"One Month," is marked on the calendar for the date of May 13th. I have no idea what that means, I just know that my ex marked it on my calendar in the kitchen and it pisses me off.

Partly because I have this weird thing about neatly written items on the calendar in the kitchen, and this is in his messy scrawl. Mostly because I have no idea what he's marking.

It isn't a month since I left him, as I left him on March 30th. Not one month since I filed for divorce, that would be April 10th. Not a month since we filed our taxes, that was April 15th. It intrigues me, in a way, that he chose to mark time on a calendar he never used, that was mine, because I've been marking time and I have to say I like the time I'm marking better.

Monday will be 8 weeks since I left him. I feel as if I've lived a lifetime in those 8 weeks.

I went to Kansas for a week with the kids, to visit some of my family. I lived for 6 weeks in a shelter for battered women, meeting some women who I'll likely know for years.

I less than six weeks time, I applied for readmission to school, got accepted, got it paid for and started classes. I'm rocking my first class and enjoying myself immensely.

I've reconnected with friends, taking my friendships and my life back. Better yet, I've rediscovered the real me and I love this woman. For six weeks I've been spending time with a dear friend, a guy friend, who is reminding me what it's like to spend time with a good man.

I'm back, baby, and if we're both marking time that's fine....I just know my markers are better, healthier and so worth it.