* making sure this' working

just checking to see if this' working

* what name would you choose?

alright, i'm taking a poll - i've been messing around/playing around with photography for many years [& many cameras!], but am 'stepping it up a bit' & am wanting to come up with a name - here's what we've come up with [listed below] - please comment & give me your thought on which one would be best

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1] Sessions
2] Expressive Images
3] Lifetime Images
4] Creatvie Images
5] Lasting Images

* karleigh's conversation

karleigh: "mommy, you sleep in tomorrow & i'll make a healthy breakfast!"

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me: "what will you fix?"

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karleigh: "there's leftover candy from the parade & we'll eat the yellow coz it's like eggs, the white coz it's like milk, the green coz it's like veggies & brown candy too!"

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me: "what would the brown be for?"

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karleigh: "it'd be like chocolate, but since that's not healthy, we'll call it meat!"

* photo shoot #2 for senior pics

i've taken brit out twice so far & have a few more places i want to take her to, before she chooses the 'final cuts' for her senior pictures, but wanted to post a few tonight - she loved them all [yeah!]

* ADHD awareness week

pleaes go here & read what our family & thousands of other families go through on a daily basis

* it's senior picture time!!

these are some of brit's senior pics!! - how do you think they turned out?

* WHAT!!, can it be???

can you believe it's been a year? - yes, that's right, ahniér turned 1y today - wow, where did this past year go? - she's such a blessing & i can't imagine my life without her & that infectious smile she's got - as you can see in the photos above, she's about the happiest baby, you'll ever meet - these pics show her personality to a 'T', so enjoy them! - baby girl, we love you bunches!

* if my body were a car

If my body were a car, this' the time I'd be thinking about trading it in for a newer model. I've got bumps, dents & scratches in my finish & my paint job's getting a little dull, but that's not the worst of it. My headlights are out of focus & it's especially hard to see things up close. My traction's not as graceful as it once was. I slip, slide, skid & bump into things even in the best of weather. My white walls are stained with varicose veins. It takes me hours to reach my maximum speed. My fuel rate burns inefficiently, but here's the worst of it -- Almost every time I sneeze, cough or sputter, either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires!

* christian sisters

A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ, that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.

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When I say, "I'm a Christian", I'm not shouting 'I'm clean living', I'm whispering, 'I was lost, now I'm found & forgiven'.

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When I say, "I'm a Christian", I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble & need Christ to be my guide.

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When I say, "I'm a Christian", I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak & need His strength to carry on.

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When I say, "I'm a Christian", I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I've failed & need God to clean my mess.

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When I say, "I'm a Christian", I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I'm worth it.

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When I say, "I'm a Christian", I still feel the sting of pain. I've my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

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When I say, "I'm a Christian", I'm not holier than you, I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!

* the law of the garbage truck!

One day I hopped in a taxi & we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded & missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around & started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled & waved at the guy & I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car & sent us to the hospital!" This's when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.

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He explained that, "many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger & full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it & sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well & move on. Don't take their garbage & spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

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The bottom line's that successful people don't let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so... Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life's ten percent what you make it & ninety percent how you take it!"

* marbles

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone & feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes, but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I'm a pushover for creamed peas & new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) & the ragged boy next to me. "Hello Barry, how are you today?" "H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good." They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?" "Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time." "Good. Anything I can help you with?" "No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas." "Would you like to take some home?" asked Mr. Miller. "No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with." Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?" "All I got's my prize marble here." "Is that right? Let me see it", said Miller. "Here 'tis. She's a dandy." "I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one's blue & I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?" the store owner asked. "Not zackley but almost.'' "Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you & next trip this way let me look at that red marble." Mr. Miller told the boy. "Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller." "Mrs. Miller, who'd been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles & they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all & he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store." I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man.

