RE -- Thanks for this reminder. I, also, don't ever want to downplay the severity of difficult child-dom, nor the toll it can take on us all at times. I also don't wish to imply that parenting our difficult child didn't take me to "the edge". It did. Many times. And, sometimes, for prolonged periods of time. At a certain point, I just knew that I had to make a choice if I wanted to remain "on the edge"..........lest I accidentally slip off and fall some day.
Preface: I know nothing about cooking, sewing, mathematics, or fashion. What I do know about is sports, art, language, philosophy and faith -- so those are the subjects from which I fashion my tools and coping skills.
Before every sporting event, every team has a pep talk. When you hear me becoming a cheerleader about life, love, forgiveness and fun, you are just hearing my inner pep talk for the game of life I live every day. I'm no master at any of it. But I want to live large and love large. So I "pep talk" myself a lot. It helps me focus. If it ever seems annoying or offensive to anyone in this forum, please forgive me for that. Never my intention. I'm just walking this life as genuinely as I can. 
PS -- We went to Ireland in 2007. It was quite wonderful! We are not wealthy. We are thrifty with most of our life choices (including downsizing our house a few years ago, cutting our mortgage in half.......why? So we can travel more!). We live a very basic life, otherwise. But travel is a priority for us, so we try to go as many places as we can.
I've never been to China nor to Australia.....yet! So far away, so exotic, so fun! Let us know whatever you decide, RE!
