Things I am truly thankful for ...
 

include, front and center, my daughter's decision/realization/illumination that, although her fiance isn't abusive or otherwise evil, she needs to pursue her life dreams and goals rather than fit herself into his life vision.

Some rocky times ahead, but her head and heart are both in the right place. She will be moving back east asap and enrolling at a nearby university to finish her Fine Arts degree. She wants to be a museum curator.

Wow! Great news, Ortho!

Fucking A.

That is good news.

Awesome!

Excellent!

That's outstanding. Good for her.

Wow! Is she moving in with you, or is she still on her feet, so to speak?

*blinks in disbelief*

As a parent, you sometimes wonder if they're ever going to "get it". Then when they do, it's a surprise. I don't think I have low expectations, it's just the just the random timing and the uncertainty about what the trigger is/will be that produces the surprise. Maybe startled is a better choice of words. I'm not surprised, since I've been sowing since they were little; it's nice to reap for a change.

Congrats to you and yours orthodoc. :)

We were SO surprised when she told us last night on the drive home from the airport ... she had mentioned on the phone recently that she wanted to talk with us this holiday, so we both went to pick her up and offered to talk on the private 90-minute drive home. You could have knocked us over with a feather when she asked our opinion on her coming back east to go to school at the nearby university (state school, excellent reputation for Fine Arts, very reasonable tuition). And then asked, without assuming anything, if it would be okay with us if she lived at home, paid us rent in cash or kind (professional cleaning), and commuted to school, 20 minutes up the highway. She told us that she's realized she needs to get back on track and pursue HER dreams and goals, not fit herself into someone else's.

The trigger is/was a good friend out west who said all the things to our daughter that parents want to say, but can't, because the risk of pushing a child away/further down a doubtful road is high. We were going to tactfully but definitely bring up the topic this holiday but the friend beat us to it. And daughter was ready to hear the friend's thoughts at that particular time ...

I can't convey how happy it makes me that she's taking her life back and looking to fulfill her dreams and potential. The past year has shown her that she wants more than cleaning houses as a career, and that minimum wage is not a living wage. She has worked hard and learned to pay her way, and found out that when two people are not on the same page and have different dreams and goals, they aren't suited for a long-term relationship. Neither one has to be a villain; they just need to follow their own paths.

I'm so very thankful.

Good for her.

And you. :)

Excellent. Happy days!

Great news! I'm so happy for you

What? Museum Curator? Doesn't she know hookers can make ten times what a curators does? :lol2:

Seriously though, congratulations, you must have drug her up good and proper. :thumb:

Good news. I hope everything works out for all concerned.