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A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys & their bartering for marbles. Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I'd occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community & while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening & knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased & to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform & the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits & white shirts, all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed & smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her & moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly & placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in th e casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes. Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller, I told her who I was & reminded her of the story from those many years ago & what she'd told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand & led me to the casket. "Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size, they came to pay their debt. We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world, she confided, but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho" With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband & resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

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The Moral: We'll not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life's not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

* hand sanitizer [didn't happen to our family]

Yesterday, my youngest daughter, Halle who's just 4 years old, was rushed to the ER by her father for being severely lethargic & incoherent in her classroom. He was called to her school by the school secretary who said that she was 'VERY VERY SICK'! He told me that when he arrived at her classroom, Halle was barely sitting in the chair. She couldn't hold her own head up & when he looked into her eyes, she couldn't focus them. He immediately scooped her up & rushed her to the closest ER & then called me. When he got there, they ran blood test after blood test & did x-rays, every test imaginable. Her white blood cell count was normal, nothing was out of the ordinary. When I arrived at the ER, the doctor there told us that he'd done everything that he could do so he was transferring her to Saint Francis Hospital for further tests. Right as we were leaving in the ambulance, her teacher arrived at the ER & told us that after questioning Halle's classmates, she'd found out that our little girl had licked liquid hand sanitizer off of her hands! Hand sanitizer, of all things, but it makes sense. These days they have all kinds of different scents & flavors & when you've a curious child, they're going to put all kinds of things into their mouths. When we arrived at the Saint Francis' Hospital ER, we told the ER doctor there to check her blood alcohol level & yes we did get weird looks, but they did it. The results showed her blood alcohol level was 85% six hours after we first took her. There's no telling what it'd have been if we'd have requested it at the first ER. Since then, her school & a few surrounding schools have taken the liquid hand sanitizers out of all the lower grade classes, but what's to stop middle & high schoolers from ingesting this stuff? After doing research on the Internet, we found out that it only takes about 3 squirts of the stuff ingested to be fatal to a toddler. For her blood alcohol level to be so high, it'd be like someone her size drinking 120 proof liquor. So PLEASE PLEASE don't disregard this because we don't ever want another family to go through what ours has gone through. Please send this to everyone you know that have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or cousins. It doesn't matter what age. This could affect anyone of them. This story was verified at: http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/sanitizer.asp

* is your bible, like your cell phone?

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone? What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we flipped through it several times a day? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? What if we gave it to kids as gifts? What if we used it when we traveled? What if we used it in case of emergency?

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This' something to make you go.....hmm.....where's my Bible? Oh & one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill. Makes you stop & think 'where are my priorities & no dropped calls!

* the old man & his syndrome

Two medical students were walking along the street when they saw an old man walking with his legs spread apart. He was stiff-legged & walking slowly. One student said to his friend, "I'm sure that poor old man has Peltry Syndrome. Those people walk just like that." The other student says, "No, I don't think so. The old man surely has Zovitzki Syndrome. He walks slowly & his legs are apart just as we learned in class." Since they couldn't agree they decided to ask the old man. They approached him & one of the students said to him, "We're medical students & couldn't help but notice the way you walk, but we couldn't agree on the syndrome you might have. Could you tell us what it is?" The old man said, "I'll tell you, but first you tell me what you two fine medical students think." The first student said, "I think it's Peltry Syndrome." The old man said, "You thought.....But you are wrong." The other student said, "I think you have Zovitzki Syndrome." The old man said, "You thought.....But you are wrong." So they asked him, "Well, old timer, what do you have?" The old man said, "I thought it was GAS.....But I was wrong, too!"

* rose buds

A teenage granddaughter comes downstairs for her date with this see-through blouse on & no bra. Her grandmother just pitched a fit, telling her not to dare go out like that! The teenager tells her! "Loosen up Grams. These are modern times. You gotta let your rose buds show!" & out she goes. The next day the teenager comes down stairs & the grandmother's sitting there with no top on. The teenager wants to die. She explains to her grandmother that she has friends coming over & that it's just not appropriate. The grandmother says, "Loosen up, Sweetie. If you can show off your rose buds, then I can display my hanging baskets".

* scars *

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in South Florida , a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks & shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His father, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer & closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed & made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim & shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks & weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. On his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved. The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. Then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, 'But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go.'

