Merging Forces
As I mentioned before, Christmas Eve (yesterday) was our "new" annual tradition and we decided to spend the day in Morro Bay, California. We ate breakfast at a little small-town diner called, The Coffee Pot and lunch at the Otter Rock Cafe. We spent the day walking the boardwalk, shopping for prized shells and then letting the girls play in an awesome little park called, Tidelands.This was our third year celebrating our Christmas Eve tradition however, it was different this year.This was the first year that Glenn joined us on our adventure. In our 2.5 year relationship, we've taken things very slow. He didn't meet the girls until we were about six months into our relationship-- we both wanted to be sure that this was a solid, stable and long-term relationship before we involved the hearts of two little girls. We got a lot of raised eyebrows from people who thought that we were being overly cautious but I'm glad that we choose the path that we didThis is also the first year that Glenn, the girls and I have woken up in the same house-- and celebrated Christmas together. We've very recently merged forces-- a single dad and a single mom combining two completely different worlds under one roof. Glenn is the father of 3 boys (17, 20 and 22) and I have 2 girls (4 and 6). It's a huge step filled with learning experiences, growing experiences, patience and understanding. It's also filled with love, mutual respect and companionship like I've never known.It was nice to spend Christmas with someone who wasn't waiting for the last present to be opened so he can slip out the door to embark on a long distance bike ride. It was nice to spend Christmas with someone who was present in the moment rather than just giving presents. I yearn for more than material items. This Christmas, I have gifts that money can not buy-- love and happiness. That is an amazing feeling.The girls are with their father's family from 12-7pm today and I have time to reflect on where my life was three years ago and where it is today. As difficult as the past three years have been-- I'd do it all again to be where I am today.The lesson I've learned: while I couldn't understand "why" while I was in the moment-- having faith gets you through the moment and into a place like this. My heart is happy and content.###One Mom's Battle: Our mission at One Mom’s Battle is to increase awareness of Cluster B personality disorders (Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder) and their impact upon shared parenting and the Family Court System which includes Judges, CPS workers, Guardian ad Litems (GAL), Parenting Coordinators (PC), Custody Evaluators, therapists and attorneys. Education on Cluster B disorders will allow these professionals to truly act in the best interest of the children.History of One Mom's Battle: In 2009, One Mom’s Battle began with one mother, (Tina Swithin), navigating the choppy waters of a high-conflict divorce in the Family Court System. Since then, it has turned into a grassroots movement reaching the far corners of the Earth. Tina's battle spanned from 2009 - 2014 during which time she acted as her own attorney. Ultimately, Tina was successful in protecting her daughters and her family has enjoyed complete peace since October 2014 when a Family Court commissioner called her ex-husband a "sociopath" and revoked his parenting time in a final custody order.Tina Swithin: Divorcing a narcissist? Tina Swithin's books are available online at Amazon (print, Kindle or audio format). Each year, Tina offers life-changing weekends of camaraderie and healing at the Lemonade Power Retreat. Tina also offers one-on-one coaching services and a private, secure forum called, The Lemonade Club, for those enduring high-conflict custody battles. [wp_ad_camp_1]