I finally have my own little nook. A writing place to call my own. A quiet space at the end of the house, away from all the chaos and madness. Separate from the kitchen, the tv and all the kids. This is my room. My little area to call my own. A spot to create. To think. To relax. And to just be. This is where I can write and grow and learn to love myself a little bit more, each and everyday. Because that is what I continue to remind myself to do. I need to love myself. I need

The kids have been out of school for a week now, and I was prepared for this to be a very triggering time of year for me. So far, it has been pretty good. Summertime was always full of early afternoon cocktails outside in the sunshine, drinks by the pool and happy hour that always started earlier than any other time of the year. Day drinking just always seemed acceptable and part of the social routine when the sun was shining. An unspoken allowance between my friends. An unwr

Ever since the beginning of my recovery, I knew that I wanted to get a tattoo to honor this journey. I wanted to get something that symbolized the hard work I have put in, the distance I have traveled and the efforts I have made. I wanted to get something to remind me of the hard battle I have fought. Something that encompasses all the incredible feelings of pride, gratitude, happiness and peacefulness that I feel in my mind on a daily basis without alcohol in my life anymore

I am an introvert. A newly discovered one. For a long time and for most of my 20's and 30's I had myself convinced that I was a social, outgoing, happy go lucky extrovert. I thought I loved being surrounded by large groups of friends. I thought I loved people. I also liked the look of a being an extrovert. The optics worked for the picture I was trying to paint. But little did I know that the only way to maintain this image was with copious amounts of alcohol. It has only bee

I love summer storms. Sitting on my sun porch right now, I feel content. Cozy. It was a long, tiring weekend. Physically and emotionally. Evan was gone with Brayden at a hockey tournament in CT, so it was just me, Chase and Parker. As I listen to the rain come down outside, I feel grateful though. I watch the dark clouds around me and I hear the sound of the thunder in the distance. The peacefulness of the drops of rain on the leaves, as the birds continue to chirp on the riv

I have packed my bags, I have put on my coat and I am about to head out. On a trip perhaps. It is a new journey I am told. Into the night. The darkness. The unknown. All there is to do now is get in the car, Kim. Let's go. Time to take off. Time to head out. Turn around and don't look back. But for some reason, I am stuck here. Waiting. Watching them all. I stare at my friends from the front steps, peering at them from outside the glass door. These people that always presente

It has been a week now since we have been in the new house. The sun porch has quickly become my favorite spot . Even on the hottest days and the coldest of mornings. I sit here now listening to the birds and rain, it sounds like a bird sanctuary, a rainforest of sounds welcoming me home. My home. This is my new home. And it feels like home, because everything feels so right. Even though boxes still need to be unpacked, furniture needs to be delivered, closets need to be built

I sit in the house one last morning surrounded by boxes in my favorite room, what I have come to call the blue room. It is the front room, the formal living room covered in blue grass cloth wallpaper. I love this room so much. I love the colors. Each piece of furniture. The fabrics on the chairs and pillows. The rug. The wallpaper!! I remember all the time it took to design it. We have an expensive white couch that I bought in fabric built to withstand red wine stains, enough