Hello everyone... we are celebrating our 12th year safe today. It was 12 years ago that my then, 6 and 7 year old daughters and myself... with nothing but the clothes on our backs... had to leave, family, home , job, everything and everyone!
I had horrible nightmares last night and woke up shaking, and crying. ..and with a massive headache. I can't seem to shake the feeling of doom and gloom although I 'm trying very hard to be positive.
When our first year anniversary came about, I told the girls that we weren't going to feel sorry for ourselves. I'd been saving up for months , so we got all decked up and went out for dinner and counted all the positive and good things/people that had come our way in the past year ....and the fact that we'd been safe for an entire year.( something definately new for us). We kept up that tradition all these years...but in the last two years my youngest daughter hasn't joined in... she told me it was too hard , and that the mere thought of that anniversary just brings too many bad memories back for her... I told her they did for all of us, but the point was to try and make the best of things.... so now, my oldest daughter and I have continued with the "celebrating"...but this year she has strep throat and is feeling really tired and miserable... and I am sick also... my head, my tummy, my anxiety , everything seems out of wak! So we decided to celebrate anyway.. just went out to rent some movies and we'll order pizza... then we will count our blessings as we do often during the year but more so on this day.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for being here for me ... always being here for me. You are at the top of my list of "God Sends" . and I hope you know how very much I appreciate your caring and devotion and friendship. Wouldn't it be swell to have a big a.... party some day! There would be lots of hugging and crying I think. Well, my hugs and kisses go out to you today and my thanks from the very bottom of my tired old heart!
Mary.