Hi again!
Thanks so much for all of the welcomes
Love the snowman, yknot - tee hee hee.
Independant: It's not that they df'd me for non-attendance, I was guilty of an offence but the worst part was that even though I hadn't been attending meetings for a year and a half, had never been in service since I moved here (so technically not a witness anyway), no one in the congregation knew me, the elders paid zero attention when I stopped attending and none of my 'worldly' friends knew my witness background, someone from back home sent them sniffing after me. My mistake was going to the damn committee meeting - I did not want to be df'd and I begged them not to do it, telling them that they didn't know me at all and had made no effort to do so, that I needed help and that when they make their announcement the reaction in the audience will be 'huh, who's that?' and they didn't give a crap. Since then, no effort to contact me whatsoever - even the once a year 'reach out at memorial time' thing the WT prides itself on. I just decided that if I could be tossed away so brutally, then I want no part of it. ahhhh good times.....
At any rate, the thing with my mom and sister back home rankles at me - I can't help it. On the rare occasion that I do talk to my mom, I'm upbeat and positive and that seems to make her really sad, as though she wants me to be miserable...it's painful and strained and I'm actually glad that she doesn't make more of an effort to contact me if that's truly how she feels. Still hurts but whaddaya gonna do?
The wealth of knowledge on this board is astounding and I enjoy availing myself of it. I look forward to getting to know all of you better in the days to come!
p.s. - can't wait for xmas and new year's YAY
, 
(Pooopsiecakes... tee, hee!)
P.S. I'm one of the resident Pagans... 
Booo! 