First of all, it's great to be here. I hope this is a forum where we can share and hear HONESTLY from all sides of affairs without being edited, banned and told what we can and can't say (there are limits of course). <p>My husband left me on our 5th wedding anniversary in April of 2000. He had been having an affair with a co-worker for 2 months and decided he was in love with her and had to leave our marriage. Needless to say, I was totally devastated and traumatized. My children were 4 years and 18 months old at the time. I had been a stay at home mom since the birth of the first one and I continue to be.<p>I had hoped, in the beginning, that this was some kind of early mid-life crisis and that he would come to his senses and return. But, he didn't. There was no discussion, no talk of counseling, nothing! So, I completely lost it, raged, freaked out, got depressed. You name it - I felt it. <p>Almost two years after the fact we just signed our divorce (last week). I am still grieving too but I have gained an enormous amount of love and support from the people I met on the Women.com - My Affair board. Unfortunately, life changed dramatically over there and I didn't feel we could express ourselves the way we had in the past. I need that. I NEED to hear from the OW, OM, MM, MW and other betrayed spouses. It helps me understand and accept what has happened in my own life.<p>I am emerging from the very darkest time in my life. The fear, anger and grief have been unbearable at times. These kinds of forums gave me the hope and strength to get through it. They also provided me with a safe place to vent. I hope this board allows as much expression as the first one I found a year and a half ago.<p>With much love,
BurningBright

BB:
I think you'll discover that a lot is tolerated on this board and I am sorry you have had to seek out this kind of board.
Many folks here are smart, wise and funny. Hope you continue to find healing here. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]
Hoping...

Thanks Hoping! I like it here already and so relieved to know that there is tolerance. I think it is so incredibly important for all of us to be able to express ourselves without so much censorship.<p>I'm sticking here for now. The Oprah site is way to difficult to read and move around on.<p>Love,
BB

Coooool ....... Miss BB made it! [img]images/icons/grin.gif" border="0[/img] <p>I think "Hoping4future" is a very welcoming person .... but I don't think she is the same "hope4future" that we know and love ....??? Am I correct [img]images/icons/confused.gif" border="0[/img] <p>The Hope4future we arefamiliar with has just one child. I anticipate Hope4future will be here too .... It could be confusing.... but, we'll manage.<p>BB my darling How are you doing? still feeling so down and sad?<p>With buckets of love,<p>Pepper/Yesterday<p>[ February 16, 2002: Message edited by: Yesterday ]</p>

Nope, not the same!!! I thought I picked an original name...LOL...ahh well, great minds think alike. [img]images/icons/grin.gif" border="0[/img]

Pepper! I do love you! Today I am feeling ok. You know the sadness comes in waves. Now that the glitches and quirks seem to be worked out of the divorce I am doing much better. It's kind of a relief to have it over. Not to mention the fact that I couldn't take getting another bill from my attorney [img]images/icons/shocked.gif" border="0[/img] !<p>I hope that others will move on over. I never came here in the past because the title of this site made me think that I couldn't be here. I thought it was only for people who were married and working through problems. I feel relieved to have found this place. Thank you so much Pepper! [img]images/icons/grin.gif" border="0[/img] <p>Love,
BB

And I hope you'll love me anyway... [img]images/icons/tongue.gif" border="0[/img]

Well, I got this far!<p>Now I need to know how to reply to a particular post.

Hoping for future<p>Yes ..... you are also a magnificent woman who has made some new friends. Our other "Hope4" has survived a natural disaster only to have her family fall apart for awhile .... then, teetering on the brink of divorce (yeat another loss) .... she and her DH managed to pull themselves back onto their feel and begin to heal their marriage! She's quite a gal! A ball of fire at times [img]images/icons/shocked.gif" border="0[/img] <p>Love to you new friend<p>Pepper [img]images/icons/wink.gif" border="0[/img] Yesterday

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Yesterday:
<strong>Hoping for future<p>Yes ..... you are also a magnificent woman who has made some new friends. Our other "Hope4" has survived a natural disaster only to have her family fall apart for awhile .... then, teetering on the brink of divorce (yet another loss) .... she and her DH managed to pull themselves back onto their feet and begin to heal their marriage! She's quite a gal! A ball of fire at times [img]images/icons/shocked.gif" border="0[/img] <p>Love to you new friend<p>Pepper [img]images/icons/wink.gif" border="0[/img] Yesterday</strong><hr></blockquote>

FYI, although I think most of you know -- there's also a string under "Redbook friends looking for Pepperband," which I saw when I clicked on "General Questions II." After the table of numbers, there's what seems to be a list of threads.<p>I like having emoticons in the text, and being able to search.<p>I also like the way the nice folks here have welcomed us! [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]

Welcome ladies,<p>I have not read the forum from which you have come, but I know you have found a great place here. To show how varied the members are at MB, I am neither BS nor WS. My son is BS and my DIL is WS. By coming here I have been able to understand and anticipate certain behaviors that help me be more patient and supportive to both of them. MB has so much for everybody to apply in just about any relationship.<p>If you have not already done so, I suggest you visit the main site here and read the basic concepts, the articles, and the Q & A. What a wealth of information there is to help us understand the people in our lives. <p>MBers believe in making ourselves better people in our relationships and in accepting our responsibility for weaknesses we caused in our existing relationships. Then we try to make things better. Whether we are successful in saving the relationship or not, we want to emerge as stronger people with greater understanding that will enable us to have better realtionships in the future.<p>I'm glad you are here. Let us know about yourselves and your situations. Welcome to MB.<p>Estes

Welcome to MB!<p>You all sound vibrant, caring and supportive!<p>I look forward to reading your stories and finding out more about you.<p>I hope you will find this a good place for y'all to be.<p>Cali

Hi, BB!!!!<p>Just wanted to say "hello" and it's good to see you here.<p>This looks like a good bunch!<p>love,<p>sel