Happy Father's Day to Us

Gaggle Cruise Father's Day 2015

Father's Day. 

It feels awkward now. I know I should be celebrating my Dad on Father's Day and I am. I have the best Dad.  

 When you get divorced you expect that Birthdays and Christmas are not going to be the same. In fact, you mentally gear up for it.  No one tells you about those other holidays. In a nutshell Mother's Day for a single Mom is hell. There is no special breakfast, there isn't anyone to tell your kids to quit fighting remember...... it's Mother's day. In fact, you still have to go and teach primary. There is no respite. I had a pretty big pity party for myself the first few years I was divorced. Then I didn't seem to be getting remarried any time soon and I realized I needed to make those holidays special. In fact, I learned a great lesson from my Mom who said, "I don't want to go out to eat for Mother's Day I want to make what I want to eat." And so it was, we stopped eating out on Mother's Day Sunday and Mom goes all out and makes a fabulous meal. I have matured from a 33 year old Mom crying on Mother's/Father's Day to a Mom who shares the chocolate bar gift she received in church with her primary class. I have learned to make those days special for myself and do what I want to do. Focusing on others helps a lot. Focusing on the fact that Father's Day is your new Mother's Day helps a lot too. 

Father's Day is the day for the single mother and I will tell you why. 

At first, (when I was having my pity party for several years) I couldn't even bear to face anyone at church on Father's Day. The rule of thumb is your children spend Mother's Day with their Mom and Father's Day with their Dad. So going to church and hearing these talks about great Dad's and blah, blah, blah when you have been stripped of your previous "happy" family life is torture. Plus, you don't even have children to sit next to you and comfort you. You feel like a loser at life because ultimately you failed at marriage. That baby crashed and burned and the insides of you are left smoldering, smokey, and alone.

 I must insert here that I do not mean to be insensitive to those who haven't had children and are thinking...you have no idea what Mother's Day and Father's Day is like. You are correct. I don't and I am so sorry so please come and sit next to me next MD/FD. Maybe we can take our chocolate bars and go to my house and get a diet coke during Sunday school. There was a point in my divorced years that Father's Day melded into my actual Mother's Day. I could enjoy church, make myself a delicious breakfast, and there were no quarreling children. Hallefreakinglujah! 

This year for Father's Day I decided that it was time for a real treat. Seven of my best divorced friends and I left on a three day "Father's Day Cruise." I mean after all each and every one of our children were with their Father.  This group of friends has been nicknamed the gaggle. I am not sure how that came to be but I will refer to US as the gaggle. Here is our Father's Day cruise. 

We did a lot of stuff like: sleep, lay-out, eat and repeat that for three days. It was dreamy. It was the perfect Father's day. 

From left to right: Row 1 Maelynn, Tessie, Row 2 Dior, Tiffany, Row 3 Courtney, Tamara, Emilynn= The Gaggle. 

We crammed into one car because it was cheaper and then we could talk. 

We went on Carnival Cruise line aka the party ship. Let's just say we were VERY entertained people watching. 

There was some pot of chocolate dessert thing that was probably the yummiest thing on the ship as you can see we ALL had one. Every night. This is Spanish Sassafras. 

Courtney and Maelynn...beautiful.

Pool Time...Courtney, Emilynn, and Maelynn

The towel animals are pretty cute. We were greeted each night by one.  You can purchase a how to book in case you are just sitting around wanting to fold your towels into creatures. 

Do not judge. This was RIGHT after we had a conditioning treatment on our hair in the spa. Emilynn, Tessie, Dior. It was cold on the back deck of the boat. 

Courtney and Tiffany...darling girls. 

Tessie, Dior, Tamara

Emilynn and Tessie....adorable

I am not a Lobster fan but the shrimp was amazing. 

Cuties waiting for a show to start. The shows were pretty good and fun to see. 

I wonder who grows up and thinks one day I am going to be a cruise ship performer. I think that is so awesome! That is not something I ever considered growing up. 

I went down the water slide

Some weird drunk guy joining our party...

Tamara was picked to be the "Carnival Secret" Angel

The gym was abnormally hot. 

Four of us were crammed into a closet basically. This is what it looked like from my bunk. 

The Father's Day Cruise was a hit. We had so much fun spending time with each other, laughing, having heart to hearts. I am so grateful for this wonderful group of women I am lucky to call my friends. 

XOXO- Father's Day is SERIOUSLY the best holiday of them all. The Sunny D