I think I'm in shock. Has this really just happened?

[Isthisreallyhappeningtome]

I've had a horrible year. A horrible horrible year. I escaped a violent relationship, was made homeless with a baby, tried to commit suicide and lost a family member on Xmas day.
Tonight my friends decided to club together and take me out for a night in a town we used to go to befire we all had children. My best friends his bad very kindly has taken my DD overnight. Please bare with me I'm rambling but I'm in shock.
I had a few drinks at a new bar and we decided to go to an old bar where I used to work. I was standing there when my friend who is the bar man places a drink in front of me. A gin and lemonade with a dash of grenadine. There is only one person in the world who knows I used to drink that and I just go numb. My friends says it's from that gentlemen across the bar and sure enough there stands my estranged husband who I haven't seen in 5 years.
He was shot a year after we got married and suffered terrible PTSD and it broke down our marriage. He left to go and sort himself out and I decided to try and move on. I never stopped thinking about him, never stopped loving him and now he's here, asleep next to me. I just can't believe this is happening and genuinely think I'm going to wake up in the morning and it was all a dream. I don't even know why I'm posting here I just needed to speak to somebody or someone to tell me that this is real!

Good morning everyone!
Btw am loving the grenadine debates, it honestly tastes good in anything!

We are going to make another go of things. It turns out he's been in contact with my friend for a while and they've been trying to gently ease me into this. Which makes sense now that I think about it, as she has been bringing him up quite a bit lately and asking me off questions. He's bought a house locally and is going to go at my pace.

He says he is over the ptsd. The main problem was the night terrors which he hasn't had for a year now.
I actually feel like I've won the lottery. My friend who's husband looked after Dd last night is taking my little one to soft play today so we have a little more time. I'm just on a cloud.

Clementine, that's absolutely inspired

I think you need to go to an off licence for Grenadine?

Lovely news O P

thank EN. Had a beeyatch of a time finding grenadine to make Shirley Temples for youngsters on Christmas Eve and gave up. I think La Bassey would also approve of Rum.

Good luck OP

Ah, lovely news OP

Oh that's fantastic op

Wishing you both lots of luck and joy for 2016

That sounds lovely OP. Good luck and I hope it all works out for you and you have a much happier 2016 and beyond. Just take things slowly and carefully

Congratulations, OP, but I do recommend he uses a different shampoo, if Head and Shoulders hasn't got rid of the dandruff in five years.

I'm so glad you're giving it another go! I hope when the time comes to introduce your daughter they enjoy each other's company

Happy dance

So your friends set you up last night? How long have they been talking? Was it from before you split from your last partner?

And he's bought a house locally on the off chance you'll be interested again?

I think you need to go to an off licence for Grenadine?

No they sell it in supermarkets. I usually bring bottles back from France when we go as it is so cheap over there.

I don't want to be the one than rains on the parade at all but please do be careful and go slowly.

It doesn't feel quite right to me that he has been talking to your friend, had got a place in the same town as you and turned up on your rare night out all without consulting you first. It's a bit presumptuous, especially getting a place there before he had even spoken to you. It seems a little bit like he is thinking 'I feel better so I will go and claim her back now' without any thought to how your life might have changed and what you might actually want.

I really hope it works out for you and you are happy, but please be careful, you are vulnerable. Have you done the freedom programme or had proper support since splitting from your DDs father? Please do look after yourself and do these things, in addition to spending time with your old/new man and getting to know him again slowly. Don't let his reappearance replace the need for you to process and recover from what you have been through, if he loves you he will encourage that.

Hope it all works out for you OP.

Now, tell me, does he look at all like Brodie?

You can buy Grenadine with or without alcohol.

Hope things work out for you OP.

I used to add Grenadine to prosecco but I got a bottle of Chambord from my unscented husband for Christmas and I'm never going back. It's delicious. But I digress........Op tread carefully and slowly, the worst thing would be to rush it and put your own mental wellbeing at risk.

Brodie?

The house buying was a little optimistic yes. But I guess when my friend had questioned me about my feelings towards him and I said I still loved him they took that as a green light!
And he still puts tea bag in the sink and spoon in the bin... I've missed him so much.

Good luck. Sob sob here. It has made my morning reading something positive that has happened in someone else's life.

Another word of caution about the PTSD being over. PTSD is a lifelong condition that can be managed but not cured. It can flare up again during times of stress or new trauma. A very important safety valve is the person who ha it taking the conditions seriously, and agreeing with people around him/her how to monitor signs of increased symptoms and how to deal with it.

Brodie.

Oh I recognise him! What's he from?

Homeland. Yum.

So he bought a house near you because your friend told him you said you still loved him? But that's nuts!

Still loving the story though 💩

He bought a house locally; before the big "eyes meet across a crowded bar" scene? Seriously?

I have been lurking on this thread from the beginning and I have to say it is very inspirational. In fact I'm going to get some grenadine today and try some of the drink suggestions for nye. Thank you.

What the hell is that in his trousers?

I guess the bloke needed somewhere to live, eh. A friend of mine's husband bought a house in the next town over from where she lived before they were actually going out together again (they'd been out before) and well before they got married - nothing wrong with living in hope! Worked out for him, anyway - and I hope it works out for you and your DH, OP.