Hello Everyone.

Finally I come back! I have been on a cruise with my mom and my sister. What fun was that? We had a blast. I flew into Burbank, CA. a week ago last Saturday. On Sunday we did some shopping, did the manicure and pedicure thing and relaxed with the family. On Monday morning we picked up my mom and headed to the Port in well....I am not sure where it really was...we will just say the port and leave it at that. We got on the ship, had "the drink of the day" and headed to our room.

Wow!! Our room was fabulous!!! We were on the 10th floor located right next to the bridge. We got to go out on the patio every morning and watch the Captain and HER crew doing their stuff. Yes, we had the only woman Captain that the Royal Caribbean employees and to top it all off her name was Karin....with an i!!

On Tuesday we docked in San Diego. We did not get off the ship because we had all been to San Diego before so it was just not a big deal for us. Instead we stayed and relaxed, read, ate and slept on and off all day long. On Tuesday night we went to dinner (we had a terrific wait staff) and then to the casino. My sister won $ 450.00 on Monday night so we played with that money all night.

Catalina Island was our next stop. My mom's legs were hurting so we did not get off the boat there either. We figured all there was to do there was shop and we wanted to spend our money in Mexico, were we knew we would get really good deals. That night we went to the casino (yes again) and I put $ 20.00 in the dollar machine and won $ 387.00. I promptly put $ 187.00 back into those crazy machines and quit for the night. This $ 200.00 was my spending money for Mexico the next day :)

Mexico was wonderful. I bought so many things for the kids and grand kids that I did not know how in the world I was going to get it all back. I found out I am an excellent "bard er-er".

On Friday we were back in Los Angeles again :( . This was the best vacation I have ever been on, hands down. I got to spend time with my mom and my sister, we had a blast and I was spoiled rotten (my mom had bought me a Prada handbag and some Dolce & Gabbana purfum along with about $ 400.00 in clothes just for this trip).

Got home Sunday, and it feels good to be home. One downfall is that my daughter had decided that she is going to move to Texas with a friend of hers. That means that my grandson is leaving too. I hate that so much but will not think about it now because is always makes me cry. They are leaving in about 2 weeks, not a good thing and I am almost sure that it is not going to work so who do you think will have to pick up the pieces when all is said and done??? And you all know that I will do it and smile, not because it did not work out, but because I will have my grandson back again. I miss him already.

I'm Backkkkkkkkkkkkk...ok not really. Still have some pneumonia in the chest and now this.... I don't know how to say this exactly so I am going to just cut and paste the letter David (my wonderful husband) wrote to the church.

Please pass along this prayer request.
Karin and I are asking for your prayer. If you have been around Karin in the last month, you know that she has been quite sick. She was initially diagnosed with pneumonia, and that diagnosis may still be true. However, today we went back to the doctor's office, and they want to run a series of additional test. She will have an echo-cardiogram on Thursday. It appears that she may have congestive heart failure. If you (like me) are not a medical type, I assure you that the problem is not as bad as the name suggest. This does not mean that her heart will stop immediately. The doctor thinks that she has some fluid build up around her heart, and this is causing her heart to not work efficiently. Therefore, her heart has to work harder than it should. Her physician has prescribed some oral medication that will cause her body to eliminate more fluid. If all goes well, this intervention, plus some changes in our diet and exercise lifestyles, will take care of the problem. Even the American Heart Association's website indicates that rest, change in diet and exercise routines, along with medication is the generally prescribed treatment. The doc said today that her heart, which is enlarged (like any other muscle when it's working over time) will go back down to a more healthy size in the future. If course, this is contingent on her being successful with these lifestyle changes. In an effort to support her, I am going to make the same lifestyle changes. Please pray for us.
December 31st, 2007 will be her two year anniversary for stopping smoking. She smoked for 26 years up to two packs a day. I am very excited about that and very proud of her for that accomplishment. Every time I think about it, I am thankful that she made that decision because we will, hopefully, have a little longer time together as a result. If she can do that, then I know she can overcome this latest medical issue. Please pray for God's guidance, peace, and ultimately healing.
In Christ,

Good Morning!

I have so much to tell you all but for the last week I have had pneumonia. I have been trying to come to work and really have only missed a day but it is still a little hard to breathe and the night sucks big time. I have to sleep sitting up and really that is not sleeping at all.

OK, lets start with Brandie's kids. They are just too cute. They are with their dad right now. 2 big men from social services went with them to Chicago to hand them over to their dad. Brianna (who is 6) just looked at one of the men, held out her hand, started shaking his hand and said
" Wow, your hands are really really big, you are buff man!" I wonder where she got something like that from. Social services had my mom and sister bring the kids there the day before they were to leave so that they could meet the men that would be taking them and therefore not be so scared. My sister said that at the airport it was awful, the kids kept getting out of line and coming to talk to my mom and my sister, crying, Brianna told my sister that she wished she was her mommy and that she loves her. Matthew just cried and told them how much he was going to miss them. The hardest part I think for my sister was having to hand that baby over. He is about 20 months and since they have been staying with my sister for about 2 weeks, he started calling her me me, so here he was in this big mans arms and holding his arms out to her calling for her. She said that they both held it together until the kids were not in sight and then they let themselves loose it. Now, since this has happened, my sister has talked to the kids and they are fine. Russell told her that she can call anytime and talk to them and of coarse that has made her feel alot better. Brandie did spend some time with them and has again said she is in therapy. She must go to court on the 14th of this month and let the judge know what she has done (therapy, rehab etc.) and if she cannot prove that she has been doing these things the judge will close the case and she will lose complete custody of her children. I am praying that she is doing what she has to be doing.

