Hi Christine and Sherri!
I hope all is going well with you both! Just checking in to say my journey continues, 2.5 years as of 6/06/22 :-) I just returned from a week at Emerald Isle, my happiest place on earth; 3 years since I had a beach vacation and it was an amazingly fun and relaxing time spent with my Mom, my cousin and my Aunt. I found a pet friendly, oceanfront house and it was perfect! I took one dog (my doxie) and my Mom's dog and I was the 'dog nanny" for the week. Getting up in the wee hours if someone needed to go out was no problem, and I enjoyed seeing the full moon over the water, it was incredible! I continue to base 90% of my recovery on the H.A.L.T. acronym, Am I Hungry (or Hot, or is it Humid?!), Angry or Anxious, Lonely, or Tired?) How amazing to drive home still laughing with my Mom, sharing gratitudes along the way up i-95 in traffic, only having the goal to get us home safely and avoiding those with road rage. How different life can be after 2.5 years, it just keeps getting better, even on tough days. Challenges are met with problem solving, not panic. Clarity makes more options apparent.
To cap off my week, 6/18 at 6p.m., after driving from the beach to Mom's, dropping her off and unloading her items, driving an additional hour to my house to unload my vehicle, and then driving to pick up 3 dogs from boarding, I approached a police traffic stop in my county. My hair was not on fire, as I would have described myself 3 years ago. I slowed down, my purse was readily available, my driver's license was where it should be. "Adulting" is so much easier these days. I smiled and gave the officer my license. Driving away, I smiled, realizing what a God wink that was - my first interaction with police in 2.5 years, and it was 2 years to the day of interlock being placed on my vehicle.
Please share with anyone you feel can benefit. I went to a meeting Sunday and shared this. I realize that my story won't help anyone if I don't share.
Have a great day!
Love and light to both of you, Ann