[JERRY2KONE]

WOW that really sucks. I know that some of us have had to deal with unwanted circumstances in our lives, but I can tell you that there can also be happier days down the road so hang in there and never give up. These things can not only bring out the worst in us, but also the best in us as well. Its hard some days to keep fighting, but what else is there? As the saying goes, dead is dead, and there is no coming back from that. Find joy in something and always strive to improve who you are. Hey you got R/C and that is something, right?

Tax season does suck most of the time, but as I was telling the wife the other day up to now we have always gotten back a nice chunk of our taxes (usually $5K to $8K every year, so paying some out one time in 7 years isn't so bad. We will live through it, and next year we will be back in teh green again.

I have to share that I was feeling quite low 7 years ago. I had gotten divroced in 2000, and the EX moved our kids 4000 miles away, and made it pretty much impossible for me to see them for 7 years. On top of that she hit me with $1800 a month in child support, which was about what I took home on my job at the time. I felt like my life was overwith. I swear I was about to sell my house along with everything I owned and move overseas just to avoid dealing with any of it. I had a few really good friends who helped keep my mind right through it all. Slowly things began to change in my life and although recovery was pretty slow I could see that there was light at the end of the tunnel. I can't say whether it was devine intervention or just life's way of working out all on its own, but the EX passed away in 2008, and the kids now live with my wife and I. Not only do I no longer pay child support, but we collect about the same amount in SSI payments now because of her illness, which helps greatly with raising them. It allows me to stay home most of the time to make sure they have what they need (good dicapline, and strong guidance) and I get to keep a close eye on them so they don't kill each other. Life is never easy, but we have to find a way to fight our way through even the toughest of situations to succeed.