Now, even though that was good news for the most part......I have better.

My sister and my mother have invited me to come out out California on Sept 15th and leave on a cruise with them on the 17th, going to the Catalina Islands and Baja Mexico and returning on the 23rd. They think for some reason that I need a vacation...ok, I do but they are just too good for me. They are both paying 2 days wages for me because they know that I don't have much vacation time left, they are flying me out and my mom wants to buy me a bunch of new clothes. How in the world did I get so lucky, so blessed?

Anyways that is what has been going on in my world. Oh wait....my nephew just flew to Detroit to see his grandma and sat next to Gene Simmons on the plane....I want to do something like that too :)

Lies, Lies and more Lies!!

I hate lies.

My husband and I have total honesty and I love that, it means that I can trust anything and everything he says as truth, no question about it. I love that about my marriage, sometimes it is so hard to have total honesty and sometimes it hurts but it is always a good thing.

So, this weekend I found out about everything.

Brandie has not been in treatment, Lies!

Brandie is "suppose" to start treatment today, yeah right...not even giving her the benefit of the doubt anymore.

The kids will leave tomorrow to go and live with their dad, my mom asked Brandie if she wanted to come and see them before she left, she said that she had things to do but maybe...she did go eventually.

My little sister is going nuts (ha ha) with 5 children. She just really did not know what she was in for. She is used to her 2 children, one who is 11 and really just does his own thing and one that is 3. She did not remember what 7 is like....and this time 7 is a girl. I laugh but really I feel bad....wait nope...love you little sister!!!

I really am going to bum out on Tuesday because I DO know that this is going to be really really hard on my mom and my sister, no matter how nuts they are driving them, it is really going to suck out loud! Even though they know the children are going to be better off, it still is going to suck. I will pray that the Lord is with them both that day.

I also have to give HUGE kudo's to the foster parents. They loved these 3 children with all they have. Both (No, all) cried when my mom and my sister picked them up. The mother and father have both grown to love these kids. Both cried their eyes out. My sister said that the dad was trying to hold it in and help his wife through it all but he could not hold it in. Brianna just cried and cried...she kept saying..."I want my momma, I want my momma".....she did not mean Brandie....how sad is that. Just one more reason for me to hate her for what she has done to her children.

Will I forgive Brandie, yes I will. The Lord says to forgive, that is what I will have to do.

Do I want to be close to her again? Nope, not at all.

Good Morning All,

Ok, I have a lot of work to do today so I am just going to let you all know what happened this week in the world of "Brandie".

Last Friday was court, as I said before, she did not show up.

Today the children will be turned over to my sister and my mom. They will stay with my mom this weekend and then my sister will take them Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday they will go with a social worker to Chicago to live with their dad.

I am happy and sad about this. Happy because they are going to be with their daddy and they deserve to be with him and sad because they are going to be so far away from my mom and I know that is going to make her so sad.

Brandie called last week (my mom not me) and said that she is 13 weeks preganant, she had been clean for 34 days (I believe that was the number), she is in treatment from 8 am to 12 noon each day, she is still living with Mark's dad although Mark's dad kicked Mark out of the house several weeks ago for beating the shit out of Brandie. Now, I don't know how much of this is true but she did say that she know that she has to get better and she knows that it is the best thing for the kids to go and live with their dad. Frankly, I would love to give her the benefit of the doubt but I just can't believe anything she says right now. If she proves herself then ok, I will try and forgive her because that is what the Lord wants us to do. I just really want the old Brandie back without the attidude and the "I am better than you" belief.

So, finally after fighting for his children for the last few months, Russell will be able to take them home and they will have somewhere to call home. We will miss them more than anyone can say but I am sure that Russell will let them fly out to Calif. once in a while.

Please continue to pray for these children. They know that they are not going to be living with their mommy but when reality hits, and they remember all that she has done to them, they will not only need counseling, they will need prayer.

OK, new update.

Right now Brandie and Russell should be in court. Why you ask? Well, I explain they should be in court today because TODAY is the day the JUDGE told them to return.

Russell is in court right now, Brandie could not make it. Why you ask? Well, she is pregnant!!

Can you believe it? She is pregnant and sick so she cannot be in court to fight for the 3 children that she does have.

I just talked to my sister and they (the court) have taken Russell upstairs to do the live scan of his hand to make sure that he is not "wanted" or anything. They will send it to the FBI and if all comes back fine, I believe that he could be taking his kids home next week. The mediator asked if my mom would take the kids until then but because my mom's live scan did not work (her hands are too dry and cracked) so my sister will take the children if they will let her for a week.

My heart goes out those children so much.

I keep asking myself, how could their mother just give her kids away? What kind of mother does that?

My sister says that the state of California will take the baby the minute it is born, we both agree that we do not believe for a New York minute that Brandie is not still doing meth. I don't know but I do think that you cannot just simply stop doing it without some help, not when you are that addicted. But, maybe I am wrong. I hope so.

