thank you, ladies. i really appreciate your kind words. i've come back to this site many a times, and i guess my problem was never getting really involved. but i'm ready to now. with support from everybody on this forum, including you lovely ladies, i know i can reach my goal. with support from the lovely ladies here, and my fiance, i know i really know that i can do this.
good luck to you ladies too. we can do this together!