I am excited and nervous about joining a support group. I'm not really sure how it works. My story goes like this. My husband Danny and I have been dating since 1995. We met in 7th grade and have been together since 8th grade. We have had a ton of ups and downs as any adolescent relationship would. He has always been my rock and my hero; but he also been a major cause for stress. He was first arrested for a DUI in 2001 before we were even 21, then 9 months later again for a DUI. He sereved 2 weeks in the county jail work release. Then in 2003 he did it again and served 2 months in county jail. Then in 2007, he did it again only this time he had our 7 year old son with him and they were in an accident. Danny hit a tree and broke is hip. He now has a metal plate in his leg. My son also broke his leg and has a plate in his leg. My son did not have his seatbelt on and so we had to deal with child protective services for a while. Everyone has healed physically fine and are doing well. Thank God. Child Protective Services is no longer in the house which is a major relief. We also have a 4 year old daughter. My husband was sentenced to 5 years in a work release center. We had to move out of our house and move in with my parents. My children and I share a small bedroom. Our bills have gotten so far behind, I am afraid I will lose the car, if I do I will lose my job. I never ever expected this for my life. I had always had to deal with some time of alcholism in my family and I vowed that when I had kids, they would never know that pain, and look at them now, they are the epitemy of living a crappy life. I try to stay positive for them and I try not to let them see me so upset. They hate to see me cry, and I try so hard not to. I am probably doing more damage to them by crying in front of them. I know we all need some type of family counseling, but I don't want to go to someone who is going to put us all on drugs or say that I am a threat to myself or my children. I would never hurt them or myself. But I realize now that I am verbally abusive to them sometimes. I cuss at them sometimes. Usually when I am feeling stressed and don't feel like listening to a bunch of whinnig about not wanting to eat peas or something and my parents get onto them about finishing their food. So then I get onto them because I don't want someone else telling my kids what to do. I feel like I am rambling on right now and maybe I should have just put a lot of this stuff in my journal. Thanks for listening.
Tricia