I will come and update some more as soon as I hear anything else. Russell is in with his attorney, Brandie's attorney (court appointed) and a mediator trying to get things settled.

I am passing this along because I got it in an e-mail from my mother. Although I was alive in the 70's I was not old enough to remember this. If it is true, Shame on Jane Fonda!! Please pass this along if you wish, post it on your blog...whatever you want to do with it. I just thought it was worth passing along.

She really was a traitor; A TRAITOR IS ABOUT TO BE HONORED KEEP THIS MOVING ACROSS AMERICA!

This is for all the kids born in the 70's who do not remember, and didn't have to bear the burden that our fathers, mothers and older brothers and sisters had to bear.

Jane Fonda is being honored as one of the'100 Women of the Century.'

BY BARBRA WALTERS

Unfortunately, many have forgotten and still countless others have never known how Ms. Fonda betrayed not only the idea of our country, but specific men who served and sacrificed during Vietnam

The first part of this is from an F-4E pilot

The pilot's name is Jerry Driscoll, a River Rat.

In 1968, the former Commandant of the USAF Survival School was a POW in Ho Lo Prison the 'Hanoi Hilton.'

Dragged from a stinking cesspit of a cell, cleaned, fed, and dressed in clean PJ's, he was ordered to describe for a visiting American 'Peace Activist' the 'lenient and humane treatment' he'd received.

He spat at Ms. Fonda, was clubbed, and was dragged away.During the subsequent beating, he fell forward on to the camp Commandant's feet, which sent that officer berserk.

In 1978, the Air Force Colonel still suffered from double vision (which permanently ended his flying career) from the Commandant's frenzied application of a wooden baton.

From 1963-65, Col. Larry Carrigan was in the47FW/DO (F-4E's). He spent 6 years in the'Hanoi Hilton',,, the first three of which his family only knew he was 'missing in action'.His wife lived on faith that he was still alive.His group, too, got the cleaned-up, fed and clothed routine in preparation for a 'peace delegation' visit.They, however, had time and devised a plan to get word to the world that they were alive and still survived.

Each man secreted a tiny piece of paper, with his Social Security Number on it, in the palm of his hand. When paraded before Ms. Fonda and a cameraman, she walked the line, shaking each man's hand and asking little encouraging snippets like: 'Aren't you sorry you bombed babies?' and 'Are you grateful for the humane treatment from your benevolent captors? 'Believing this HAD to be an act, they each palmed her their sliver of paper.She took them all without missing a beat.

At the end of the line and once the camera stopped rolling, to the shocked disbelief of the POWs, she turned to the officer in charge and handed him all the little pieces of paper. Three men died from the subsequent beatings. Colonel Carrigan was almost number four but he survived, which is the only reason we know of her actions that day.

I was a civilian economic development advisor inVietnam, and was captured by the North Vietnamese communists in South Vietnam in 1968, and held prisoner for over 5 years. I spent 27 months in solitary confinement; one year in a cage in Cambodia; and one year in a 'black box' in Hanoi.My North Vietnamese captors deliberately poisoned and murdered a female missionary, a nurse in a leprosarium in Ban me Thuot, SouthVietnam, whom I buried in the jungle near the Cambodian border.

At one time, I weighed only about 90 lbs. (My normal weight is 170 lbs.)

We were Jane Fonda's 'war criminals.'

When Jane Fonda was in Hanoi, I was asked bythe camp communist political officer if I would be willing to meet with her.

I said yes, for I wanted to tell her about the real treatment we POWs received... and how different it was from the treatment purported by the North Vietnamese, and parroted by her as 'humane and lenient.'

Because of this, I spent three days on a rocky floor on my knees, with my arms outstretched with a large steel weights placed on my hands,and beaten with a bamboo cane.

I had the opportunity to meet with Jane Fonda soon after I was released. I asked her if she would be willing to debate me on TV. She never did answer me.

These first-hand experiences do not exemplify someone who should be honored as part of '100 Years of Great Women. 'Lest we forget...' 100 Years of Great Women' should never include a traitor whose hands are covered with the blood of so many patriots.

There are few things I have strong visceral reactions to, but Hanoi Jane's participation in blatant treason, is one of them.

Please take the time to forward to as many people as you possibly can.It will eventually end up on her computer ands he needs to know that we will never forget.

RONALD D. SAMPSON, CMSgt, USAF716

Maintenance Squadron,

Chief ofMaintenance DSN: 875-6431COMM: 883-6343

PLEASE HELP BY SENDING THIS TO EVERYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK. IF ENOUGH PEOPLE SEE THIS MAYBE HER STATUS WILL CHANGE.

AMEN!!

Another one just because it's funny!!

Subject: Bertha



Bertha was dead.

The minister conducted her eulogy with heart felt gusto.

"Bertha married and had thirteen children.

Her husband died.

She married again and had seven more children.

Again, her husband died.

But, she married yet again and this time had five more children.

Again, her husband died.

Then alas, she finally died," he intoned

Standing before her coffin, the preacher prayed for Bertha.

He thanked the Lord for this very loving woman and said,

"Lord, they're finally together."

Ethel leaned over and quietly asked her friend Jane,

"Do you think he means her first, second or third husband?"


Jane replied, "I think he means her legs."

Just because it's funny! :)

Did you know that Eagles mate for life??

