I’m turning 50 this year, yes – a half century! It’s both exciting and terrifying. I’ve had a full life already, filled with both great and awful things, and everything in-between. I’m a mom. I’m a professional. I’m a daughter. I’m a sister. I’m a best friend. I’m a dog lover. I’m an ex-wife (twice).

I’m a Mom – After being told I would never have children in my early 20’s, I’m lucky to have an (almost) adult son who is currently pursuing a college degree. I was a single parent most of his life, but I’m proud of the way he was raised and the kid he is and the man he is growing to be. I was lucky to have people around me that helped along the way – family, friends, teachers. It’s true when they say it takes a village, and he and I were lucky to have a great village!

I’m a Professional – I work full time from home and am grateful to have a career I love. I started my professional career as a temp in the HR/Recruiting department of an insurance company several decades ago. I had a manager that was brave enough to take a chance on a girl who didn’t have a college education but was willing to work as hard as she had to to get the job done. Hard work kept paying off for me, and I continued to get opportunities to prove I could do more.

I’m a Daughter – I’m one of the lucky ones that has parents that have been married for almost 55 years and still love each other. They will tell you they weren’t perfect parents and that they made mistakes, but I know how lucky I was to be raised by them. They instilled a strong work ethic and a love of travel. They drove home the importance of family. I inherited all my best and worst traits from them, and will forever be grateful for all the things they taught me.

I’m a Sister – I have two older sisters and a younger brother. While I never would have expected it when I was younger, I’ve come to rely on these 3 in my adult life as my compass, my confidantes, and my shelter. While we don’t always agree on everything, we do agree on the importance of family and making sure we keep ours close. We may pick on each other, but we’ll also have each other’s backs if anyone else tries it!

I’m a Best Friend – Again, I know I’m lucky, but my bestie from high school is still my bestie. She knows all the things – the good, the bad, the ugly, the embarrassing, the stupid, the ridiculous, the painful, and the scary. And she loves me anyway. I will always be grateful that God put her in my path so I would never have to walk alone on this earth.

I’m a Dog Lover – I’ve had a dog most of my adult life. There is comfort and joy that a pup brings that you just can’t find anywhere else. My sweet pup sleeps with me, follows me everywhere, and sleeps in my office while I work. He loves to chase a toy, but will also ride a four-wheeler or go kayaking with me. He’s an adventurous one!

I’m an Ex-Wife (Twice) – I’ve been married twice in my life. The first time was when I was in my twenties, and resulted in the birth of my son. I will always be grateful to my first husband for giving me my son. Everything I went through was worth the gift of motherhood. The second time I was married was 15 years later. It didn’t last long, but it taught me a lot.

I’ll share more as I go, but hopefully that gives you a little bit of a view into who I am.