Life on the other side...

Hi All!  I am happy to report that there is life on the other side!  I've been there, and that's why I've been too busy here lately to get on here much.  But for those of you who haven't crossed this threshold yet, I just wanted to you to know that there is hope.   i've made great strides in acheving my goal over the past few weeks.  first of all, I signed my divorce papers today.  Somehow instead of feeling sad, it was like a huge burden was lifted and the clouds cleared.  I walked away from that office with my head held high, breathing in new life.  Hours later, I am still feeling that release. Secondly, my ex just accepted a job with haliburton, 6 hours away from here in OK City. He's moving in 2 weeks.  But all is well--my kids and i have adapted to very well to our new life.  Our heads are staying above water, we play together much more, and i believe we have become even tighter knit than we were before.  We're doing more things--this month, I get to make their dreams come true by taking them to a WWE match (oh won't that be fun!) And the following month, I get to go see my favorite band in the world--on my birthday!  I haven't been to a concert since I was, maybe 14.  And yet, my fav band just happens to be plaing an hour and a half away--did I mention on my BIRHTDAY!  Yeah!  How cool is that!   And maybe one of the coolest things of all is well, that, I have somebody to go to that concert with.  Not that I have jumped back into the dating pool head first.  I actually don't care to be with anybody at the moment.  However, I had decided that for my birthday this year, i was going to get a tattoo (yes, I said tattoo!)  on my back to commemorate what I have survived as a reminder that i can survive anything.  That was where I met him.  And it was then that I found out that he has survived the same thing I have recently, except for much, much worse.  And yet, he's handled it with such grace.  Enough to where he was awarded full custody of his kids and maintained the same job he's had as a plant manager for over 12 years.  In fact, judging by his jovial behavior and love of like, one would never know the hell he has survived.  So I have a world of respect for him.  And the best part of all is that we understand each other without being judgmental. We've both walked through that fire and know how badly it burns.  He adores his kids, does everything for them, far and beyond what I have ever seen any father do.  And for all that, I believe he is a stand up guy.   Neither one of us are into getting serious at the moment, but it is nice to have that person who knows what you've been through, the impact of the pain, and because of that they work as hard as they can to put a smile on your face.   My cheers to you, Kurt, and everybody else on this sight who has endured the uneduarable!  We are all pretty strong and terrific!  Yell it with me!!!!!