Well, one day Harry the Eagle waited at the nest for Mary, his darlin' of 10 glorious years.

He went looking and found her.

She had been shot. Dead!

Harry was devastated.

After about six minutes of mourning he decided that he must get himself another mate.
But he just might like to cross the feather barrier.

So he flew off to find a new mate.

He found a lovely DOVE and brought her back to the nest.

The sex was OK but all the DOVE would say is, " I am a DOVE I want toLove!

I am a DOVE I want to love!

"Well, this got on Harry's nerves so he kicked the Dove out of the nest and flew off once more to find a mate.

He found a very sexy LOON and brought her back to the nest. Again the sex was great,

but all the LOON would say is "I am a LOON, I want to spoon!
I am a LOON I want to spoon!

"Egads!! Out with the LOON.

Once more he flew off to find a mate.

This time he found a gorgeous DUCK.

He brought the DUCK back to the nest. Again the sex was great, but all the DUCK would say was...well ..... you know ......

Noooooo ...... the DUCK didn't` say THAT!!!!!
What an awful thing to think!

Better scroll down

The Duck said, " I am a DRAKE you made a MISTAKE !"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Things that make you go hmmmmmmm............


Can you cry under water?

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

Why do you have to "put your two cents in".. But it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?

Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

What disease did cured ham actually have?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?

If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway.

Why is "bra" singular and "panties" plural?

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?

Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane ?

If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!

If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Do The Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Why did you just try singing the two songs above?

Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

I received an e-mail asking me how my family was so I thought the polite thing to do was pop over here and give you all the updates.

My grandson Kody had his adenoids taken out yesterday and tubes put into his ears. Bless his little heart, he was great through it all. After the surgery we had to wait for an hour to make sure he was good to go and so the nurse brought him in a DVD player and the Disney Car's movie.

He was sitting on his mommy's lap and watching the movie just as content as could be so I asked him "didn't he already have that movie", he told me no but would I buy it for him? He was just too cute to tell no to, his face was all bloated and red, he had little bits of blood in the corners of his mouth, way to pitiful. I told him well, we could probably go over to Wal-mart when we were done because we had to get his prescriptions filled. So, he just looks at me with those big blue eyes and says "and a toy too grandma", wow, the right thing to ask for when you have been through surgery and you are looking so pitiful.

So off to Wal-mart we go. Car's is sold out so he opts for a Dora movie and then we go to the toys. I should tell you that my daughter bought him one of those horses on springs for his birthday a few months ago so when he saw the cowboy hat he just knew that he had to have that.....and also the guns with the holster.....and the caps that go with the guns...and the sheriff's badge. Needless to say....about 33 dollars later we were leaving Wal-mart. His mom told me later that he laid down to watch his movie and fell asleep with his holster and his guns on. Just a cute story to tell before we get into the Brandie thing!

Ok, now lets get to talking about Brandie and what she has done lately!!

They had court last week. We were real excited about this because we knew that Brandie has not done a thing that the judge ordered her to do. We figure that Russell will get to take the kids home, no problem......Lets all think again....This is the California judicial system we are dealing with here.

As soon as Brandie gets to court (which is late) she and her attorney go into a corner and whisper back and forth. We find out that she not only did not pass her drug test but neither her nor "Mark" had shown up for the latest drug test...who knows why. Also, Russell got a copy of the social workers findings. Matthew told her that he hoped his mommy did not get better, she always tells him that he is a naughty boy and he is not a naughty boy. He would like to go and live with his daddy. Brianna does not say anything bad about her mom, when asked a direct question about her mom she responds "I don't want to talk about it". She states that if her mom does not get better, she would like to go and live with her grandma (my mom).

So, the case gets called and Brandie's attorney states that Brandie has informed her that she does not want Russell to take the kids because 2 years ago Brianna told her that he had "touched her". Lets all remember that Brandie sent these kids to stay with their dad for Christmas 2 years in a row now and also for the entire summer last year. The last reason she gave the judge was she did not want them to go and live with him because she did not like the girlfriend....the girlfriend is gone....she did not have anything else, so she accuses him of something so totally wrong that the judge cannot over look it. He continues the case until the 22nd of this month, that way he can talk to Brianna and find out what she has to say about all of this.

I promise to keep you posted!

Ok, I stole this from my friend Trueself over at Deepest Darkest Thoughts

1. When you’re home alone, do you still close the door when you use the restroom?No, not even when I'm not home alone unless there are guests in the house

2. If you have to go grocery shopping, would you rather go alone or with someone? With the hubby :)

3. You win the lottery. Lump sum or small payments over a period of time?:Lump sum

4. Do you like your music loud or at a reasonable level? The hubby would say loud but I think just enough to jam to.

5.Are you a beach person or a snowy mountain person?:Beach, without a doubt, because snowy mountains are too dang cold

6. When do you brush your teeth?:In the morning after my shower

7. Would you rather stay home all day, or be out and about with some friends?:Mostly stay home

8. Are you more likely to be with a large group of people or a few close friends?A few close friends

9. If money were not a problem, where would you like to live?:..Wherever my family is as long as it is not cold there.

10. Are you a good math person? No, I hate math

11. A weekend in Las Vegas or Miami?: Depends on who I am going with

12. Is there anything you would change about your body if you could?: Yes

13. Have you ever smoked? Yes from the time I was 16 until December 31, 2005

14. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink: Sugar Free Lemonade, Sugar Free Raspberry (or Peach) Tea and Diet Sundrop

15. What were you doing @ 11 PM last night? Sleeping

JANUARY

1. Who kissed you on new years? I was sleeping when the New Year came in, I know...I'm old.
2. Did you have a new year’s resolution this year? Not this year, last year was to quit smoking and that was hard enough!!
3. Does it snow where you live? Nope, Praise the Lord
4. Do you like hot chocolate? Of course
5. Have you ever been to Times Square to watch the ball drop? No

FEBRUARY

1. Who was your Valentine? My hubby
2. When you were little did you buy Valentine’s for the whole class? Absolutely

MARCH1.

