Bruce Law Firm - February 2022

Bruce Law Firm - February 2022

What a Difference a Year (or Two) Makes

WHAT OUR RESCUE HORSE AND OUR CLIENTS HAVE IN COMMON

As many folks know, in January 2020, the Bruce family rescued a horse from a Tennessee kill pen. Once her quarantine ended, we finally brought her home two months later in March. When we met her for the first time, we had no idea what to expect. Lena Rose was a mess. She was weak from malnourishment and frighteningly skinny, with each of her ribs showing. She had cuts and scrapes all over her body, her hair was matted, and one of her hooves was abscessed. She was 3 years old, and clearly, no one had ever cared for her during her entire life. When we adopted her, some people were concerned. Our family had never really cared for a horse, and mistreated horses have advanced challenges. But Ashley felt a powerful calling to adopt her. So, we pushed through with positive spirits, hoping for the best.

Slowly, we started working with Lena Rose. Those concerned had a point —we are not horse experts. So, we surrounded ourselves with people who are. Our barn manager, Tonya, has been in charge of care and nutrition, and we have seen incredible results. Our trainer, Tori, has also consistently worked with her since May 2020. Lena Rose has gone from measly, unbalanced trotting to jumping courses.We have even shown her in local shows, and as the kids get older, we look forward to letting them ride her. At 5 years old, Lena Rose has a long life ahead of her, and by looking at her today, you’d never guess what she had endured. It is amazing the difference a year or two makes. We see a similar transformation in many of our clients. When they visit our office for the first time, they’re often distraught. Some have suffered years of abuse. They are uncertain of what the future will hold, and they have a million questions. How will they make it on their own? What will their life look like? We meet with each of them to explain the divorce process and tell them what to expect.We also help them predict their spouse’s actions in the divorce case and come up with a strategy.When they leave our first consultation, there is still lots of work to be done, but our clients feel empowered. Now they have a plan of action, and they can move forward with confidence, having the right people by their side. That’s right, having the right people helping you through the journey, and having the inner strength and drive, is key in successfully moving forward. In the 1–2 years from when they first met with our firm, these clients become completely different people. We know because we’ve seen it play out countless times. Much like our rescue horse, with proper guidance and advice, plus a

After, end of 2021

little bit of time, they look back on who they were, think about who they are now, and smile.

If you or someone you know is struggling, we know none of this is easy. But we encourage you to look ahead and imagine what you could become. What do you want your life to look like in a year or two? It’s remarkable what the future can hold — sometimes, it’s a life you never dreamed of, but it’s beautiful all the same. This Valentine’s Day, make sure to love yourself and treat yourself right. Even if you’re going through a rough time, we know from experience that, with some care and the right direction and guidance, you can come out stronger on the other side.

Before, 2/2020

With love,

–Ashley and Chris Bruce

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The Greatest Love of All

Natural Ingredients for Cleaning

How to Love Yourself This Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day celebrates love, but it can be a difficult holiday for people who aren’t in a relationship. Whether they’ve recently gone through a divorce, have feelings about being single on a romantic day, or are generally experiencing a life transition, it can act as a reminder of the things they don’t have and wish they did. If you’re going through a difficult time, the best thing you can do is learn to love yourself. It can be a long journey of self-discovery, and no two paths are exactly the same. But you have to start somewhere. Here are three tips to romance yourself this Valentine’s Day. Pamper yourself. What do you like about Valentine’s Day? If it’s the flowers and chocolate, buy some for yourself. If you like getting dressed up, take yourself somewhere nice! You’re worth the expense. If traditional Valentine’s activities don’t appeal to you, think of how else you can make yourself feel good. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a hot bubble bath, a new outfit, an indulgent spa day, or a fancy bottle of wine — the point is to make yourself feel special. Indulge your passion. One of the keys to loving yourself is knowing yourself. If you’re stuck in a rut, think about what makes you feel excited and motivated. It’s the perfect opportunity to pick up that hobby you’ve been neglecting or revisit an unfinished project. If there’s something new you’ve always wanted to try, now’s the time. Also, consider doing volunteer work that is meaningful to you — helping others will help you feel centered and grateful. Write yourself a love letter . This idea may sound corny, but writing your feelings down is one of the best ways to process them. Think of what you like about yourself, what you’ve recently accomplished, and what you’re proud of and write it all down. Consider how you’d longingly write to a partner and use that same kind of language toward yourself. Having a physical document will give you something to go back to and reflect on when you’re feeling down on yourself later. Once you’ve taken the first step towards self-love, the next ones will keep getting easier.Whether or not you have a partner, you should be your own first priority. As Whitney Houston famously sang, “Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.”

4 Ways to Use Baking Soda and Vinegar

Instead of using harsh chemicals to clean, you can use natural products you probably already have in your home! Vinegar and baking soda are great resources for cleaning your house. Both are effective cleaning agents because they are on opposite sides of the pH scale, which measures how acidic a substance is. The scale goes from 1–14, with 1 being very acidic, 7 being neutral, and 14 being very basic. Baking soda has a pH of 9, and vinegar has a pH of 2. When combined, the mixture releases carbon dioxide gas that can help lift dirt and germs from surfaces. Individually, these products are already cleaning powerhouses. Baking soda dissolves dirt, grease, and other sticky substances. It’s also gentle enough to clean without leaving scratches. Vinegar breaks down minerals that form from hard tap water, which can cause stains on sinks, bathtubs, and countertops.

Please note that while bleach is popular for disinfecting surfaces, it’s unsafe when mixed with vinegar. Baking soda and bleach, however, are fine to mix together.

Here are a few ways to use vinegar and baking soda in your cleaning routine.

