My parents are separating

Wow, it sure feels real to actually write it. My parents will be separating in November after more than 40 years of marriage. It begs the question...is it easier to have your parents divorce when you a child and don't know better or when you are an adult and there is no custody and visitation to argue about?

I don't think that there is ever a good time...as a child, (and let's face it if you have parents, you are a child to someone!)you look up to your parents as if they have all the answers (except when you are between the ages of 13 and 25 when YOU are the expert on EVERYTHING!). Now, I truly have to look at my parents as imperfect people and see my future as that of a "broken family". Will it be easier because I don't have to shuttle between homes? Will it be easier because there will be no arguments over who pays for what? Will it be easier because we won't have different rules at different homes? I don't think so, it will be different and that is what will be toughest of all!

Friday nights

Remember when you were in high school and the thought of spending a Friday night BY YOURSELF was a definite sign of what a loser you are?

This past Friday night we were all going to go see the minor, minor league team of the Nationals...the Potomac Nationals' game at the stadium which is less than 3 miles from our new place. As I was driving Abs home from camp she was carrying on about how she needed some Abby/Daddy time...so I "graciously" volunteered to NOT go sit in the hot and humid stadium watching a team that I have very little interest in play...no I got stay home in the AC BY MYSELF!! It was heaven! I could both play on the computer AND watch a movie on TV...I didn't have to share and I ate whatever I wanted for supper...didn't have to worry about what Abby ate and was it reasonably healthy! I was officially "off-duty".

It was wonderful to have the Friday evening to myself! I can't wait to do it again!

My "New Used" car

So, I totaled my mom-mobile last month...not pretty! The poor van was overall a decent mode of transportation though not high on the "cool factor". I mean let's face it...no one is checking you out when you are driving a mini-van and though I have been married for almost 12 years and am madly in love with my dear husband, it's still nice on the old self-esteem to have guys check you out on the highway or at stop lights, right?

Well, now that Abby is older and her "stuff" is smaller...we are almost done with the booster seat...we decided we could be a little more economical and see if we could get be sans mini-van. So...the "new used" car is....a VW Jetta!

It's dark green (my fav color) and a five speed! Back to my college days of driving a stick! I went to fill it up last night and couldn't believe how little gas it took..much easier on the wallet than the gas guzzling mom-mobile! Maybe I'll even get hit on at the next stop light! LOL :)

My very own blog...

Huh, so bunches of my friends do this and I love to read their blogs...but am I really interesting enough to blog?? Well...we'll see...certainly my life is chaotic and crazy...

Guess I should start by introducing myself...I'm Danica...age 38 (really, when did I get that old??)...married to Hub and mom to Bug age 8. We live in Woodbridge, VA though we are New Englanders at heart....I call this my 23 year "college stint" in Virginia...that way it feels less permenant and I can still be "from" Massachusetts!

I'm a social worker...those who know me know it's more of a life style than a career choice. I LOVE to help others...always have. I like to think I am pretty good at what I do. Currently I am employed by Children's Services of Virginia as the Clinical Director of their Manassas office. I oversee every aspect of the office including supervising all the staff. I have four social workers who provide casemanagement to children in treatment foster care. We recruit, train, and maintain our own foster families and place children referred from the local counties in these homes. I LOVE it (most days)!

Bug...she's entering the third grade at Springwoods Elementary School. She is a trooper. This is her third elementary school. :( She completed kindergarten in Upton, MA (where we thought we'd be "forever"). We then made the move to VA for Hub to pursue stable employment and well the debacle of an interstate move combined with a crappy real estate market left us renting a county subsidized apartment in Fairfax...so school #2 was there for two years. This move was very well planned and I am committed to NOT changing her school until the natural break of middle school.

My dear husband, Hub...he is a Fairfax County Police Officer. Finally he is happy with his job and is not simply making money to live. It's a wonderful change and even though the move was harder than I ever could have thought possible, it WAS worth it. He has so many friends here that he sees regularly and is able to pursue his hobbies of golf, baseball games, and now horse back riding. He's also much easier to live with.

Ok...so that's it for today...a good intro I think! Some exciting news...I am getting my "new used car" today!! I am so excited. It's fun to drive and not just the practicle "mom-mobile"! It's a 2004 VW Jetta in my fav color green. I'll post pics! I can't wait as I hate my rental. Steve tried to get me to trade it with Enterprise, but it just seemed like more of a hassle, plus it's always a bummer when you love the rental and then you have to return it...this way, I won't be sad!