Are you Irish? No
2. Do you wear green on St. Patty’s Day? Yes, don't wanna get pinched :)
3. What did you do for St. Patty’s Day in 2007? I am sure that I probably worked.

APRIL

1. Do you like the rain? Yes, I love thunderstorms
2. Did you play an April fool’s joke on anyone this year? Yes and it was really good, wish I could remember what it was.
3. Do you love the month of April? Yes

MAY

1. What is your favorite flower? I love carnations, they last longer and are cheaper then most other flowers.
2. Is there anything special about May to you? Mother's Day is kinda nice.

JUNE

1. What year did/will you graduate from high school? 1981
2. Are you doing anything fun during this month? Not that I know of
3. Have a favorite baseball team? Minnesota Twins

JULY

1. What will you do on the Fourth of July? Probably see fireworks if we have the kids
2. Are you going on any vacations during this month? No, I don't think so

AUGUST

1. Doing anything special at the end of summer? No
2. What was your favorite summer memory of ‘06? Going to Las Vegas and seeing John Edward with my little sister.
3. Did you go to the beach a lot? Not alot

SEPTEMBER

1. Will you be attending college/school? No
2. Do you like fall better than summer? Yes, I love the fall

OCTOBER

1. What was your last Halloween costume? Shoot I don't remember
2. Who’s birthday is during this month? Mine and my wonderful Mother in Laws

NOVEMBER

1. Whose house do you go to for Thanksgiving? Everyone comes to my house
2. What are you thankful for? My family
3. Do you love stuffing? Of course, what's not to love?

DECEMBER

1. Do you celebrate Christmas? Yes
2. Have you ever been kissed under mistletoe? Yes
3. Get anything special last year? Hmmm, I am sure that I did.
4. What do you want this year? Gosh, that's just too far away for me to even know yet

Good Morning :)

I just had to show off all of my grandchildren and then I will let you know what has been going on....

First off I want to tell you all that my girls are KILLING ME!! They have been living together with their children (they both have a boy, one is 4 and one is 18 months). They are fighting like they are married...I swear. Guess what they are fighting about this time....go ahead and guess..... They are fighting about the dishes and who's turn it is to do them. Seems the younger one (S,she is 19) did them on the older girls (E, she is 22) turn and now E is telling S that "it is too bad that you did them when it was my turn, it is still your turn" and S is saying that she is not doing them. E is telling her then she can move out etc....you can only imagine the headache I had when I left work yesterday. They both called and text ed me all day long....like I could do something about it. What was I suppose to do.... call one and say...." I said that you have to do the dishes in your own house....JEEZ!!!

Finally my wonderful husband (the therapist) chose to step in. Last night he went to their house and mediated for them. He explained that they were acting like they were 15 years old and that their mommy could help them out of this jam. He explained that right now, they need each other. They both work and they occasionally need babysitters, neither one is able to pay all the bills on their house so, they have to stick together.

The older one decided that she will be able to pay all the bills on their place in about a month or so, and the younger one said that she would stay until E could pay all of her bills without the help of S.

Sooooo, S will come and stay with us during the 6 weeks that we have David's kids over the summer (which will be a blessing to both of us, although I do LOVE having my alone time) and she will save money while staying with us and be able to move out on her own after about 6 weeks.

Hopefully that will take care of that.

Now a Brandie update...

Brandie was suppose to go to rehab yesterday. No one has heard if she went or not. Social Services did contact my mother to see if she would take the children, she decided that she would but then the foster family that they are staying with said they would be willing to keep the children until they went with their father for the summer. They (neither my mom, my sister or the foster family) want to move Brianna to yet another kindergarten class (this would be the third time she moved in just about that many weeks) they do not think that would be good for her. The kids are all doing wonderfully and my mom and sister will be able to visit with them as early as this weekend.

As I understand it, the judge has called and spoken with the the children's father, both the father and his girlfriend are getting back ground checks on and when that is finished I believe the children will go with their father indefinitely.

I believe that they want the children with the father there is just so much red tape to go through. That I do not understand. I believe that he is their father (#1), he does not have any kind of record of child abuse (#2) and the he has every single right to those children. I am hoping that when he does finally get them he will ask the state if Illinois for a change of venue and go for custody right in Chicago, that will save alot of heart ache for the children because if they are in California, I am sure that they will want to see their mother one more time and it will be heartbreaking for all of them.

I am going to give you a good post today.

This is my grandson, today he is 1.

Happy Happy Birthday my wonderful boy, your grandma loves you more then you will ever know.

P.S. Is he not the cutest little baby that you have ever seen?