• To remove hard water stains from your sink , place a towel soaked in vinegar over the area. After a few hours, remove the towel and scrub the area with baking soda and water. • If your laundry has mildew on it , add half a cup of baking soda into the laundry detergent. Then, add one cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle to kill bacteria. This method won’t ruin the fabric of your clothes. • Instead of using chemicals that could damage your pipes, unclog and clean your drains by using half a cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar. This concoction will fizz up, but once it settles, flush the drain with hot water for five minutes. Afterward, run cold water down the drain. • Grout on bathroom tiles can be annoying to clean. To clean the grout , create a paste using baking soda and water, then spritz with vinegar. Immediately after doing this, scrub and rinse the area. Repeat these steps if needed.

Is your friend or client married to a controlling, manipulative, narcissistic husband?

OUR BOOKS CAN HELP!

The book can be downloaded for FREE at DivorceInformationBooks.com.

Cleaning is all about trial and error. Try these tricks to find what works best for you!

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Everything You Need To Know About Alimony

Many people feel they can’t leave a bad or even abusive marriage for financial reasons. It’s common for one spouse to make significantly more than the other, and sometimes, one spouse stays at home and has been out of the workforce for a while. They don’t take action because they don’t see a way to survive without their spouse’s income. Alimony aims to resolve this problem. It’s a regular payment made from one spouse to the other after divorce to cover living expenses. The amount is based on the couple’s current standard of living, so those who lived lavish lifestyles before the divorce will receive higher payments than those who lived frugally. For a court to grant alimony, one spouse must prove they need the financial support and the other can provide it. Unsurprisingly, alimony is often a highly contentious issue. The two sides frequently disagree on how much support one spouse needs, how much the other spouse can pay, and how long payments should last. The spouse who receives support needs to maximize their earning potential — that is, reenter the workforce or, in some cases, find a new job at the highest pay possible for their experience and skills. Both sides frequently debate how much the receiving spouse could earn, and though the rules vary widely by jurisdiction, experts are often called to provide an opinion.

Though many people think it seems obvious, there’s also often a disagreement about how much the higher-earning spouse actually makes. Many people are self-employed, so simply reviewing their tax returns is insufficient to determine their income. Overall cash flow, along with perks and benefits provided by their business, will need to be reviewed. Courts generally cap alimony at a percentage of the paying spouse’s gross income. In other words, they cannot pay out more of their income than they keep. Alimony amounts are also influenced by the length of the marriage and the time period they’ll make payments. Alimony rarely lasts forever and will almost always terminate once the payer enters retirement or the recipient remarries. There is nothing simple about calculating alimony payments, so anyone getting a divorce needs an attorney on their side. If you know someone seeking or contesting alimony — or whose spouse is not paying court-ordered alimony — Bruce Law Firm is here to help. Our experienced attorneys are standing by to procure a fair and equitable outcome.

The whole firm enjoying our holiday party in City Place

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breast

Inspired by DiabetesStrong.com

This succulent chicken stuffed with cheese, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes is impressive on the plate but easy in the kitchen! Our recipe makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

• • • • •

2 chicken breasts

• • • •

2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 tsp curry powder

2 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed 2 canned artichoke hearts, chopped 4 tsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 10 large basil leaves, chopped

1/2 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1.

Preheat oven to 365 F.

2. Cut a slit lengthwise to create a pocket in the middle of each chicken breast. Place the breasts on a baking sheet. 3. In a medium bowl, combine the mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, basil, and garlic. 4. Divide the mixture in half and stuff each chicken breast pocket. Using toothpicks, seal the edges of the pockets. 5. Season the chicken with curry, paprika, salt, and pepper, then bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 F. 6. Remove the toothpicks and serve with rice, potatoes, salad, or roasted vegetables!

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What Our Rescue Horse Has Taught Us page 1

How to Eliminate Moisture Issues Self-Love Tips for Valentine’s Day page 2 Everything You Need to KnowAbout Alimony Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breast page 3 Humpback Whales: The Heroes of the Sea page 4

The Heroes of the Sea

Humpback Whale Saves Scientist

In the movie “Cast Away,” we see a whale notifying Chuck Noland of a nearby ship. The whale continuously sprays him with water to get his attention. Although this is a fictional story, what happened in “Cast Away” isn’t just movie magic. There are real-life stories about whales helping people in need. In 2018, a marine biologist, Nan Hauser, was swimming in the waters off the Cook Islands when she noticed a 50,000-pound humpback whale near her. For 10 minutes, Hauser swam around the whale while it nudged her with its head, bumped her with its belly, and swiped at her with its fins. At first, Hauser thought the whale was trying to attack her. But actually, it protected her from a 15-foot-long tiger shark on the other side of the whale. Hauser told the Daily Mirror, “I’ve spent 28 years underwater with whales and have never had a whale so tactile and so insistent on putting me on his head, belly, or back, and most of all, trying to tuck me under his huge pectoral fin … I was sure that it was most likely going to be a deadly encounter.” Hauser didn’t know the whale wanted to protect her until she returned to her team’s research vessel. This is when she noticed the tiger shark creeping nearby. This isn’t the first time a humpback whale has intervened to help another creature. In fact, the humpback’s altruism has been well-documented over the years to show how they benefit other species at their own cost.

In 2009, Robert Pitman took a photo of a humpback cradling a seal while rolling out of the water. The whale had protected the seal from a group of killer whales. Pitman, a marine biologist, has analyzed 115 interactions with humpback whales and concluded that they will travel long distances in order to prevent killer whales from attacking, regardless of what type of animal the killer whale is pursuing.

Whether this behavior is out of instinct, accident, or altruism, they have saved the lives of many aquatic animals and people. They are the heroes of the sea!

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