I want to go camping.

[labug]

Thanks, I feel the same about you and all the women here who have to take this on with small children.

But here's what I want to say. I wish you could all feel as I do RIGHT NOW! There is a calm and peacefulness that I've never experienced before in my life. I can attribute this feeling to many of the actions I've taken but I know it was my willingness to dig deep and work on myself created an environment for me to grow.

On Sat, the anniversary date, I was putting dishes away and got sad. Some things we've had since we got married, like 2 soup mugs his cousin gave us (used to be 4). Looking at these my mind started to wander. Then the thought came to my mind, "You feel sad, it's OK to feel sad. These are feelings and they will drift off. Tomorrow you will feel totally different." And I did.

I didn't beat myself up for feeling sad, I didn't push the feeling aside, I didn't fall into a sobbing mass on the floor or close myself in my room for the rest of the day.

I just continued to put dishes away...and felt a little sad.

This didn't come about without work but I believe time is a key ingredient. Use your time wisely. (As Cadet says: You've been given the gift of time.)

Be someone you can be proud of. In a year from now, things will be very different for all of you. I think you have the power to decide what that difference is.