Please Please Please people, put my older sister in your prayers.....

I know I have said some not so great things about my older sister but the things she has gone through these past few months, no one should have to endure.

First of coarse is all the crap with Brandie..OK, here is the update on that...

Brandie went to court on Thursday. The social worker brought Matthew because he is the child that the neglect or abuse was about and the judge wanted to talk to him. The judge asked Matthew if he would like to go and stay with his daddy and Matty replied that yes, he would like to go and live with his daddy. The judge is going to have a phone interview with his daddy we believe today...we are at least hoping that this is the case. We don't know what else happened in court yet but I am sure that we will hear about it soon.

Brandie (we think) also made allegations against my sister (the younger one, not her mom) that she is abusing her children. When M (little sister) got home on Friday evening there was a business card from Child Protective Services stuck in the door jam. This was about 8:30 at night so she figures he had to come in between 7-8 PM. She and her husband left on a cruise Saturday afternoon (this has been planned for months) so she called the CPS worker and left a voice message for him to contact our mother or he could contact her social worker (she is a foster parent and has adopted 2 children) and gave him the numbers. She was devastated and almost canceled her trip, she cannot believe that Brandie would have done this to her but I told her how could she expect that Brandie would not have done this. Brandie is pissed and she is going to do whatever she can to make every ones lives miserable. Brandie does not get it that she has done this to herself, she still thinks in that brain of hers that this is someone else's fault. I told her that she has been planning this for months and she cannot CANNOT go. I know in her heart she really wanted to go and was almost asking permission to go and to not feel like she was abandoning anyone. They had flown her husbands mother out to take care of the children while they were gone and both the kids were looking forward to spending time with their grandmother on the other side.

Then next in line is my older sister's ( I will call her L) husband has not been going very well. He was in the hospital all of last week and they think that he has had 2 strokes. He left the hospital on Saturday and from what my mom says, he looks great. He is fine. However, he will work my sister to the bone. For example my mom said that he was sitting on the couch at her house and he was finished with his ice water so he clinked the ice in his glass while pointing to it so that L would get up and get him a refill. I told my mom that would work one time with me, if he did not have a voice then he would sit and clink until the cows come home. She told me that was kinda what L said to him......my God!!

OK, so then we get to the latest with her family. OK, L's husband gets released from the hospital on Saturday, they spend the night at my mom's house and leave at about 4 the next day. About an hour later my sisters 2nd daughter calls my mom's house looking for L. Seems that her granddaughter (she is 2) pulled a bottle of ammonia off the counter onto herself. She has burns all over the front of her body. She will not open her eyes or her mouth. The last I heard they were talking (the doctors) about life flighting her to a near by children's hospital.

When my mom called me last night with all this information, she just broke down. She said that she just does not know how much more L can take. She said that L looks terrible. Her ankles and wrists are swollen ( I don't know if that is a sign of diabetes or not but my mom seems concerned about it) she said that L looks older then she (being my mom) does. Then my mom said she is afraid that L is going to die. oh man, that was the clinker. I tried to console my mom as much as I could. Telling her that L was stronger then any of the rest of us and that she would be fine but I don't know if I did any good or not.

I am going to go outside and use my cellphone and try and get up with her now, just for an update....be right back.

OK, they sent the baby home from the hospital with instructions that if she does not eat, they will have to bring her back. They have eye drops for her eyes and that is all my mom really knows right now. My mom did mention that Brandie is suppose to come by her house today to return my mom's shoes that she "accidentally" took when she was taking all her things out of the house. (These shoes are diabetic shoes, $ 500.00 shoes that are perfectly matched to my mom's feet so Brandie did not take them for anything other than to be mean if she did not accidentally take them.) I told my mom to call me the minute Brandie leaves because she is alone at home and I know how cracked out this drug can make her, I also told my mom to tell Brandie that if she sticks around for a few minutes, my brother will be there so I am thinking that will make Brandie leave right away because she does NOT want to run into her uncle, she knows how mad at her he is.

Stay tuned and thanks for all the uplifting comments, I really need them some days.

I am going to try and make this as short as possible because I have a ton of work to do but I wanted to update everyone on the Brandie situation.

Yesterday she informed my mother that the children would be going into foster care on May 11th (the next court date). She would not elaborate on this but just stated that they would go.

The social worker my mom has been talking to, called her yesterday and asked if there was anyone in the family that would take the children if need be. My mom told her that my youngest sister would take them in if necessary.

A few hours later another social worker called my mom and asked her if Brandie and the 6 year old female still at her house, my mom answered yes and they asked if there was any way my mom could keep her there. To this my mom had to answer no, but she would try. They informed my mom that a social worker was on her way to Brandie's house to pick up the boys and they wanted to send someone over to my mom's to get Brianna.

That did not work. They did get the boys but when Brandie got home she had a choice to make. She could either have social services come and pick up Brianna or Brandie could bring her down to social services herself. Brandie brought her there herself.

The children all went into foster care last night, they are all safe.

Hopefully today they will be transferred to my little sisters house. She is a foster parent as she adopted both of her children but because it has been over 2 years, both her husband and herself as well as my mom have to go and get fingerprinted so they can do a criminal background check.

