Hey JR09, You sound good and strong - and like you're maintaining a healthy outlook. Glad to hear that in your voice.
Keep working on you and that changes you've made in yourself over the course of the year - it sounds like you're finding out more and more about yourself - and that's great. I know how hard it can be to be apart from one's children - I have a son from my first marriage as well - and there was a time (and will be again) when I was apart from him for a year...it was exhausting at times.