ADHD awareness week september 13-20

ADHD awareness week is september 13-20,

but ADHD awareness day is september 19

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"No," "Stop," & "Don't touch" appear to mean nothing to children with ADHD [due to their poor self-monitoring skills].
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Children with ADHD are sometimes overbearing with peers. They can't keep their hands to themselves & tend to poke, grab hit & touch other children. This aggressive behavior may result in physical fights with classmates, neighborhood children & siblings.
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ADHD children simply do not stop to think before they finish through with a thought [ie: They were told to not go outside...an ADHD child hears the rule, understands it, confirms he/she understands it, then quickly & without any thought, they go outside. When asked 'why', they have no reply, because they truly do not know.]
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Resorting to punishments such as putting soap or hot sauce in a childs mouth for sassing, spitting & speaking inappropriately will not teach compliance. Spankings also will not teach compliance for a child with ADHD, but in turn make the child more angry. For instance, spanking an ADHD child teaches that it is acceptable to hit others when angry.
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Many children with ADHD have great difficulty paying attention. This means they have difficulty filtering out unimportant stimuli. ADHD children left alone or unattended, usually ends in the child doing an act that he/she normally would not have done.
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Many children with ADHD tend to act younger than their chronological age. They usually are immature & as a result, tend to play better with younger children, often because they cannot successfully do what their peers do.
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ADHD children tend to be very bossy [telling others how to play the game & insisting it be done their way], pesty & annoying [teasing & harassing]. They may throw HUGE temper tantrums when they don't get their way & be prone to fighing, arguing endlessly, lying & cheating. They may attemt & make friends, but are usually unable to keep them.
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A child with ADHD may consistently interrupt conversations [because he/she's afraid they might forget what they want to say] or not pay attention to what others are saying.
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Although an ADHD child will recognize the consequences of an earlier behavior, it does not necessarily mean he/she can prevent it from happening again in the future. Remember that a child with ADHD is often impulsive & lack any ability to control themselves in many situations.
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Often ADHD children view their self esteem as poor compared to their siblings, classmates & friends, thus their self esteem plunges even lower. They hear the frustration in their parents' voices. They regard themselves as bad, or trouble makers & often see themselves as stupid [sometimes because a parent implies or tells them they are] & different from other children. They can not & should not be compared to other children in or near their age that do not have ADHD.
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After a recent study in the state of Virginia, it showed that people need an average of 4-8 hugs daily for our bodies to maintain, survive & grow. An ADHD child needs a minimum of 1 per hour [24+ daily].
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ADHD children typically have problems with fine motor skills &/or gross motor skills. Children with poor fine motor skills may have problems with writing, drawing & coloring, for instance. It is not unusual for some 4th graders to be still drawing stick people, much like the ones 4-year-olds draw. Their coloring may still be uneven & they can rarely stay within the illustration's lines.
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ADHD children tend to be very clumsy & uncoordinated.
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ADHD children will more times than not, have nighttime wetting & still be in diapers at night. Bedtime wetters are often very sound sleepers.
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Taking a timed test for most ADHD children is impossible because they work much slower than the average child. It takes them longer to get started on a project, to process the information, to organize needed materials & complete assignments. They need/require more time than their peers simply because they are not able to attend to the task in the same manner as the student who does not have ADHD.
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ADHD is difficult to understand, but it is important that parents keep the characteristics of ADHD in mind when dealing with their child. While many children with ADHD might not exhibit all symptoms, some do & it is imperative that parents identify those symptoms their child displays. Parents & other caregivers simply cannot compare a child who has ADHD with other children & treat them the same. It is unfair to the child with ADHD. Never forget that ADHD is a developmentally disabling condition, in which many cases will last a lifetime.
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For an ADHD child, what works one day with them, will not work the next & they can be so unpredictable. One week they are great, the next two weeks they're awful & then suddenly they're great again.
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They are often destructive, often noncompliant & forever getting into things the average child their age wouldn't even notice or be interested in. They are unable to see a relationship between cause & effect.
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ADHD children must have strict schedules & structure!
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When they've done something that's unacceptable, give them 1 warning [ie: even though you told them yesterday not do ride in the road, when they do it the following day, they still need & must have 1 warning as was stated above, they are unable to see a relationship between cause & effect]. Share this method with other children in the household so they will understand ahead of time why the ADHD child always gets 1 warning & they do not.
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Praise your child each time you see him/her doing something right. Watch for appropriate behaviors & praise as often as possible. They have shorter attention spans, so explanations must be simple & few words & praise must come often.
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ADHD children must be supervised almost constantly.
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Most children can be told the rules of the home & will apply those to their lives with minimal opposition, but an ADHD child cannot handle having all the rules told to them at once. They can only handle 1 or 2 at a time & nothing more, until those are mastered as it boggles their minds.
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Not to brand your child as 'a child with ADHD', but those that they'll be in contact with continually, need to know [ie: school, peers, neighbors, friends, family, etc.]. In doing so your child will not be labeled as a troublemaker, a spoiled brat, a space head, weird, or whatever name people may choose to use.
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Try to always encourage your child's strength, rather than criticizing their challenges.
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Remind your ADHD child of the house rules daily & do not assume since you told them once, they know...because they don't!
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ADHD children need 'hands on' [ie: rubbing their back, holding their hand, sitting them on your lap, etc.] in almost every situation.
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"As a parent of 2 children with ADHD [both girls ages 9/Lauren & 4/Amy], it is absolutely the most exhausting task of anything I have ever dealt with before. They are the only 2 children we have, so people might assume, I've got everything covered & have easier days the older they get, but that's just not the case. This is by far the hardest 'job' I've ever had & every day gets harder, not easier. The older they get, the more their ADHD comes into play. Some days I feel like I can't go on & feel totally overwhelmed by all I've had thrown at me [sometimes literally], but I go on...for them. I feel like a horrible mother when I'm out with my girls & get the raised eyebrows from those onlookers that do not have a clue what it is like to walk in my shoes for the day. All I can say to them is, "put your nose back where it needs to be & walk in my shoes for a bit & you will surely see that even though my shoes might not be a great fit, they are what I've been given to walk out my life in, so strap 'em on & get to walking, then see how well you do...being me!" BJ, Virginia Beach, Virginia