No one has heard anything from Brandie but we do know they were taken because she did not pass her drug test. She was well aware that she was not going to pass when she got in front of that judge and just as cocky as you can imagine, told him that she would take a drug test that very morning. We think that she knew and that was the reason that she suspected that the children would be going to foster care.

Now, I don't know what his going to happen on May 11th. I guess we just stay tuned.

I sure hope everyone is having a great day!!

I am soooooo sick of all of this. I am sick of Brandie and all the crap that she is dealing out. I feel like I should just go out there and deal with her myself. I know that will not do a bit of good but I would just like to see her and have her talk to me the way she has been talking to my sister and my mother.

I found out a few more things about yesterday.....

Brandie offered to do a drug test and she did, which leads me to believe that she thinks whatever is or was in her system is gone and cannot be detected.

Brandie was told by the judge to "get a job" because he appointed a attorney for the children and she is to pay half of that fee.

CPS was out to her house a few days ago and stripped down the baby to check him for anything. Brianna was at school but my question here was.....WHERE WAS MATTHEW??? The social worker did not see Matt, I think that she goes out there today to "interview" the older children. Oh man, I hope they talk.

Brandie went to my mom's house last night, just as nice as you please. My mom did not let her in the door, Brandie asked for her mail, my mom informed her that she had no mail and that was that.

They have another hearing on May 11th in which my mom and my older sister will have to testify against Brandie.

Lets just keep our fingers crossed that they children are safe until that time.

I CAN"T BELIEVE IT!!!!

I am just sick to my stomach. I just can't believe it.

Court was this morning in California, the dad coming in from Chicago to get emergency custody of his children.

Brandie stood up in the courtroom and stated that my sister is her drug dealer, my mother kicked her out of the house just 48 hours ago and my sister called CPS on her. She stood up and swore to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth SO HELP HER GOD!!

I am just sick. The judge is giving her until May 11th when there will be another court hearing. As far as the judge is concerned, she will be keeping the children until that point.

The only thing that might and I do mean MIGHT save them until the 11th is that Child Protective Services DID call my mom the day before yesterday and there was a report against Brandie for neglect (we think the school did this because Brandie was not bring Brianna to school everyday). My mom told the Social Worker everything she knew and advised her to call my sister (Brandie's mom) and talk to her. The worker called my older sister and she also told her everything she knew. The social worker is appalled. She was going to go and take temporary custody of the children that night and my sister begged her not to, told her about the hearing and said that she would rather the dad went to pick up the kids, not social services. It would be so much better for the kids in this case. The worker agreed and asked that she be called after the hearing. My mom is talking to her now.

I am hoping that they can go in and get the children. Even if they do have to go to a foster home or to some other family member for a while.

I will keep you updated. Please keep them in your prayers.

UPDATE:

Well, today is the day of reckoning for Brandie although I don't know if she knows it or not. Her stbx husband is right now on his way from Chicago to California for an emergency custody hearing involving all of the children. Let me back up and tell you what has been going on.

The Saturday before Easter Brandie came back to my mom's house to pick up the other 2 children. They were so excited to see their mom. My mom says that Brandie looks awful. Kinda like "she looks goth without trying to, she has lost so much weight that she is just bones." She took the children (nothing anyone could do, she still has custody of them) along with a few of her things and all the Easter candy etc. that my mother had bought for them (at least we know that they had a good Easter).

Last week on Tuesday, my mom left the house for the first time since coming back from the hospital. My sister decided to take her out to lunch. When they returned, they found the garage door busted in, nothing taken that was my mothers but still, now she has to replace a door in her garage....Did she call the police and report it???? NO!! Mom thinks that they will not be able to do anything about it because they didn't "catch" whoever broke the door in. She will not listen to "at least the police will have a report that someone broke your garage door". She just will not do it....can we all say enabler!!

Then on Friday my mom received her Mervyn's bill in the mail. There was a charge on it for a little over $300.00 (I think, around there). It was for children's clothing, and clothing for Brandie also. So, what do you think my mom did??? She canceled her credit card. Called the fraud division but they were closed for the night. The next morning she did not call the fraud division...I don't think she is going to.

Last night Brandie stopped over to my mom's house with Brandie's daughter. My sister showed up a bit after Brandie and saw that Brandie's car was in the driveway. She almost bolted into that house. But once inside my mom told her to "please, not start anything, Brandie looks so bad and Brianna is here". My sister kept to herself, just making snide comments about the garage door and things in that nature.

Which brings us to today. I don't know if Brandie was served the paperwork but I was told that it is not necessary for her to be in court for this because it is an emergency custody hearing and all they have to prove is that they tried to serve her with papers. Now, Brandie called him from this "boyfriend/drug dealer's" house not to long ago. When they hung up the phone he did a "reverse directory" on the phone number so now he has the address. With every one's prayers after court today the father will be able to go over to that house with a Sheriff or Marshall or something and get his children. They have tickets to get back on a plane tomorrow to go back to Chicago.

Although the children will be greatly missed. And I feel for my poor mother because I AM a grandma and I know what it would be like for my grandbabies to move far away, this is sooooo the best think for them. They will have a happy and healthy home. They will not see their mother go down the drain (because that is exactly where she is heading) and they will get the love that they so desperately want and deserve.

I will let you know what happens just as soon as I know.....please pray!!

