Fuck I mean i go away for eight hours and all this happens. Come on Dean I'm only new and I'm only young I can't deal with this. Listen if you can joke you're going to be fine. Best of luck.

Dean- watch out!

oops- broken link. I meant to say, don't jinx yourself!

Well, at least if y'al were hit by a meteor we'd have an easier time getting your snailmail address :) We could just look for the news about a meteor strike near Detroit. Wait, that assumes that I'm not the only one not getting it. Goodness, what if I AM the only one not getting it?

Speaking in jest while writing this prose
I'll tell you what youse may (you, esmay) already knows
When speaking in verse and 'spearean lilt
When dealing with feelings of remorse and guilt
When looking to raise spirits
with light verse for the reader
one might encounter
wayward rhyme and meteor

Dean, *really* glad to hear you say that. You are going to be okay. Hope the above generates a smile.

First you stop eating.
Then you stop smoking.
Now you're going to stop drinking.
Ah, Rosemary, don't you DARE let him take the next step, or you'll no one to blame but yourself.

I'm just saying.

Dean,

I don't mean this to be trite, but that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger. I truly believe that. I also believe an untested person never develops character. The Esmay family is due for some character bigtime (but you already had it).

Peg,

I'm a helluva character don't ya know.

but that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

I believe that too. If I didn't, I'd have gone postal by now. I have had to deal with a lot my whole life. If I told you some of it you probably wouldn't believe me. Some of the worst things that have ever happened to me, didn't happen this week. I lost a sister when I was three, another sister was murdered two weeks before my 16th birthday, I was raped at 19, I have had four miscarriages,and my 64 year old father died of Cancer two years ago. Those are the worst things. There's more but that gives you an idea.

But I'm still here and I'm still sane. And I do believe that I am stronger because of it all. I also believe we will survive this. I won't allow us not to. [I hate ending a sentence with a preposition...]

So, I don't think you were being trite at all. Thank you for caring. The love that all of you have shown really reaffirms my belief that all people are innately good.

Thank you, Peg and Ara and Allison and Dani and Ru and on and on and on...

pah of course you can handle it. God never gives us more than we can handle. Doh, did i just say the G word? Yes i did and it doesn't matter... it's true. I'm hoping i can contribute with some dollars next week. An unexpected gig came up so i'll have a wee bit of extra cash and i will be sure and shoot some your way. I'm sure it landed in our lap for several reasons- one being that i need some money to distribute!

PS Al-Anon is an excellent resource when you're the spouse of someone in recovery, whether or not they are in AA. Take what you need and leave the rest, as they say.

God never gives us more than we can handle.

The standard response to this is that it would be OK if He had a little less confidence in us.

If the meteor crashed through your roof, at least you'd have a saleable souveneir. ;)

Hang in there.

Ohhh. Just good luck. (wince) Hang in there.

Is there a dental school in the area? Treatment is done under the watchful eye of a professional dentist and the prices are much cheaper.