Somehow, someone up there thinks I deserve good things.  I don't understand how this happened.  All of the sudden, I've got the job I've always dreamed of having.  I'm working for a company that cares about its employees and has a schedule that works for me, and does good, fulfilling work.  AND I have the most incredible relationship in my life.  How did this happen??  I kind of feel like pinching myself sometimes, because it's so hard for me to believe that I've gotten here.  That I'm in a place in my life where good things start happening.  Truly good things.  I grant that I've worked hard, and seen my fair share of disappointment and hard times, but part of me always kind of thought that that was just par for the course.  That I'd always struggle and have to make compromises.  Last year, at this time, I was fairly convinced that I'd be alone forever.  And I was working on making myself ok with that.  Part of me, of course, wasn't, but I did my damndest to be ok with it.  Had I been told, a year ago, that within two months, I'd have met a man that would make me feel happier than I've ever felt.  I'm not sure I'd have believed it.  But now, here I am.  Ridiculously, retardedly happy.  With someone who wants to make plans for the future with me.  With someone who cherishes me and what we have as much as I do.  Someone who will enjoy jumping in a gigantic puddle of mud and over a pit of fire as much as he enjoys attending a theater performance or a symphony event.  Someone who can talk intelligently about philsophy and history and current events and....everything.  Someone who isn't afraid to tell me how he feels about me, and ACT on it.  And, as if that wasn't enough, I've been hired on, at a fairly decent starting salary, at a company who does good things, and believes in good things.  I'll be able to continue my life pursuit to help hurt and neglected and abused children, by supporting foster families.  AND I'll be able to get paid for it.  AND get paid in a way that will allow me to survive comfortably.  What else can I ask for in my life??  I am surrounded with people who love me.  I get to do things I believe in and love.