Malibu Offer

I could not sleep last night; I suspect it is a combination of hormones and not being able to shut my brain down with all of this.

I have so many more people to thank, and as I lay tossing and turning, I was thinking of you all. My friends, my co-workers, and the huge art community all over the world that I have been involved with over the years who have read my blog, sent emails of support, empathy, money, and prayers.

Megan called me excited as I was leaving last night, as Michael Blake, who was in the documentary movie The Ground Truth and a member of the IVAW (I have to remember to make links later to both of these!) called her with an offer. An all expense paid trip to Malibu, California, for a Iraq Veteran Women's Counseling Retreat. Another group is sponsoring it, but he wanted to ask Megan if he could give the group her name. We don't have more details, and it is coming up in a few weeks, but I told her I would take Alanna and figure out child care so that she could go.

I do hope that she does go, as this could be so good for her; to get together with other women who experienced much of the same horrors that she has. Perhaps some also have illnesses too and Megan won't feel so alone. I am sure that there are not that many women in our neck of the woods here that are returned Iraq vets...and Megan might benefit from a weekend if it is really well run. Never mind Malibu!

So out of pain does come good. I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT. Otherwise I don't know how I will go on.

I was talking to a co-worker and I told him that it was so hard to see her suffer and to force myself to see the possible ramifications of her illness. I am a mess. I just don't know how I will keep going if things get worse. I know I will have to, at least for Alanna's sake.

The photo is of Megan before she left for boot camp four years ago, being her coy and silly self.

Thank you all again, xxxpatti