Ok Virginia above said what I was thinking. The part about you being a powerful oak tree, well, you know, I cross stitch. It is my main hobby. And the piece I've been stitching for awhile is this tree, and the verse with it says, "The strength of a tree lies in its ability to bend."
See, your bending is your dealing with the situation, but only to a point, of course, because you're strong enough that you won't be taken advantage of.
You are a strong, independent woman who is very smart and knows what is best for her and her family. Don't forget that. There is some cake-eating here, yes. Just be aware of it.
I am glad to see you handling so much right now. Good luck with the coming days. I'm thinking of you.
M45 Bomb 6/09; EA 6/10; Divorced 1/11 Proud single mom of 7 little feline girls and one little feline boy "Fall down 53 times. Get up 54." -- Zen saying