Hello and Merry Christmas Eve!<P>As I look around our house, I realize how much we have to be thankful for- a nice warm home with all that we need, healthy children, a beautiful tree with more presents than we should have bought, family and friends(both real and cyber!), and so very much more. Including a marriage that is still intact, recovering and growing stronger with the help of MB.<P>I wish the same for everyone here- love, peace and happiness this Christmas and every Christmas from now on.<P>Love to all,<P>Peppermint<p>[This message has been edited by peppermint (edited December 24, 2000).]

Thanks. I'm glad that you are having a nice Christmas. You and your family certainly deserve it. Enjoy each other and have a nice Christmas day.

I was just thinking about you and firestorm....<P>you obviously received my psychic message...LOL<P>Merry Christmas to you both and to your family...<P>I ummmmm, at this point am ready to finally ask for your prayers friends, I have seen many miracles wrought here through faith and prayer....keep a good thought for us...<P>Deut and I are here, we have only the little one tonight, the tree is lit, and we are still together...<P>everything else in life notwithstanding, I can be thankful...and grateful...and see the blessings just in that....simply still being together is a miracle in and of itself...<P>things have occurred within the last 8 days that have pulled many rugs out from under us in very many ways...nothing with ow, or anything like that...suffice it to say that many emotional bottoms have fallen out, the proverbial 'bottom' as in hitting rock....well...we're there...<P>tonight however, I'm pulling down the blinds, and am shutting out the outside world....<P>we will play with our son, we will look at the tree, we will thank the powers that be for allowing us to survive this past year...<P>we will remind each other that there will be other christmases in the years to come with the more 'material' attachments...<P>we will hold each other and remind ourselves that we love and cherish all the things that are right here in our home tonight....<P>tonight, when all is still, where the 'world' can't reach us, I, with a glass of wine, I will toast the man I love and share my life with, and everything that matters in my life...that REALLY matters, will be looking back at me....<P><BR> <BR>happy holidays...<P>Dylan

Hey Dylan,<P>You have been very much on my mind the past few days. I'll be praying for you and your family tonight, just as I do every night. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do. Let's talk soon.<P>Love,<BR>Peppermint

I should not be posting......I've had 3 glasses of wine (I do not drink usually) and am feeling no pain....................lol...<P>but my prayers are coming to you and firestorm and your family...<P>thank you for your good thoughts....at this point, all good thoughts are appreciated........GREATLY appreciated....<P>all the best in the new year, Peppermint....sincerely, all the best.....may 2001 kick some serious butt for you and fs.........<P>

Hi Dylan,<P>Glad to see you are still in the Christmas "spirit". Thank you for the good wishes, and you can be sure they are returned to you, Deut, and your children. <P>I hope that you will soon have the time to get back to your recovery updates, many of us have really missed them. I'm sorry there are other difficulties for you right now, but I have found the two of you to be amazingly resilient and have no doubt that you will overcome this again. Though added prayers won't hurt and most certainly will help.<P>Christmas has been good for us this year, actually better than last year. We did go a little overboard for our children, but firestorm and I agreed that they deserved a special Christmas after the last few horrible months, and besides it is still cheaper than divorce and property settlement!<P>Firestorm gave me a really sweet gift. He had a special ring made for me. It is white gold, oval shaped with four diamonds to represent the two of us, our son, and our daughter. He calls it a family "promise" ring- a ring given with the promise that he will never again do anything to damage our family. I gave him a watch to represent that it is time for forgiveness and a new beginning. I hope that is what 2001 will be for us, and for your family also.<P>I'm not on this site very much anymore, it sort of seems like all gloom and doom much of the time. It's probably just the natural progression of recovery-people cycle on and off this site all the time, but it's still sad to see so many new people having the same problem that we know so well.<P>Both Nicole and Lori seem to be doing very well. I think of the two of them and you often because you were all arriving here at just about the same time I did though I didn't post for over two months. I learned a lot from the three of you about what it takes to survive this. <P>And survive this I have, though somewhat battered and bruised. Therapy has certainly helped us, especially firestorm. I have also developed a new attitude about marriage that I believe will serve me well no matter what happens in the future.<P>I will continue to check in with the hopes of seeing some news from you and other long time posters. Don't forget that I will be thinking of you and praying for you each day.<P>Love,<P>Peppermint

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by peppermint:<BR><B>. <P>and besides it is still cheaper than divorce and property settlement!</B><P>ROTFLMAO..........very true....lol<P><BR><B>I'm not on this site very much anymore, it sort of seems like all gloom and doom much of the time.</B><P>yup.....pretty much why I too, have crawled back into hibernation mode....<P><B>Both Nicole and Lori seem to be doing very well. I think of the two of them and you often because you were all arriving here at just about the same time</B><P>I spoke with Nicole today on the phone....poor woman was subjected to me after 2 glasses of wine....she may never recover...lol... and yes, she seems to be doing well...I admire her courage and strength for going back to school and for living up to her screen name of patient love...aand putting up with me as a friend...lol...<P>take care of you, take care of him, then take care of the 'us'....<P>many well wishes this holiday season, and yes, peppermint, I do hope 2001 is a new beginning...I'm ready to bury the old life.....bury it deep......<P>much love....<P>Dylan<P>I did though I didn't post for over two months. I learned a lot from the three of you about what it takes to survive this. <P>And survive this I have, though somewhat battered and bruised. Therapy has certainly helped us, especially firestorm. I have also developed a new attitude about marriage that I believe will serve me well no matter what happens in the future.<P>I will continue to check in with the hopes of seeing some news from you and other long time posters. Don't forget that I will be thinking of you and praying for you each day.<P>Love,<P>Peppermint[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><P>------------------<BR>"The journey into darkness has been long and cruel, and you have gone deep into it."<BR>~ A Course in Miracles

Thanks Peppermint and FS, hope your holidays are the best. Keep cheering for the rest of us!<P>Dave (WAT)