For 14 years I celebrated Christmas the same way.

My husband and I would share our gifts, I would prepare a turkey dinner and bake cookies and we shared the day together, isolated from our family and friends.

And by 4pm Christmas day my alcoholic husband would be passed out drunk and I would cry and be upset.

 

For 14 YEARS! Over and over the same thing would happen. I would keep thinking each Christmas would be different. I talked to my husband and pleaded and bargained with him,

But every year was the same.

Insanity. I kept doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

 

This year, with a full year of alanon recovery I am doing things differently.

I will be spending my first Christmas in 15 years with my family.

I bought myself a vehicle in April, and now can fully realize the freedom that is offered by free will and making positive choices in my life.

 

Merry Christmas all and thanks for helping me to grow and change my thinking

 

I am pleased beyond belief with the results of the alanon program

 

Megan

 

(((((((Megan))))))) Have a blessed and joyous day!! Christy

Thanks Megan. For me, I decided to do something different too. I asked my family for help. Never done that before. Happy holidays to you. Here is to courage.

In support,

Nancy

Megan, You should be very proud of how well you've done working the program in your life. You have given many of us here hope that we can help ourselves. I read your posts as you left your husband & I took strenghth from you. When I left my husband in Oct. I thought that it would be easier emotionally than it was. I knew I was ready to go but I still had to mourn over what I thought was my life. I spent last night with my family too and it was good but only 1/2 the siblings were there and tat is unusual. We've all been together every year as long as I can remember. I couldn't believe they chose this year to mess with tradition! I went to a Christmas Eve church service to try to start a new tradition. Unfortunatly I had to go by myself. It was so hard to walk into a new church by myself. Just more of that new life for me! I'm glad I went and it was a nice evening, just different. I'm waiting for my son to arrive to have Christmas with him and more of my family. Nothing changes, if nothing changes! Peace to you this holiday. I look forward to your posts. Whitie

Megan, Amazing what a difference a year makes. You should be very proud of yourself. We're proud of you. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Live strong, Karilynn & Piper

Megan so glad you can enjoy the day for once without the stress and worry over the drunken A next to you.  Enjoy the happiness that you now have found you deserve it.  Luv Leo xx 

I can definitely relate to doing the same thing over and over. Setting the limit on not going to my boyfriend's family was a first for me. Then it had to get to spending Christmas my way rather than in misery. I am not yet there but I am definitely out of the misery and trying to fix someone else mode.

 

I am of course not yet in a place financially or emotinally where I could leave and that's somewhere I want to be where it is a choice rather than a dependency.

 

Maresie.

just wanted to add my congrats, megan! hope you enjoyed your day! -Kristen