Hhhhmmm.... So I suppose this is where I explain what this is. I guess this is my spot for my ramblings, what's happening, etc. Let's start with Hi! I'm Calicoe or Urtica. Those are my main two online alias that I tend to go by. I'm an avid anime/manga fan and I try to do art in my free time. I'm married and have a one year old son and two cats. I'm here to make friends and hopefully improve my art. On that note I am willing to accept safe for work art requests, but depending on demand and my available free time it might take me a little while to fulfill. I am a stay at home mom so my free time is in short supply. Also I mentioned it once on one of my pieces, but I tend to keep clean line art of most of my drawings so if you are interested in doing a recolor of one just let me know all I ask is for credit for the line art.

Challenges

This fall continues to find my life full of personal challenges. I feel like I'm making excuses, but I really did want to do the OC-tober challenge. I think it's going to take me most of November as well, but my personal life keeps getting in the way and there's no avoiding it. October saw to us having roommates for the first time ever as my friend and her child moved in with us. We're happy to have them for the year they need, but it really has been a huge adjustment for all of us. Then my husband and I got sick for weeks. Initially I thought it had to be covid as my friend who moved in with us had her whole family get it. A friend who got sick after seeing us though tested negative and my friend's husband who got sick at the same time as us right after being here also was negative so we still have no idea. All we know is it left us sick for a while. Right after recovering and finally getting to draw again my aunt's mother died. While sad and upset for my aunt it didn't really affect me directly (we're not all super close as to knowing parents of none blood related relatives). Then I had a friend that I've known since high school in the hospital with pneumonia. Thank goodness she's been discharged with a clean bill of health. While this was happening though another family friend was hospitalized. She is a close friend of my sister and basically an older sister to me. I can't remember a time when I didn't know her. I even sang at her wedding. She got married to someone I consider a big brother. (Another very close childhood friend to my older siblings that I've known forever). The night she went in we were informed she could die. It seemed like all the things that could improve her condition were also likely to kill her. Miraculously she survived the night and things have gradually improved. At this point we are at least day by day and not hour by hour. If this weren't enough to send someone over the edge my two year old son suddenly got a fever the other night of 101.3. No other symptoms besides a fever and lack of appetite. I'm a bit at my wits end, but the fever has since gone down. He's still be really clingy and lethargic, but going to give it a day or so before having a real mommy break down and taking him to the pediatricians. It's tough being a first time mom! You don't want to overreact, but you don't want to know do something if you should have! I apologize if this sounds like a pity post, but it's not. I just wanted somewhere to vent and put down my frustrations as right now I'm trying to be a pillar to all those around me who need my support right now. I just feel like a slightly cracking pillar and I needed to let this all out so maybe I can fill those cracks up again for a bit and hold it together until things get back to normal. For those of you still checking up on my OC-tober challenge drawings thank you! I appreciate it right now more than I can say. I promise I'm going to keep going with them when I can and I even have one right now ready to post as soon as I can find a minute. If you read this far know that my life generally is not this chaotic and future posts should not be this long of a tragic rant. Thanks for listening!

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