There are many pieces of me: mumma, daughter, sister, friend, blogger, worker, reader, foodie, animal advocate. It’s been a long {long} time since there has been another piece of me: the dating girl. Obviously this isn’t a new piece of me, but it is a piece of me that has lain dormant for quite some time. I’m heartily welcoming that piece of me back. It’s fun. It’s exhilarating. It’s making me smile. A lot.

The trouble is, I don’t really know where or how that piece of me fits anymore?

Previous incarnations of the dating girl were easy to fit into my life because there wasn’t anyone else to consider on a 24/7 basis. The dogs were happy to see me no matter what time of the day or night I arrived home. They didn’t mind if I needed a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning because of late night conversations. But now I am first and foremost a mumma. Love Bug is innately my number one priority.

I worry I will fumble through this phase of learning how to make it all fit. I worry my fumbling will upset someone or something. Mother guilt will kick me I’m sure, but the part of me that wants something more – for me – will fight back.

Such a tempest of thoughts and emotions. I feel like a giddy teenager trapped in a responsible grown-up’s body. Daydreams and reality fighting for space and time in an already overly crowded mind.

All the pieces of me … currently a jumble.

A confused, but very {very} hopeful jumble.