Dude, I am BACK.

A couple of days ago, I heard from an old friend who was concerned about me given the tenor of my last post to this blog. I thought "now it wasn't THAT bad was it?" and went back to take a little peek at what I said since my brain resembles a fairly small kitchen collander these days and retains nothing but the biggest chunks that won't slide through the holes.

I just got done reading and had to sit and think for a while. I remember when I wrote that. I remember struggling to get the words out because that stuff was hard to write. And then I stopped again and compared where I was then to where I am now and thought "hot damn what a difference a few months make!"

So let's put this puppy back on track, the track upon which I belong, get into the frame of mind that suits me best, and take a look around the present.

"When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better." My mommy sent me that. She's a smart lady.

When God DOES answer a prayer, he simply does not dick around. When He finally decides to act, He does so with a bang like nothing you've ever seen. When He tosses you a gift, you'd better have both hands out and be ready to hang on for dear life cause it's gonna be a doozy. And it's gonna ROCK.

You can use a dinner knife as a screwdriver if you try hard enough.

There really is no law that says a female operating a television remote control is punishable by death.

And when a female operates a television remote control, the television will magically stay on one channel for the entire duration of a movie.

Curling up on the sofa and reading a fantastic book for as long as you want to doesn't make you a lazy bad person. It can, however, give you one crazyass cramp in your neck and make you realize that blinking is good.

It's really cool setting your own schedule, your own priorities, and making your own rules.

Having a pack of your friends over to your house for a girl bonding weekend is something I should have done YEARS ago, damn the fall-out.

My daughter is the most amazing person I've ever known, bar none. That kid makes me laugh every single day, teaches me something at least every other day, and has the kind of spirit, strength and integrity that could change the world if more people were like her. And she plays a mean Guitar Hero.

They say great things come in small packages, but I'm here to tell that you that sometimes incredible things come in really big forms too; things like humor, wit, kindness, generosity, brilliance, compassion, love and the best smile in the world, all in quantities so rich that they nearly don't quite fit into a six foot seven package. Like I said. God doesn't mess around.

Hindsight really is 20 / 20. Thank God for that.

I spend my time nowadays smiling, being thankful, looking ahead without cringing, looking back less and less, laughing, and knowing that while I'm thankful to be moving onto a new chapter of my life, it was the old chapter that made me who I am, shaped who I have become, gave me the best gift of my life in the form of a beautiful daughter, and will always be something that while I will never miss it, will always treasure. It's a part of my life. It always will be.

The future is bright because of all I have been through, all I have experienced and all that I have become as a result.

Thank you to my daughter for your never ending love and support. You are truly a one in a million special child.

Thank you to my sis for her scathing and hysterical commentary, complete lack of judgment, and open ear.

Thank you to my friends who never once left me alone, let me down, let me wallow, and who were there night and day, every night and day. The daily e-mails. The weekly cards. The constant love. You people are the best.

Thank you to my Mom. What in the world would I do without you?

Thank you to the six foot seven gift. There simply are no words.

So bring on the chocolate.