I've waited a long time to put words down in this sections as I wasn't sure what to write about myself. I am a mother of three girls ages 12, 15, 17 and two step children, a daughter age 23 and son age 21 and a grandson age 6mos by my step daughter. She brought us an angel. and is due with her second. My husband is a wonderful man who puts up with my many moods as I have bipolar disorder and anxiety. We are a family of mental disorders as my stepson also has bipolar, learning disability and adhd; my oldest daughter is graduating with a 4.0 this year and has dysthimia and my middle daughter also has adhd.

We live a very structured life. With this many kids and my husband and I both working full time (i usually work more than 40 hours) we have to be organized almost to a fault or we'd never make it. Personally, I prefer knowing what's for dinner ahead of time and who's got what chore tonight. I'm not one for surprises. I like knowing where the cereal goes in the cabinet and that everything has it's own place. That way, if I fall into a depression, the house can run itself for a little while at least. Kev really steps in at times like that and never condemns - how lucky am I?

As for me, I am a special education teacher. For the past ten years I worked with emotionally disturbed teenagers and found I could really make a difference there and be an example. Although I did lose a student to suicide a few years back, I know I tried my best. Now I am a casemanager for students with a variety of disabilities from emotional to learning to adhd, orthopedically handicapped and such. It's very emotionally draining, but rewarding too. I've had to learn how to set boundaries so that I don't get totally drained by the kids and their parents. I've been doing this now for 1 year and am really begining to love it.

Dealing with being bipolar has been the hardest thing I've ever done. trying to understand it, cope, be kind to myself and learn what it takes for me to be healthy which I'll write more of in my journal that I've just started. I look forward to communicating with others on how they've learned to be healthy or what they do that's not healthy ( I have some of those too!)

So thanks for reading...check out my videos, watch for new journal entries and email me! 

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