My So-Called Life :)

So anyone who knows me very well knows that I had been very single and very independent for a long time. I was happy where I was in life and things were going well.


THEN...


I started dating Travis and he started to change my mind about everything. When he proposed to me it was very unexpected and quite a surprise, (I'll blog about THAT on another day - it's a great story!), and I was kinda nervous. I wondered how I would do with the fact that he had kids - and with full custody of one I was going to become an instant full time mom.


HOW HARD COULD IT BE??


I've worked in preschools. I've taught in elementary schools, I have nieces and a nephew, and seriously... it should be a piece of cake.


RIGHT?


WRONG!!


You never realize how often you do this:




Or this is completely acceptable:




until all of a sudden you have to start worrying about THIS:





And you start having DREAMS about this:





It's enough to make anyone want to commit themselves...



And then a conversation like this happens:
(As the kids and I are in the car and they're trying to figure it all out)
Me: (some comment using the word 'step mom')
Kailob: But you aren't our mom
Me: That's right, I'm not your mom, but when I married your dad I became your step mom
Kailob: I don't think you are our step mom
Me: Ok then Kailob, what do you think I am?
Kaiden pipes up from the car seat: YOU'RE A GREAT MOM!


Are these those moments I've heard about that make it all worth it?? Because all of a sudden I felt something I had never felt before. I realized right then that I COULD do this, we COULD be a family, and that every one of us was an essential part. And even though I traded in what I thought was my freedom for the 'family life', I really couldn't be happier.

Where Do Babies Come From?

Well, to be honest, I guess I'm not exactly sure of the answer to that question. All I know is that on May 9, 2008 I had no kids and on May 10, 2008 I said "I DO" and all of a sudden I had THREE kids!! =)


Kaiden is 3 and lives with us full time. I have had quite a time trying to find that 'mom gene' that's supposed to be inherent. It was buried quite deep from all those years of lying dormant, but I think it is finally starting to emerge:




Iizik is almost 9 and Kailob is 7:
(The one with the red hair doesn't belong to us, although he would probably fit in rather nicely).

They come over every other weekend

We are the crazy folks who try to keep it all together:

I titled out blog the 'Szark Zoo'. After looking at these pictures, is there any question as to why???

The Blogging Bandwagon

So, in an effort to keep everyone informed about the goings-on in our lives, (and to keep people from thinking I've fallen off the wagon if I go a day without calling), I've jumped on the blogging bandwagon. That's right, the Szarek family are officially bloggers.

Stay tuned, you never know what kind of excitement may unfold....