What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger or GO MY LIFE!

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
I didn't believe that for a long time, but now I know it's true. After two years of riding a brutal and unpredictable emotional roller coaster, I can finally say, "I'm happy, free, and stronger than ever." HIP HIP HOORAY! Or as my sister, Laurie, would say, "Go My Life!"

Me (left) w/my sister, Laurie, Cabo, Oct. '10

LIFE IS GOOD
Life is once again beautiful, fun, exciting, and filled with great possibilities. I'm currently:

• Pursuing my music. (Again!)
• Taking yoga classes. (*OM*)
• Going back to school for Criminal Justice. (Look out, bad guys!)
• In a healthy and happy relationship. (Thanks, honey!)
• Taking piano lessons. (Learning how to read music - YIKES!)
• Doing a Communications Course through Landmark Education. (Transformational work is good for the heart, mind, and soul.)
• Finishing edits on my latest book!!! (Can't wait to query again!)

My last "live" performance, Oct. '09

Me & Bobby, April '12

My "new" piano!

TOUGH TIMES?
My advice to anyone going through a difficult time: 

 Me w/some people who love me: Mom, sisters Michelle, Sharon, Laurie, & Dad.

• DON'T GIVE UP on yourself or on life. (Don't let the bastards get you down!)
• LEAN ON PEOPLE who love you. (It makes them feel better, too!)
• LOVE YOURSELF & YOUR LIFE. (There are brighter days ahead!)
• When you're going through hell, KEEP GOING. (per Winston Churchill)
• HANG IN THERE long enough to get past the pain. (You'll be amazed at how much better you'll feel.) 
• You will GET THROUGH IT. (And life will be better than ever!) 

RIDE THE WAVES OF LIFE WITH GRACE
We all experience pain, suffering, loss, anger, jealousy, sadness, and grief. Maintain your dignity and live life with grace. Remember, you are beautiful, precious, loved, and deserve the best life has to offer. If you believe in yourself and follow your heart, you will not be disappointed.

LIFE CAN AND WILL GET BETTER! (I swear, it's true!)

Lucky 7? One can only hope.

First of all, please forgive me for my seriously sporadic blog posting of late. I have no reasonable excuse other than I've had other things on my mind. Here's an update of what's going on in my world:

RE: WRITING
Edits are coming back tomorrow from my brilliant editor, so now is (once again!) the calm before the revision storm. In my dreams she'll say, "Oh. My. God. This is the most perfected sixth draft I've EVER read in all my days of editing! You must go, now, and share your sixth draft brilliance with all the world!"

Instead, the communication will likely go something like this: "Great job, Debbie - you're on the right path. At some point, before your kids ship you off to a nursing home, this may even be done! Prior to your Alzheimer's fully setting in, you may actually experience what it's like to be on submission! Isn't that exciting? In the meantime, here's what you need to focus on... You're welcome." Then she'll tap her fingers on the desk and say, "I'm sorry, what are you waiting for? Get back to work!"

So, starting Tuesday, I'll be diving into Draft #7 with full abandon. Lucky 7? One can only hope.

RE: PERSONAL STUFF
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving in Denver was beyond! The mingling of family and friends, great food, and super-celebrations was one for the history books. Here are a few pics.

1) Thanksgiving tables at my sister Sharon's house. More than 40 people attended!
2) Me and my dad. ;-)
3) Me and my mom. ;-)
4) Me and my handsome son, Adam. ;-)
5) My beautiful niece, Devyn, my dad, and me.

Click here for more Thanksgiving pics.

It's been pointed out that I forgot to mention a big part of my wonderful week in Denver included my dear niece and nephew's Bar and Bat Mitzvah. Here's a picture of the fabulous twins:

House Hunting
I'm searching tirelessly for a new place; a place I can call my own that won't hold any of the ghosts - both good and bad - of my past. The search is sometimes invigorating, and sometimes sad. I hate the reason for the search, but I love the possibility of finding a perfect new home - a special place to make new memories.

Here are some of the house-hunting questions that are keeping me awake at night:

• Do I want a newer house without any headaches, or an older place with a bit more character?
• Do I want to live in the same town - a town I love, but that contains places that sometimes trigger sadness and anger?
• Would it be better to move to a new area and get a totally clean start?
• What features are most important to me? (Double sinks in the master bathroom? Small lot vs large lot? Well water vs public?)
• Do I want everything updated, or would it be better to make updates myself to make the place more of "my own?"
• How much room do I need/want?
• What can I comfortably afford?
• What's important for resale down the line?

And most importantly...

• What will my kitties think?
  

The house I'm in now was our "dream house" - the home we worked our whole lives for. I never imagined that less than seven years later I'd be leaving this beautiful place, and certainly not for a home of my own.

However, life sometimes delivers unexpected twists and turns...

A wise woman once told me, "The test of a good marriage is not how you deal with the easy stuff, but how you deal with the hard stuff. Anyone can get through the easy stuff." I think this holds true for all aspects of life. I'm doing my best to keep my spirits up even with Nirvana's song, "All Alone is All We Are" creeping through my mind...

New Car
I'm getting a new car! Well, it's not exactly new, it's a 2008. But, it's a Mercedes. Yup, you read that right. Trust me, I'd rather have my marriage intact, but a Mercedes isn't a bad booby prize.

Yoga
Next week I'm taking my first yoga class in years. It's an hour and fifteen minute private lesson, so it may be the last thing I ever do. (If I never post again, you'll know why.)

Seminar
I'm taking a seminar given by Landmark Education called, "Living Powerfully: A Life that Defies the Predictable." Out of this seminar, I'm committed to creating a powerful relationship with everyone in my life. I'm also committed to being joyful, inspirational, and compassionate or, put another way, I'm committed to bringing joy, inspiration, and compassion to all areas of my life. That's a tall order, but one worth pursuing.

These are some of the ups and downs of my life. What about you? What's new in your world? Don't be shy... spill!