I should probably start at the beginning

Before I go any farther with this thing, I should probably explain who I am.  My name's Mandy and I turned 26 in October (though I still like to think I'm only 23!) I have two sisters who are more like best friends and live only three blocks away from my parents.  My family is very close and we always have a great time together.  I have been married for 3 1/2 years and love my husband, Skip, more than anything.  (more on him and our relationship later!) I was a middle school teacher for three years and even though it was often challenging, I loved it and miss it still.  However I "retired" at the end of last year after finding out I was pregnant with my first child.  It is very important to Skip and I that I stay home with our little girl, Meredith  It has taken some time, but I am adjusting well to my new role as stay-at-home mom and wife.  I love getting to stay in my pajamas all day if I want to, and never having to venture out in the snow....but it does occasionally get lonely when Skip is working several back-to-back 16 hour shifts and the only people I have to talk to are my 8 week old daughter, our 4 year old Shiba Inu, and our 9 month old bulldog.  It is at those times that I am so grateful I live so close to my family and my mom will just stop by and hang out.  I am extremely blessed though that I have this opportunity to stay at home with my baby and not have to drop her off every day at daycare.  I am thankful every day that my husband willingly works crazy amounts of overtime so I can do this, and for my family who is there to help with whatever I need.  I am a very lucky woman!