Oh, one more thing... Brandie's middle child (he is 4 or 5) told my mom how Mark (the boyfriend/drug dealer) held his head under the water when he was in the bath because he got water in his little brother's eyes, When he started crying, Mark told him to "suck it up". When Brandie was confronted with this information she told my mom that "Mark was just punishing him" What a mother.......I hate Mark!!

Hello Everyone

I know I have not been here but I just have not had anything to say lately. Yes, all the crap that has been happening in California with my mom and my niece is still going on. It just sickens me so much I have not wanted to talk about it.

My mom had knee surgery a couple of weeks ago, she is home again and doing fine. While she was in the hospital my niece BR....shit, her name is Brandie, I am so tired of her I just want to smack the shit out of her. Anyways..she decides to have a party when my mom is not home, you know a real good time, meth smoking party....IN MY MOTHER'S HOUSE!! She has absolutely no respect for anyone right now. I wrote her a letter....well hell, I am going to just post it here so you all can read it, this may turn out to be a HUGE post but what the heck..... Here is the letter...

Brandie,

Ok, I have just about heard enough of the shit that you are putting my mother through and I am just not going to put up with it any longer.

I hear that you have until June 1st to move out of the house, Hear that Bran! June 1st. Let me just tell you what is going to happen if you do not move….

1) I will be there on June 2nd to HELP you move out.

2) I will take you to the nearest homeless shelter that will take you in.

3) I will make it my personal mission that you lose your children, I will let social services and the police know exactly the drugs you have been using IN MY MOTHERS HOUSE. I will also inform *** (the children's father) and will testify on his behalf in court, letting them know that at this point he is the better parent.

4) I will make sure everyone know exactly how you treat your children. How you do not sit and talk with them, how you do not do ANYTHING with them unless it is benefiting you in some way, shape or form and how you treat them not like God has intended you to treat your children but how you treat them like they are a burden to you.




Shame on you Brandie. You move into my mother’s house and totally take advantage of her and *** (my sister).

Do you not remember who has paid your bills for you this past year? Do you not remember who has made sure that your children were looked after? Do you not remember who it was that has put food into that house so that your children have been fed?

HOW DARE YOU!!!!!

It wasn’t enough that we all felt sorry for you……poor Brandie….her husband left her with 3 children…..poor, poor Brandie….Boy I sure wish I just had a nickel for every time that I thought that. But all I feel for you right now is contempt. I am so angry with you. You have made your grandmother and your Aunt, the only 2 people in the entire world that could help you when you needed help and you shit on the both of them. Ohhhh they tried to “run your life” once again…poor Brandie. It was ok for them to “run your life” when they were paying over 300.00 per week for day care, it was ok for them to “run your life” when they were making sure your car payment was made, it was ok for them to “run your life” when your children needed Christmas presents because their mother did not have a job, did not look for a job and could not get them the Christmas that they deserve to have, it was ok for them to “run your life” when school pictures were being taken and you could not afford even to buy the pictures. So many, many more things that I could name.

Yet, all I can do is sit here, shaking my head and wonder……what the hell happened to you?

One more thing before I mail this out, If that PUNK Mark is in my mother’s house when I get there he better be walking out the door when I am walking in otherwise I will personally escort him out and I will not care what he thinks of me because at this point I don’t give one shit about what YOU think of me. YOU are nothing Brandie, NOTHING….get it.

You can call me a bitch, you can call me whatever name that you want to Brandie, I don’t care, it does not faze me in the least. I have been called names by people that are way better than you and I am absolutely sure that I will be called more names in the future. The thing about it is that I DON’T CARE. I am not ***(my sister) or my Mom, I have not taken care of your sorry ass for so long that you don’t acknowledge it anymore, like you think that these two people owe you for some reason…..Guess what ??? THEY DON’T!! They don’t owe you a thing.

When all is said and done Brandie, when you get away from the loser that you are with, when you get away from the drugs. You will find that you have burned your bridges. The drugs that you are doing will destroy your life, look at what they have done so far. Brandie, I am begging you to find some help, get into treatment for the sake of your children. They don’t need a mother that is so strung out on drugs that she cannot function around her children. They don’t DESERVE it. For no one else but them, for no one else yourself, Please get some help.

Brandie, I love you. I really really do. I don’t want you to think that I am saying to “get the hell out of our family”. I want you to get some help, I will welcome you back into our family when you are the Brandie that I know and love again.

The drugs you are on right now are the exact same drugs that made my X brother in law kill his fiance. I am so scared for you and I have to make this my personal goal to get you away from my mother. I am sorry that it may have to come to this.


Ok, a little harsh?? maybe but someone has to talk to her and break through the barrier and get her going.

Today.....at this point today, she has left my mother's house (she came home from having an abortion last Friday, packed up all her clothes, packed up the clothes of the baby (he is 1), kissed her other 2 children, told them that she had something to do and left. She has called her mother (her mother is staying with our mother for a few reasons 1) to help my mother get back on her feet after her surgery and 2) to help take care of Brandie's kids. She "claims" the she has not abandoned her children...we will see about that.

We have spoken with their father (who lives out of state) and he is planning on taking full custody of the children, we just have to wait for the court to approve this because we don't want her charging him with kidnapping or anything like that.

If anyone has any suggestions....please let me know, we are running out of them for ourselves.
Things have to get better....they can't get much worse.