MFW

I've met someone, though not exactly recently.  It's been roughly a year since I met The Boy I Like That's Married To A Lesbian.  We met online, and while that was not in anyway his username on the website, it was in fact how I referred to him in conversations with my girlfriends.  As we continued to get to know one another and dated, it changed from TBILTMTAL to Mr. Freaking Wonderful That's Married To A Lesbian.  My niece asked once, "Why are we using the F word in his name?" and was told by her mother while laughing at my expense, "Because your aunt Angie is annoyed with how wonderful he is."  (She's the 19 year old niece.  We do censor fairly well with minor children.)

It was true.  A new relationship is scary.  No matter how great, there is fear of change and the unknown.  There is probably even more fear of the known.  Memories of love and loss are huge and overwhelming.  It seemed it would have been easier to have a little fun, say 'Later Gator!' and move on to some fun with someone new, rather than another attempt at happily ever after and risk the tough stuff.  So I really was freaking annoyed with his freaking wonderfulness.   

His name has continued to change over the months.  From MFWTMTAL to Mr. Freaking Wonderful That's STILL Married To A Damn Lesbian to MFWThat's FINALLY Divorced From the Lesbian.  Yes, I began dating him prior to the finalization of his divorce (sinner, sinner, chicken dinner-I know) and the finalization of that took a little longer than expected.  Questionable choice?  Yes.  Regrettable choice?  Not really.  I got to know him in the midst of one of life's great crap storms.  I was able to see his patience in affliction.  He was always open and honest; sarcastic and funny; and still a bright, shiny optimist.  I need a shiny optimist.  I lost the sunshiny outlook and pom-poms years ago, but I'm learning to see things through his view.  Getting to know someone through a crap storm of life has its advantages.  Is he someone I want with me when the next one hits?  Yes.  Yes, he is.  The F word went from emphasizing the annoyance to emphasizing the amazement I had in his wonderfulness.  He's not perfect, but I do believe he might just be perfect for me.

At a date yet to be decided, he'll become Mr. Freaking Wonderful That's Married To ME.  At this point he's simply MFW (that stands for My Friend Wade if minor children ask) and will continue to be, although he typically just answers to the first name his mama actually gave him.  Life with him and his four kids is a new adventure, for sure.

Yes, you read that right...four kids.  4 + thing 1 + thing 2 = 6.  SIX!!   Yes...just like the Brady Bunch.  Yes...it's a lot of damn kids.  

It's usually amusing, chaotic, and rather overwhelming when all together.  It's a lot of change, and a lot of new challenges.  It's a lot of damn kids.  It leaves this mom feeling, well, a bit harried at times.  God's promise of a future and the presence of MFW by my side keeps me hopeful, though.  It's a heck of a next chapter and I think it's worthy of a new blog.

I'm grateful for those who have laughed, cried and prayed with us through our 1inamillion journey.  Will you tag along with us for the joy and chaos in our next chapter, HarriednHopeful?  As I've told Things 1 & 2, "If we believe Jesus' promise of heaven for Daddy and God's promise of a hope & a future for us, this has gotta be good, right?"

Oh, yeah.  In addition to four kids, MFW has goats, chickens, a horse and two dogs that have yet to meet our pack.  Seriously...this has gotta be good right?  www.harriednhopeful.com

awareness in pictures

I haven't used my real camera since 2012.  The last time I went to use it, I started by looking at the album of photographs previously taken.  I was jolted by a few taken at my niece's graduation in May, 2012.  I quickly shut the thing off and stuffed that camera in a storage bin in the minivan and never returned to it.  I know I've missed out on capturing better snapshots of the kids by relying solely on my phone, but some memories are best stuffed away in a minivan's cubby for awhile.

There's a new ridiculousness floating through the internet in the name of cancer awareness: a no make-up selfies campaign.  Perfectly healthy, happy women snap a photo of themselves sans their Cover Girl, upload it to social media and we all gain awareness of the effects of terminal illness.  It's freaking ridiculous.  Probably more ridiculous than sparkly pink reindeer in the name of awareness.

The no make-up selfies campaign did make me think about my camera that's been in hiding for years, though.  Photo comparisons of myself or other healthy women with and without make-up will not do a damn thing to make anyone more aware of the hell of cancer; so I thought I'd retrieve those memories from the minivan and share a few photos that might.

Here is my absolute favorite family photo ever taken.  This is about one year after Mr. 1inamillion's first chemo regimen.  Yes, I earned my degree with those two little ones and that sarcoma patient.  How victorious are we in this picture?!  







Here is the picture that sent my camera to its two year time-out.  This is Mr. 1inamillion four years and countless chemo treatments later with our beautiful niece Lizzi at her high school graduation.  He passed to Glory one month later. 
A thousand words and a thousand tears could never do this one justice.

Our family photo, six months later.  I'm wearing make-up, but I think you get the picture.