Wisconsin

Grateful today for everyone who has made it through the other side of loving someone with an addiction, and have shared their stories. I have a dear friend who has been called upon to share her story for the fourth time with a new crop of support group folks in her town. Sharing her story helps her own healing, and lord knows it helps others.

ladyscribbler

Grateful for my therapist.

Wisconsin

I'm also happy and grateful that my XH (father of my daughters and not an A) and I have come so, so far since our divorce. We was very angry and hurt when we split, and for the first year would only communicate with me via certified mail. I give credit where credit is due, and he has worked very hard on his own issues (while I have worked on mine), and we have come to a place where we communicate well. Today I arrived home to a package with his handwriting on it. In it was a Valentine's Day card and small gift from my daughters, that he took the time to mail, because I will not see them this weekend. Our problems were never that he was abusive, or mean, or a jerk in any way, and his reaction to our split truly shocked me and left me feeling deeply guilty. I am happy and grateful for all our sakes that we have made it to a better place in our family relationship.

Faith001

Grateful to be back here after working night shifts all week. Will have to get turned around as it feels like morning to me right now!

Grateful I had the time today to give my RAD a ride to meet a friend this evening. I could tell she really appreciated it; not like the old days when I knew she was taking advantage of me and would give me all kinds of attitude. Really enjoying our new "adult" relationship.

healthyagain

Very happy with how my day ended yesterday and started today. Took my pup for a ride to make him mentally tired. It is funny how he gets all confused once he exits the vehicle and realizes we are in a new area. Then the sniff-sniff fest starts. I am so glad he behaves really well inside the car. He is attached to the seat belt and has his own harness, but still, there is no whining, or barking. Just sitting patiently or sometimes laying down.

And then this morning, I went for a ride myself. I am polishing up my driving skills, going to the areas I've never driven before, breaking the fear of unknown and all the little inhibitions.

lizatola

Grateful that this flu is finally passing. Not 100% today but definitely better than the past few days. It's like the gift that keeps on giving.

I'm grateful for new experiences and for my family and for my life today. Hugs to everyone!

Kboys

I really like Gwen Stefani's song "used to love you". I've been listening to it a lot. And I'm grateful for it tonight.

theuncertainty

Kboys, I just heard that song this week for the first time, and I love it.

I'm grateful for DS . He is so astoundingly sweet. He's been trying to get me to agree to open our Valentines early. Not necessarily so he could get his gift, but so I could open mine. In fact, he was so excited about it, he gave me one item early anyway: mango tea.

ladyscribbler

That's awesome TU. What a sweetie. I'm also grateful for my little Valentine, DS6. He's been making me heart-shaped cards all week. I've got them displayed all over my desk. I needed some cheering up so it's nice to be able to look at them.
Grateful that I was able to attend my friend's memorial service yesterday, and that there was such a good turnout. Between her family and us "friends of Lois W." as it said in her obituary (I love that line, totally going to use it in my obit when my time comes), it was a nice event.
Grateful to have known Karen U, and had her as a mentor in my Alanon program and as a friend.
Grateful that so many of us were there to support one another in our grief.
Grateful that I got everything for my brother's birthday party on Friday before work, because it's already started to snow like crazy. So we're snowed in with chocolate cake and root beer floats. Not a bad way to spend the day.
Happy Valentine's Day to all!

healthyagain

Sunday used to be the worst day ever. My darling ex would throw a fit every Sunday evening, which would lead to a tearful Monday morning and a sleepless night.

Would you believe if I tell you that Sunday is my favorite day now? I like it better than Friday!

Faith001

Grateful for the courageous couple who shared their story of addiction at church this morning. They're starting a faith based 12step program soon. So very badly needed as addiction has touched everyone I know in one way or another. I know for myself that was one of the reasons I stopped going to church for a few years when RAD was going through her worst & I felt like such a failure as a mother. Didn't feel it was safe being honest with people about what was really going on in my life as I would be judged.

Grateful on this Valentine's Day for the love my husband & I shared while he was alive & for our 2 beautiful children. Grateful he's let me know many times he's still with me; esp right after he passed I could feel the love so strongly from him. Simply amazing!

