-The Real Final Chapter

The Real Final Chapter and How You Really Do Rock My Face Off! 

After my mind cleared and was able to wake up, I have been spending the last couple of days trying to write this post.  I wanted to fully express how touched I was this weekend by all of the support for the blog-a-thon.  It was amazing to me to see those donations come in and surpass my goal.  It was amazing that people stayed up all night with me and kept me laughing and crying (only the best kind of tears) and singing and dancing.  Amazing!

In April, Sheena wrote about community.  I read it back then and was very touched to be counted as part of it (and to read one of the most awesome things anyone has ever written about me!) ....but after this weekend, I really get it.  I get it!  There is a community that I belong to, and I now know that there is a few of them...

The Community of Bloggers:  My heart was so touched by new and not so new blogging friends getting involved and donating and tweeting about it and stopping by and inviting their friends.  It was a blast getting to know you better and for the bloggers I just met this weekend, I'm looking forward to getting to know you better in the future!

The Community of "Real Life" Friends and Family:  I was touched by the support I received from people who have known me for a long time in real life.  Some of you knew me back when I was in denial and working through trauma that I wouldn't even admit existed.  When I started telling people who I knew my story, I always had that thought in the back of my mind that no matter what the person said to my face, in their minds they thought there was something wrong with me, that I was crazy or tainted.  Thank you for proving that thought wrong this weekend.  Thank you for showing me more love and support than I could ever have imagined!

The Army of Angels Community:  Each of you inspire me!  You give me JOY!  You are a voice for those who don't yet have their own!  I love that I can trust you with my deepest feelings...and my silliest dancing<<---and you accept every part of me!  I love that you have done the hard work...you are still doing the hard work...and you are helping other survivors who are just starting out on this healing journey.  I can't wait to see all the amazing things that the Army of Angels are going to do....and I can't wait to meet each and every one of you in October!

I feel blessed beyond measure to be a part of these communities.  Relationships that I never thought I would form.  Love that amazes me.  

Now, I wanted to have a great ending for this final chapter.  While writing this I had the song These Days running through my mind, and I thought about posting it here...but I decided that I would make y'all a small "present" instead.......

(It came out a lot darker once I uploaded it than it was on my camera, but hopefully you still got a laugh out of it....unless you closed your eyes after my warning!)