I am a work in progress. Being married to an amazingly awesome cowboy is a miracle in my life after 23 years of domestic abuse from someone else. Each year, each day is another opportunity to marvel at the wonderful blessing my husband is, as well as our life together and everything in it. But it does not erase the past. It does not erase my hurt. The reality is that I have experienced what has been, and the result of that is my companion -often unwanted but persistent in presence.