:Thanks Allison,

He's a treasure for sure! I thought the same when you started writing about your husband. I've been so happy for you too.

We had Christmas day celebration over at his brother's house. I laughed so hard all day that I got a headache! We did Yankee Swap, which I've never liked much, but the energy of it yesterday was so funny and even sweet. There were some really nice gifts, too. You would appreciate that I ended up with 2 bird feeders, seeds, suet and a butterfly calendar!

For a Christmas treat for myself I brought over a bar of unsweetened chocolate (aka baking chocolate) and some nuts. Other people were interested to try it. I warned them that it would not be sweet. There were a lot of puckered faces and disbelief that I found it delicious! My husband liked it too, ha ha. I don't eat chocolate during racing season because that plus racing gets me too wired, but I thought I'd try it in the slow time of year and see how it goes. So far so good. I'll keep you posted.

JoEllen, this is such a beautiful
: story of how to find joy again in
: something that has become painful.
: I think that is one of the gifts
: recovery gives us - the ability
: not to get stuck in pain and to
: keep an open heart.

: Before recovery, I was fixated in
: loss, and now when I think about
: things and people that are gone,
: the memories cause more joy and
: less pain. Of course, time helps
: lessen the pain a bit, but things
: have definitely shifted.

: It sounds like you found a really
: special man.
: Allison