Catching Up!

Hello IU ladies! When I decided to post on the blog I was thinking of what I was going to title my entry and an old country song came in my head. I don’t really remember it too well but the lines that are on repeat in my head go something like, “it’s been a long time glad to see your face, I knew we’d meet again another time another place….just send a fax or send me a letter, or give me a call that would even be better”. I know Susan would know what song that is, I remember her playing it really loud on her car stereo our sophomore year. I was thinking that “or post on the blog that would even be better” might be a good addition. What a good idea this was to keep everyone in touch! What would we do without the internet?

My life over the past 2.5 years has been a soap opera to say the least. In 2004 I was having a really hard time finding a job in Colorado Springs without a graduate degree so I moved to Syracuse, New York to go to school and get a clinical doctorate degree in Audiology. At that time I was under the assumption Chad would come live with me after the Olympics & we’d finally have the chance to start a ‘real’ life together. Well, that’s not quite how it worked out and the ‘failure to move’ was just one of many signals and happenings that made me realize my marriage was in bad shape. I was really embarrassed that after only 2 years of marriage I was in need of help! At that point, I really pulled away from family & friends, not wanting them to realize that I had issues and wanting everyone to continue to think I was doing great but ‘busy’. Well, the shit really hit the fan the summer of 2006 and I began the beginnings of a pretty traumatic divorce process and what I call a ‘self awakening’. I finally realized what I wanted from life, what my dreams for life are and that shit happens. I fell in love with a fellow doc student at SU (in counseling psychologyJ ), tried to save my marriage because that’s what I thought you were supposed to do, realized my marriage was a REALLY bad fit, separated, divorced, ran away to hide for awhile, and got pregnant in 2007. Unmarried with the ink still fresh on my divorce papers, I was PREGNANT. AHHH! I had just started my final year of ‘residency’ at a VA hospital in Tampa and just when life seemed to be settling down I made the decision to try and hide my pregnancy from Chad and his family (for many reasons). So, yet again, I pulled away from friends, not wanting to put them in the awkward position of knowing and not being able to tell, and I hid in my little shell until the baby was born.

James Keats Overman-Smith was born on October 16, 2007 after 49 hours of labor, weighing in at 10 pounds 3 ounces. (The birth story is a whole other 3 page letter I’d be happy to share with you up on request J ). His birth has really given me the courage to realize and act on, yet again, what is important in life. I’m done hiding, I’m done pushing away family and friends and I’m ready to move on from all the negative forces of my past. I can truly say that I am happier and more grounded than I have ever been. I’m head over heels in love with my Lance and my Keats and life is pretty awesome. He’s a HUGE baby, weighing in at almost 16 pounds at just about 15 weeks. I’m not sure where he came from!

So, I feel like there are so many of you that were pushed away and I want to say I’m sorry! I hope that sharing some of my story will make you feel connected. I really want to be available as a friend and now as a friend who has been through the shit and come out on the other side. Lance, Keats and I are going to be living in Bloomington while Lance finishes up his dissertation and I job search. We’re thinking of settling down in the Northeast (Burlington) or maybe even B-town if we can swing it. We’ll have a place to crash at for anyone who wants to visit, whenever they want.

I can’t believe all of the weddings/engagements/babies that I didn’t know about! WOW!! Love is in the air! How exciting! I’d love to catch up with you all (especially you, Megan Geers!)

Xoxoxoxo
Margaret

“Give the kids a kiss for me and say hello to the family, tell them all my future’s looking bright.. yeah, I miss ‘em but I’m doing all right”

Oh yeah, here are some pictures (one of them especially for Erin). You are welcome to check out our blog at babykeats.blogspot.com. It’s mostly just picture updates.