5 years ago....

How much someone's life can change in 5 years. Have you ever had someone ask you "Where do you want to be in five years?" Well after the last five years I have come to realize that a lot in your life can change in just five years. Like THE WHOLE THING.

Five years ago Madison was just born. Five years ago, my husband was just my downstairs neighbor who meant nothing to me. He was the annoying bachelor who listened to crazy music that blared up thru the vents at 3am when I was trying to sleep. Five years ago I was still with that deadbeat dad of my oldest kiddos. Five years ago I had nothing going for me except I was "his girlfriend." I wasn't me. I was lost in his shadow. Five years ago I was too worried about making him happy to make myself happy. And then he crushed my world and left. He took the money, the car, and left me completely destroyed. Or so I thought.

When I started dating my husband, I was in it for the conquest. I was gonna make him fall in love with me, and then I was gonna trample his heart and chop it up in a million pieces just like my ex did with me. I wanted to make someone as miserable as I was. I wanted to cure my pain with retribution. LOL... I was never very good at being vindictive. Now we have been together for about 5 years, and we have been married for about 2 1/2 years. We have a baby, and are thinking about another one.

Wow how five year changes your life.

Five years ago, I wasn't a college graduate. I didn't even know what I wanted to go to school for. Five years ago I wasn't pushing 3 kids in a stroller thru the snow and ice when it was 26 degrees outside, just so I could attend classes. Five years ago I didn't have goals.

Five years ago I didn't know how precious my online friends would be to me. I didn't know anything about computers, well... I didn't even own one. Five years ago I had never heard of PSP, and I had never drawn a pixel. Five years ago I thought people who drove 7 hours to meet someone they met online were FREAKING CRAZY. Five years ago I had never hugged Gracie in person. I didn't even KNOW Gracie.

I didn't own my own car five year ago. I didn't know the joy of being a room mom. Five years ago I still lived in a 2 bedroom apartment that was managed by a slumlord. Five years ago I thought this was all I deserved. Five years ago I didn't reach for the stars. Five years ago I was just getting by.

Five years ago I was fighting off my ex's homewrecking mistress who was psycho and stalking/harassing me. Five years ago I still spoke to my sister. Five years ago I was talking to my paternal grandmother 3+ days a week. Five years ago I hadn't been disowned by half the family for standing my ground and refusing to act like my sister wasn't a whore. Five years ago my dad and I saw eye-to-eye, and we didn't fight about my sister. Five years ago I got to see my neice almost every single day of the week. Five years ago I got to kiss her sweet head whenever I wanted to. Five years ago I didn't cry at night because I missed her so much... because I got to see her whenever I wanted. Five years ago I didn't realize that the only reason my sister let my watch my neice so much was so she could bang my boyfriend behind my back. Five years ago I still respected my sister and told her I loved her.

Five years ago I hadn't cut all my hair off to donate it to Locks of Love Five years ago I didn't have gray hair LOL. Five years ago I would have never thought about donating my hair to LOL for the SECOND TIME. There was a lot of things that were different five years ago. Basically my whole life. And most importantly, five years ago I wasn't happy with my life. I wasn't proud of who I am. Five years ago I wasn't the woman I am today.

Makes ya kind of wonder... what will the next five years bring?