Hello friends.
It's been a minute since I posted anything here, let alone a journal. A lot has happened and I haven't been very good at keeping anyone posted with the going-on's of my life.
So here's a rather large update:
I have a chronic illness. It wasn't something I was aware of until after a (very eventful) blood draw, but sure enough, it was there. Hypothyroidism. It could be a lot worse (and I'm sure it will get worse as I age) but for now, I'm going to work towards keeping it in check. There have been some lifestyle changes I've had to make. It's a little scary. But the best thing I can do for myself is to keep moving forward.
I've come to accept my past of abuse. TW: skip to the next paragraph if you don't want to read through this part. The long short of it is that my father is a monster. At his hand, my mother and siblings (and myself) have experienced manipulation of the highest degree.
For years. We've been controlled, used against one another, and made to believe that speaking out against the abuse makes us dangerous/abusive people. Some of us have even been physically injured and/or our property damaged. All in all, it's a shitty situation and a toxic household. The only reason it has persisted for so long is because of where we live - divorce would mean losing the house, the land, and most (if not all) of the animals who have lived here comfortably for over ten years. But the time has come for change and we are finally working toward escape.
That being said, the move means we are losing just about everything. Our beloved chickens have been rehomed, the miniature horses are up for sale, and we are trying to figure out the best option for the barn kitties and pair of geese (who I love with my whole heart). Boarding Val and Simba is going to be very expensive, especially because of Simba's age and special needs - he doesn't have many teeth left and therefor only eats a grain/alfalfa mix three times a day. I have come to the understanding that the move may stress him out beyond help and that he will probably pass away this winter. It's terribly sad to think about.
I'm prepared to be with him until the end. It what he deserves.
Losing Val is not an option and I am willing to drop out of school in order to afford her. Luckily, this is not yet necessary.
I begin my senior year at MIAD on August 31st. Taking an overload and working additional jobs to help my mother cover expenses is going to be tough but I believe that with your help, it can be possible. With your support, I've grown into a confident artist here on DA. And while the update has made this once familiar site feel foreign, the memories made here will always remain. I'm not saying that I'm leaving DA but am instead going to be much less active than before.
I've started my own Discord server. There, you'll be able to stay up-to-date on all my art (and some of my life-related) happenings. I plan to offer exclusive offers, too! The ultimate goal of the server is to grow a little art community.
You are more than welcome to join, please click below for access to the server!
Commission news:
I'm slowly chipping away at my waiting list and will contact you when a space becomes available. Thank you so much for your patience at this time! I'm going to be closing the waiting list here on DA soon and will open a new one (on the discord server, most likely) in the near future.
And with that, my update comes to a close. I want to personally thank you for reading this far and for your continued support. It really means the world to me and I am forever grateful!
Please take care!