_{It’s ugly, the story of addiction, and simply too much for the majority of people to fully understand or even deal with.  The easier thing, the more comfortable thing is to qualify it, judge it, label it and dismiss it.  This is sadly the norm.}  

_{We chose early on to be as open as we could in each moment knowing we would encounter some of this judgment.  The risk of rejection is minimal when your why is enormous – and our why was so that others could:} 

• _{Get real and begin talking instead of hiding.}

• _{Perhaps learn from our experiences.}

• _{Gain hope, strength, and courage,}

• _{And Forgive, including forgiving yourself.}

_{I have believed for most of my life that There is purpose in what we experience. I see all experiences, the good, the bad, and the god awful as opportunities for our individual evolution and so we may be a forerunner for others.  That is why we are getting so vulnerable, that is why we are sharing our story. I thought it would be most effective for you to go on this journey from each of our viewpoints – what was happening in my reality and what was happening in his.  So, throughout the book, you will hear from Andrew, from the perspective of his experience.  I also share excerpts from my journals to give you a sense of where I truly was at that moment in time.} 

^{Our hope is that you find hope, strength, and courage for yourself here on these pages.}  

^{With great love in my heart,}