My sister Katie came to visit from NC and Jon finally moved out. After 13 years of being treated like dirt (really 20 if you count the pre marriage years), it is a relief to be rid of him- at least physically. So.. what I am most thankful for this year is that I FINALLY got fed up enough to stand up for myself and to refuse to put up with all his mind games and emotional abuse. It is going to be a hard road ahead, but I am confident I made the right choice for my kids and myself. I don't want my boys to grow up thinking that how their dad has treated me is how to treat a woman. Jake already tells me that it's a girls job to do everything while boys just sit around on their duffs. He is only 7, but this has been modeled to him for years, and sadly is how he really feels. I must change this. For Jayden, I want her to be confident and strong. I don't want her to stand for anything less than the best. I want her to find a man who respects her and loves her and honors her and helps her. Something I DEFINITELY did not get.
I am SO thankful to have 3 wonderful kids. I have raised them almost entirely on my own and am so proud of them! I have had sooooo much fun watching them grow and change. (It TRULY breaks my heart to put them through this divorce. I hope some day when they are adults they will understand that this had to be done- and that I tried so hard to make things work... but in the end it takes 2 people and I couldn't do it on my own).
I am also thankful for my family and friends who have been so incredibly supportive and caring. I love you all!
Back to Thanksgiving... Jonathan wanted to play football, so we headed to my school and played for awhile. It was more fun than I thought, although I totally wiped out while running in for a touchdown. I now have a new appreciation for football players! Jayden played, too. Kate and I stood by her whenever possible, as we knew Jonathan would "go easy on us" if his little sister was in the way! He still creamed us, though! ( Jake was off looking for lizards in the rock beds, of course!)
We had a big turkey dinner when we came home and then the kids watched TV/ played video games on the new big screen TV my family got us for Christmas. Kate and I continued our massive power clean (see next blog).