Kboys

Grateful that valentines day was never really that special to separated AH and me... So I don't have any special memories of it... Or particularly negative ones for that matter either... To cause me to feel nostalgic or sad...
Just another day, and I'm grateful to be spending it with my silly little boys, who make me smile all the time

Liveitwell

^ I second that grateful to have spent this day with my girls celebrating their birthdays at an exotic animal farm-way too much fun with friends and family. My oldest got to put a python around her neck. How cool!!! Grateful for each second with them.

LexieCat

I take it you exercised restraint in suppressing the urge to buy one for her so she can try that trick with Daddy?

honeypig

I was sitting in my papa san chair by the window this afternoon and started to think about Sundays past, wearing my rose-colored glasses as I looked at the memories. I felt pretty sad and kind of lonesome, even though my dear little dog friends were there w/me.

Well, I busied myself by doing a lot of cooking ahead for the week. I went to the hardware store w/my spinning wheel in a shopping cart and got some advice on what kind of glue to use to glue a wooden piece into the metal section it came out of; this was a source of several different conversations and some fun.

And I went to my meeting, which was uplifting as always. We have a new person, and we had no phone lists, so I volunteered to type up a copy from the one I have and email it to her.

I am feeling much better, and I'm grateful for all the different events and people that have made that happen! Now off to type that list for the gal from the meeting. Hope all my SR pals have a good evening.

firebolt

Grateful for health! The last 5 days were miserable - sweaty, snotty, coughy, phlegmy and spent in bed, and today is the first day i've felt mostly ok from it. I can't smell or taste anything, but I can breath through my nose for the most part and I'm thankful for that!!

ladyscribbler

Also grateful for my health. I've spent the last 2 months being more mindful about self-care, diet and exercise and I'm really seeing and feeling the results of that. Not a huge all or nothing effort, just small things every day.
Grateful for leftovers so I can coast on the cooking for tonight.
Grateful for my bed and the nap I had time to take today.

Wisconsin

Liz and firebolt, I'm so sorry you guys have been fighting this bug! The flu seems to have hit very late in the season this year.

I am happy and grateful for what turned out to be the nicest Valentine's Day I've had, perhaps ever. STBXAH took our DS to get me some flowers, a balloon, and some chocolates, which is a pretty big step considering I received zero acknowledgement for my birthday or for Christmas. I don't care about the "stuff," just that DS has an opportunity to pick out a card or something.

I was able to spend part of the day relaxing with my dog. My DDs were with their dad, and DS was with STBXAH. It started to snow here in the middle of the afternoon, but I had tickets to see the Henry Rollins spoken word show. My new gentleman friend drove 90 miles in not-so-great weather to see the show with me, then drove 90 miles back home, then spent another 90 minutes in the car making the round trip to drive his babysitter home--all when he had to work the next day. I honestly can't remember the last time someone acted in a way that showed that spending time with me was important, and that he appreciated how important the performance was to me. (That said, as soon as I heard he had to drive the babysitter home, I told him that next time, we will find something else to do that won't keep him out until 2:00 a.m.) On the one hand, Valentine's Day itself has never been a big deal to me, and it was just a coincidence that this performance was scheduled for 2/14. On the other hand, it was very...nice...to be on the receiving end of some actual effort, regardless of the day. And I don't have to tell you all...the past 4-5 Valentine's Days were pretty miserable.

Also happy and grateful that today was a "minor holiday" for me at work. Normally I work on those days, so I can accrue a floating holiday to use later in the year, but I decided to take the holiday today. Good thing, too, because after I dropped DS at school (yes, he actually had school today), I came back home and slept for two hours. Then I did some housework for an hour or so, and then I went BACK to sleep for another two hours. Clearly my body needed the rest.

healthyagain

Never thought I would write this, but grateful for McDonald's double quarter pounder and Shamrock shake. I was starving and wanted something packed with calories. I'll suffer tomorrow, but right now I feel blessed.

Liveitwell

Grateful for my oldest-it is her birthday today and she requested we go hiking. So, we did that and then some! I took the day off work and she had today off for pres day-we drove out to the hill country and met my sister (surprised my daughter!) and hiked our tails off. Truly Gods country, I tell you. At peace out there. Grateful for leftovers for dinner, too, bc this momma is popped after two birthdays, a party and valentines day/school parties in the last four days. Yikes! Worth every second