Hello, my friends!
 

When I logged in this morning, SR helpfully told me I had last logged in back in October. OCTOBER?!? Yes, it really has been that long, apparently.

Life is moving right along in my corner of the world. My older DD turned 18, and is getting close to making her college plans. She is waiting for one more financial aid letter, and I think she will be able to make her decision.

My younger DD is doing MUCH better this year, now that she is out of the toxic middle school environment and into the high school. She didn't get a part in the ensemble for the school's winter musical, but she rebounded from her disappointment and signed up to perform in a couple of numbers during the spring "dance show." DS is doing well in 2nd grade, and is keeping busy with Cub Scouts and swimming lessons. My "bonus daughter" has finally settled in at her new school (which is the same school my DS attends), and I am absolutely thrilled to report that she has learned more in 4 months there, with only a few accommodations and 60 minutes of tutoring a week, than she did in an entire school year PLUS summer school at our neighborhood school, where she had an 18-page IEP and spent half her school time receiving "extra assistance" in special ed classes. Perhaps most wonderfully, she actually has real friends her own age, who treat her like a peer. She's had some adjustment issues, but overall, it has been a really positive change for her.

I'm still loving my new job over at our local transit agency, after leaving county government over the summer. My fella and I are still doing well, after almost 2.5 years together. AXH is still drinking, of course, but for the time being he is holding his own and we are co-parenting DS well.

We had a car drama of epic proportions over the holidays, which started with my fella being in a pretty nasty car accident where the other driver was completely at fault (he was hurt, but not nearly as badly as he could have been), and culminated in our replacement rental car (supplied by the other driver's insurance company) being stolen right off the street in front of our house, and concluded with the stolen rental car being recovered a few weeks later after police wrote a parking ticket on it and realized it was stolen. It had a lot of heroin in it, and was being used as a mobile drug house. As glad as I am that my insurance company will be paying a claim for some damage to the rental car instead of full replacement, I'm even more glad that at least some heroin is off the streets.

I'm glad to see familiar faces, and new faces, and I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone.

:grouphug:

Holy cow, Wisconsin, I got tired just reading your post--that's quite an action-packed few months you've just had! I'm glad to hear that fortune was on your SO's side in the car accident and he didn't have as serious of injuries as he could have. Also glad that all the kids are doing so well! And of course it's great to hear that your new job is working out for the best too.

Good to hear from you again!

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Hi Wisconsin,

How are you doing, today? Lots that was going on. The "you" is kind of lost in a small mention here....

So good to see you here.

(((Hugs)))

Wisconsin! It's so good to hear from you, and to hear things are going so well!

I am glad your guy is OK and that all is well that ends well. Wow, that is some drama! So glad to hear of all the progress for your kids, yours and extras! That is wonderful!

Good to hear from you!

I smiled when I saw your name come up on the threads. Glad thing are going mainly well in your corner of the world and the car accident ended up OK.

Such a great update, and also glad your fellow wasn't badly hurt. Always great to see you pop in!!

What a nice update, I am happy that life is going well for you!! Welcome back.

Pleasure to see you as always W--I'm glad life is treating you well :)

Good to see you again, stranger. Stick around

Thanks, all! I don't feel it's such a bad thing that I don't have much to say about MYSELF right now--to me, that's a good feeling, because it means the drama and upset in my life has been minimal. I've been able to enjoy all the milestones my kids are hitting, without a bunch of background noise in my personal life.

This weekend is the BIG weekend in our house: it's the big anime convention in our city. This will be our seventh year, and the kids are always so excited to go. It's another one of those things that I am able to enjoy so much more now that I don't have the constant fear hanging over my head of how my now AXH will decide to behave that day.

honeypig, if you have time you should swing downtown to see some of the costumes! They can be pretty amazing!

No drama is wonderful!! Good for you!!!

You'll get there, COD. I'm so sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. As chaotic as this all is now, a year from now (mark my words...Valentine's Day 2019) your life will be completely different. Calmer. Happier. Keep hanging in there.