Er, forgot to comment on the emotional issues segment of your post. Yes yes yesyesyes. I'm a well medicated bipolar II *tips hat* and depression is my mainstay of life. Dealing with it positively, finding a way to be a complete human being while being eroded daily, monthly, yearly from the inside, finding a way to be an artist and a mother and a wife and (heaven forfend) myself (!) while fighting that constant fight....it shapes everything about you.

Those of us with few spoons better at least keep our silverware polished and at the ready :)

*shakes hands* Glad to meet you :)