Troy, thank you. Each day is different, lol, but overall, I'm doing well.
I had something happen yesterday. It entered my mind: "go have some drinks. Nothing bad can happen. Kids are busy. You have the money. Work is done." My response wasn't as it has been in the past of fighting the desire, overwhelming thoughts, etc. Instead, it was more of a passe "Ehh, no. I have better things to do"
Of course I know that doesn't mean I can stand up and shout "I'm all better. It's over. I beat this forever. Go me" LOL. But I am finding my relationship with alcohol to be shifting. Instead of IT being my social life, I have other activities. The idea of drinking is more of a chore really. Looking back on it, drinking was a lot of work. Exhausting really. Get ready, get somewhere. See if anyone wants to join. Plan ahead for the next day if there are plans. Try to not make fool of self. Make sure I got home safely. On and on and on.
I hung out with the twins once work was done. We ordered pizza and watched movies. We went and got ice cream. I went to bed at a nice decent time and woke up to storms feeling refreshed.
I know going into the field I'm in, days will be hard. I'll have moments where drinking is the first coping mechanism I'll turn to. I have plans in place for that. The women's meeting/AA group right on my way home. Meeting my girls at the gym. SR.
I think the struggle is becoming easier to manage because I now have more resources to use. I'm not sitting here, needing something face to face, but with no way to get there. I'm not home all day, bored, with too much time to think of drinking to alleviate those feelings. I can jump in the car and go somewhere face to face. I can go to the gym. I go to work. Those things are going to make a difference for me.
Anyway, today is a decent day. Errands and then later, movies with the twins and maybe a surprise pedicure. This weekend is full of car shopping and buying clothes for work. Sunday, I have a cookout with my sister's in-laws since my nieces and nephews are in town. We haven't seen each other in over a year, so we are all quite excited.
The stress is winding down as everything is coming together. I'm learning every day. It's not as scary as I thought it would be.