-:Picture Perfect Creations:-

Three simple words with not such an easy answer. As I stood staring into the mirror tonight I was thinking those three words and reflecting on what they mean to me. I was shocked to fully grasp the adult woman staring back at me, wondering when SHE got there. Most of our lives are done on autopilot without time spent reflecting.

The woman staring back at me tonight in the mirror had a fine set of wrinkles between her eyes laying across her forehead, a light dusting of freckles along her nose and cheeks, and some delicious pimply reminders that I’m still young enough to enjoy such things. You are only as old as your feel. A wise expression that greatly applies to my life. Some days I get up and am dragging my butt feeling ancient, other days I feel alive and life I could conquer the world.

Who am I really?

I am a mother. I have two sons, each uniquely wonderful in their own way. My oldest son, Tyler, is a teen turning more and more into a man every day. I am surprised by his sheer size alone! Man hands, man feet, and a rich man voice all popping out of the body that was once my little chunky monster baby. It is almost hard to fully let go to see the man he is becoming, though realize my job is nearly done and he is becoming his own person.

He still is a very genuine, generous hearted boy with a smile to melt your heart. Most weekends I get up and he brings me my first cup of coffee, exactly the way I love it. Others he even goes as far as making us all a family breakfast. Looking into his face I see the future, into a pair of eyes the same color as my own. He’s at the age that we can have actual conversations. I’m so damn proud of the man he is turning into too. He’s funny, thoughtful, and turning into a smart man that I am proud of raising.

People are often surprised that he can cook so well. I am one of those mothers that are giving my sons the same life lessons that I would if he were a daughter. My sons can cook, clean, do their own laundry, and understand the reason to know how to fold linens and towels correctly, and many other skills that most men don’t have when they leave home. I want my sons to able to thrive and not have to rely on anyone for help. They do however know when to ask for it.

My youngest son, Xavier, is more of my problem child. I don’t say this in a bad way; he just requires more guidance in life. He is very high energy, and quick to response emotionally to a situation than most people. He is very ridiculously smart, catching on and finishing things that most people would toll on for days. He is my short stuff, with a small stature like me.

What he lacks for in size, he makes up for in attitude. Xavier has ODD, oppositional defiant disorder. I’m not going into it here, because I’ve already made a blog post about it. Simply to say, he has a problem with authority and it is something that he’s working on. He doesn’t even know when he’s acting disrespectful or not, he just does it. He looks a lot like his father, from his beautiful blue eyes to his cute little version of his nose.

My sons give my life purpose. Everything is done to benefit them, and to show them I am a proud role model mother. I am far from the perfect mother; in fact I’m often making shit up as I go along.

I am a wife, or rather spouse-person.

We aren’t actually married in the conventional sense of the world but we have been together long enough that we are committed fully to each other. We will have been together for five years this New Years. I met my Andrew in a very cheesy way. I honestly asked him out in a bar. I love to dance and am not shy in the least so I asked him. He’s not a dancer I now know!

We talked the whole night and exchanged phone numbers. Three days later we were calling each other almost regularly. Our first few days were really unorthodox because I was a single mother, working evenings with very few days off a week. He offered to take me grocery shopping our first date because we didn’t want the date to end. The second date we did laundry together, running up and down stairs switching loads. He moved in with me a few months later....and everything is history.

He brings out some of the best in me. When I met him I was working evenings at a post office and was content with just that. I had no plans for anything. He pushed me to getting a day job so my kids could spend more time with me, he pushed for me to go back to school to upgrade my high school, and then go to college to pursue a career in computers, and now he has finally pushed hard enough that I got my license. I am now mobile and have my own car, enjoying the freedoms and benefits that the ability to drive has brought to my life. He has helped me become a better person, mother, and partner. He is also a great stepfather for my children, and they love him like a true dad.

I have many hobbies, some of which are playing World of Warcraft, cross stitching, photo manipulation, reading, and blogging. I am a computer technician by day, and love my job. I get to fix and build computers all day long. I can take as many Facebook breaks as I want during the day and so you can find me there from time to time.

I am Joy. If you are still reading I congratulate you for not getting bored and not caring anymore about what I’m blabbing about. I warn you some of the posts here might not be for the faint of heart but know that there are in fact all from my twisted mind and life.