Today is my Al-Anon Birthday...i'm graduating from the Terrible Two's into the Tyrannical Three's (teehee). Sooooo.... I wanted to post and pass out some "gifts"... mainly thank you's.

Firstly, a big thank you to John for having created this site. 3 years ago when I began my search I needed to talk to someone "right now!" I found a yahoo group, but they didnt have real time chat. I kept searching and found MIP. Have been here ever since, along with my other groups. I appreciate the work you put in developing this site John, and even though you and I have our differences of opinion, I am sure you love me "in that special way" just as I do you. Thank you!

Of course I am thankful to that police officer who told me Oct. 31st, 2003 "You allow it." Without those 3 simple words I would not have begun my search the next day.

Oh, all right, I admit it, I'm thankful to my A for being such an A, cause if he hadn't been, then I wouldn't be here. Teehee. He told me "I didn't change, you did." and he was right. Neither one of us liked what I had changed into. Now we both like the person I am changing into.

Thank you to all the "oldtimers" who were here and passed on their ESH, whether I liked hearing it or not! Hearing your stories, how you worked through your own problems, showed me it can be done. And thank you for "pushing" me to an ftf, for encouraging me to step outside my isolation and get out and meet others who understand and could give me a real hug, smile and hearty "keep coming back!"

Thank you to all the newcomers who remind me of what it was like without Al-Anon, who give me a chance to give back what was given to me, and who are taking that courageous first step of just being here and asking for help. Keep coming back! We love you!

Thank you to all the dear friends I've made here, who send me silly emails and ecards, who drive out of their way to meet me when I'm passing through their town, who call me and force me to come out for coffee and horseback riding (so glad the horse survived that! lol), who show up at my door when conference is here and allow me to cook them breakfast (I still say eggs oughta be cooked longer'n that but if thats how ya like em, well ok then!), who sent me handmade xmas gifts and "just because" gifts, who aren't shy about telling me when I'm acting like a butt and slipping back into "old behaviors", and to those who share with me how I have helped them in their own journey. And who put up with my silliness/wackiness/good days/bad days/up and downs. And who are there at 2 a.m. to talk me through a bad time.

Special thanks to the double winners. Phil, your posts always amaze me. You just cut right through all the BS and tell it like it is. So glad to see you posting over here more often. Thank you for sharing some of your AA postings when asked to do so also. I remember posting to you on the AA board when I was real new... you were very kind in your reply. I've received a lot of understanding and compassion from listening to our double winners. So glad you all are here.

And lastly, my sponsor.... that woman who I swear sometimes lives in my head!! The first person to have given me Hope when I found this site. The woman who allows me to work at my own pace, but who also will call me on my procrastinating and BS... teehee. She doesn't try to control me, rather, she teaches me the true meaning of Live and Let Live. She shares her ESH with me, then steps back and allows me to process it and use what I feel will work for me. I can be stubborn at times and choose to not "hear" something she's telling me, but eventually the message gets through. I know her hand is always there for me whenever I need to reach out, and I love her for that. Thank you.

No, I haven't forgotten HP. He is what has guided all of this. I see His love now in so many ways. By the people he has put in my path at certain moments, etc. He was there all along, just waiting for me to reach out again.

Thank you all. I wish you enough.

Luv, Kis