I had a great idea to move to a new town for a "fresh start" to be away from where I lived with my husband. Of course a fresh start means no long term friends. We are going to be with family for Christmas so I chose to just stick around here for Thanksgiving. Just seems so depressing. My boy is only two, at least he doesn't understand that we have no life. I've got to get involved in a church and other functions for his sake. I guess the Holidays are the worst when you have all of the separation/divorce issues. I didn't think I'd be "here" living in an apartment with a boy nearing 40. But life goes on. I bought some good Christian books last night and I'm going to focus on staying positive. Some day this will be behind us. And my boy won't even have memories of this.

Just try to focus on the little one, be thankful for him & know that he is for you. Know that the people you post to are thankful for you too. Know that you help, touch & inspire complete strangers...

Yes my boy is the love of my life. He's so cute, so funny and I adore him. I went back and found the old book Simple Abundance that says to do a daily gratitude journal for all of the small things in life. It's easy to magnify the bad, and even though life isn't the way I thought it would or should be... there's others who have it much, much worse then me. Maybe on Thankgiving the boy and I will go to a nursing home and see if anyone alone needs some cheering up. My boy is good at that. A preacher said that, the best way to stop feeling sorry for yourself is to help others. And it's true a few posts on this site are therapeutic, giving others some thoughts and encouragement - after all of the ****** I've been through, and the help I received from others on this site and another. This life game is hard and I was the young, naive, adventurous one at some point - thinking life was going to be so perfect and great. My boy is though, he's the most amazing human, he woke up today like he does every day saying "sunny day." He has the best disposition, I have to be careful about stressing around him, I want him to stay this happy and in love with life. The world will taint him, he doesn't need my help.

Are you near southeastern PA? You could come to our house for Thanksgiving.

horsey,

You're not alone.I am actually working Thanksgiving.I was tricked by my ex into letting the kids go with him to the IL's for the day not realizing he had already introduced the kids to the OW and that she would be going to Thanksgiving dinner too.And sleeping over which is just sick.These people I thought had some morals and after what they always told me about her now she is pulling up a chair at dinner.

Anyway,I cannot do anything about it except express my feelings on the matter to the kids.So,I am going for a morning run then to work late in the day.I might watch an inspirational movie before I go too.I don't have a big family so I don't have other plans that I could make either.So I am trying to make the best of it but this won't happen again.I know better know.Besides,we had our dinner earlier this week so I could get time with the kids.

Have fun with your son,make it a nice day for him.Maybe you can do some arts and crafts: like those paper turkeys,cornucopias, or bake.Even though it's just the two of you it can still be a rewarding day.I also like the idea of helping other's on that day.

Arts and crafts is a good idea, my boy likes "projects." I'm in the middle of trying to figure out where to move, so today I wrote of list of addresses to drive by in a city north of here with more to do. I moved to a smaller town and we've run out of activities. We'll then have a zoo, plays, parks, malls and church activities. I'll find a place with a yard for my boy. At least I'll feel like I'm moving foward with my life even on Thanksgiving day. My family is in other states, but actually I don't get along with two out of three of my brothers that well. They say you marry into what you grew up with, of course they were critical and rude to me always making fun of me. And I married a guy like that. So every Holiday is quite lonely when you have some family and don't really communicate with them. Why do we repeat family patterns as the shrinks say? I'm really close to my mom, but we'll be with her a month in California if all works out. And my dad died a few years ago. They say Holidays are worse after the loss of a parent. So it's a combination for me. I've just felt depressed all week - but I never stay there long. A week is max for me, then I pull myself out of it, helping others, exercise, whatever it takes. I'm not one to stay down, it's like this every year, I'm just glad when a month of Holidays are over.