23 Years Ago ...

Little did I know that the chain of events that began December 4, 1987 would come to this.

December 4th, I packed up my children (my oldest was nine at the time; my youngest was three months) and began a new life. I had no idea how we were going to do it. I just knew without a doubt that we must.

December 7th, my dad died. My sisters had come home just before he died. We were together when Mom got the phone call from the hospital.

Within a week, a funeral was planned, carried out and I was back at Mom's. Somewhere during that week, I made the decision start our new life back 'home'. Back to where I was born and raised. We needed a fresh beginning.

I drove back to My (now) New City of Residence with a mission. Within days, I had found a job and a home.

January 1st would be the date we could move into our new life. January 11th was to be my first day of work. From December 4th to January 1st we were 'homeless'.

I have the best family in the world. My sisters watched over my children as I dealt with lawyers, created a new life and took care of the business of wrapping up one life and starting a new one.

It took only a matter of a few weeks and I was back with my children. Passing time until we could move into Our New City.

It was a whirlwind month. It was the toughest month of my life-to-that-point. But it was the month that was the catalyst to all that has happened since.

Every single step that I have taken since I walked away from My Previous Life on December 4, 1987 to this day ... has created the life which we now live.

I live a charmed life. My blessings are infinite. My heart is happy. My family is united and at peace  ...

It's been a long and winding road. But I wouldn't change a thing.

I am grateful for every single challenge that has brought us to this day.

Thank you!!