m not as confident and youthful as I felt 6 years ago! I suppose that is normal, lol! I’ve also now had to focus on a new type of parenting that has had to adapt to quarantine, preteen years and technology. I wish I had appreciated the previous years with my babies a bit more.

Hobbies- If I wasn’t a true nerd before, I’ve really amped it up now. Covid brought on an appreciation for nature I’d never felt before. We’ve grown a garden, planted a zillion plants and trees, and I go on walks to study and identify plants. Luckily, Captain is on the same plane as I am and we have found such great fun in it. So bike rides, walks, jogs and drives all end up with some sort of plant theme. It’s been wonderful to have slowed down enough to appreciate what’s around me. We also adopted a dog!! (A dachshund aka hot dog!) She is 3 years old and we’ve had her a year. She’s my little soulmate and is 100% meant to be my life.

Travel – Kind of still a bust at this point so my goal has been to continue to enjoy my bonding experience with my kids, family, and partner. We will be doing some cool domestic stuff (driving) so I look forward to that.

The 24/7 news cycle of negativity took a toll on me. I know it’s not all bad out there, but between Covid, what felt like the Twilight zone in the US last year, climate change/deterioration, and just so much conflict, I have tried to disconnect from the computer/phone. I think our brains can only handle so much. So I hope my online buds out there are doing well. I send you all lots of love. I am not here often but I always hold this community very dear to my heart. xo Athena

We planted this! 🍍

My girl 🐶

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