Gifts...

Hello to you all - and big hugs!!!! i have obviously not been around. Life has been mostly good, albeit quite hectic. I'm doing well and staying clean and healthy, which is a big bonus. I have 3 jobs now (not including the housewife/mom roles) and roller-skate between the three during the week. I am still in the music business doing sales support and promo for a few labels; i am partnered up with taboopleasures.com and we are going gang-busters with our new website, conventions and local events. Please check out the site - we have the absolute BEST prices on Pleaser Shoes, Allure, Leather and Elegant Moments apparel, and a HUGE assortment of toys and all things fetish! And the third mini-career of mine is obviously the most important as its my husband's new Energy Management company, specializing in solar, electrical and home/building efficiency. So far, things are going pretty well...and hopefully as the economy grows, so will our business! EvergreenSolarElectric.com!!!

I've had some family challenges recently. My "adopted" father passed away suddenly on Nov. 22nd. That was really tough on the kids and me - but i was happy we all spent some great quality time with him over the past summer. This is my kiddos first experience with losing someone close to them, that they loved...so its been pretty heart-wrenching to witness. The day of his memorial service, i also learned that my Grandmother (mom's mom) was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. She's 93 y.o. and as she said "gotta die from something" so she's chosen not to undergo any kind of treatment. She lives in South Dakota, so I plan to go visit her with my lil brother soon - the prognosis (unofficially since she refused a biopsy) is about 6-12 mos, or in her own words "sooner rather than later". Again, another hard blow for my kids, especially my daughter who just adores her GG and "gets" her matriarchal standing in our family. Plus, she just thinks she's super cool - which she is! It makes me kind of sad because of her direct link to my mother (who died when i was 24), but she is 93 and has outlived most of her friends and family and is quite at peace with leaving this Earth and moving on up....so i can't be too sad for her! I feel very very blessed to have developed such a beautiful, loving relationship with her as a woman. She's taught us all so much, been an amazing role model and has lived through so much tragedy in her life, one cannot truly understand the inner strength she possesses, but it certainly is admirable. She has entered into the hospice program and will be cared for that way, at home, until she passes over.

On a happy, wonderful, good note - i was also notified (on the same exact day - pretty cosmic methinks!) that after much testing and surveys and paperwork, I have been chosen as the bone marrow donor for an anonymous 9 year-old boy who has acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). I joined the Bone Marrow Registry in september, i think, and by Oct was notified as a potential match for this child. Of course, I was thrilled and have undergone the follow-up match testing and was finally told that we are a perfect match and they would like me to be the donor! What an amazing feeling...i can hardly explain. I'm over the moon with joy.

Tomorrow is my physical work-up at Mt. Sinai Hospital in NYC, prior to the donation date of Jan. 10th. I'm a bit nervous about the medical part - i haven't been on a scale in 2 yrs and have no real idea of my weight. I have a guesstimate # in my head, but don't want/need to know for real. I plan on explaining this to the medical team very EXPLICITLY and will do what i need to do to protect myself in the exam, whether it be standing backwards on the scale or what-have-you. I unfortunately know what size I am currently and though uncomfortable in my #, i've resigned myself to the peace of not knowing my actual weight. I also asked my husband to help protect this request tomorrow, as he will be with me for the physical. Anyway, that little tiny issue is soooo minor compared to the concept of helping this child live a happy, healthy life. I'm working hard to accept that and focus on the good things - and honestly the past several months i've felt sooo blessed, so peaceful and so abundantly loved that i've not focused too much on the petty, silly, disordered chaos that ED can create.

Life is so good! YAY....

I wish you all a warm, safe, happy and healthy holiday season and 2011! Focus on the good things, not the evil....and shoot for the stars. Life is beautiful - live it, love it and do it all with much JOY!

xoxoxo t