20 years.
That thought is hard to wrap my mind around and I can tell you when I was getting divorced I was confident I would be married again in a couple of years.
Life is a blur.
Life. Lessons. Memories. Fast forward and I am no longer 26 years old, rather 46 years.
Every single season in my life had a purpose transitioning me from a young person fine-tuning who I am today with tough life lessons being a single mom. It wasn't easy and there was no relief with 100% of the weight on my shoulders at all times.
Animals have babies. It takes a woman to establish a home and raise her children. I am proud of what I accomplished by myself.
I look back with no regrets, this journey has made me incredibly strong. I see my close and loving relationships with both of my daughters and I am grateful. When children wander from their parents, mine stay close to me.
My home established, my faith strong, my children nearly raised and a grand baby on the way ... life is comfortable in a I've-reached-the-end-of-the-tunnel-kind-of-way ...
... and I am still healthy and active to enjoy so much more of life.
I remember twenty years ago today, when I walked out of the courtroom, my best friend Charlotte and I went to Virginia Kendall State Park, put a blanket in the grass and laid there looking up at the sky that afternoon, I was mentally exhausted. I'm certain I was wondering what life was going to look like being a young mom and Mariah was only a baby.
Twenty years later, I know there are no words to tell my younger self what this journey would look like full of blessings and life lessons, but I would certainly say ...
... and love anyway. It is all worth it.
