Welcome back. It is very hard to come back from a devastation like that, but it sounds like joy and peace are returning to your inner artist.
In my own story, I was very active in the early on-line quilting community but then just after Y2K I got distracted by my now husband, and by the time I came back the boards I used to haunt were gone. But when I came looking, I found here and it's a pretty nice place to be. Especially this year
Glad to meet you.