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kiara, you've taught me so much, but have so much more to teach me through your adhd - i'm here for you through it all & will be by your side even when you're yelling, growling & kicking me, we'll work through it together - you're the light of my life & i love you more than words can say - you're a special little lady, that god plopped into my life & i thank him for you daily - you're special & loved, more than you know...mommy

- WE'VE A NEW ADDRESS -

I knew you'd want to know that I've moved out from Beggars Alley, located at 2 Poverty Lane at the corner of Down & Out Circle . As of today, I've a brand new home. My new address' in Living Well at 231 Abundance Terrace , located at the corner of Blessings Drive & Prosperity Peak. It's in the God Can neighborhood. No longer will I allow myself to travel to the other side of town on Begging Peter to Pay Paul Route, located at a dead end intersection called I Don't Have, which connects with Borrowers Junction! I no longer hang out at Failure's Place, near Excuses Avenue, next to Procrastination Point. I've moved to an upscale community called Higher Heights with unlimited potential & opportunities for me to succeed. I can do ALL things through CHRIST who strengthens me! Life's good because God's good! Care to change your address? There are many vacancies! Geat is thy faithfulness oh Lord! I'm well blessed, in spite of temporary circumstances! (& so are you) Don't tell God how big your storms are, tell your storms how big your God is!

- THE SWIMSUIT -

When I was a girl in the 1940's & 50's, the bathing suit for the mature figure was boned, trussed & reinforced, not so much sewn, as engineered. They were built to hold back & uplift & they did a good job. Today's stretch fabrics are designed for the prepubescent girl with a figure carved from a potato chip. The mature woman has a choice. She can either go up front to the maternity department & try on a floral suit with a skirt, coming away looking like a hippopotamus who escaped from Disney's Fantasia, or she can wander around every run of the mill department store trying to make a sensible choice from what amounts to a designer range of florescent rubber bands. What choice did I have? I wandered around, made my sensible choice & entered the chamber of horrors known as the fitting room. The first thing I noticed was the extraordinary tensile strength of the stretch material. The lycra used in bathing costumes was developed, I believe, by NASA to launch small rockets from a
slingshot, which give the added bonus that if you manage to actually lever yourself into one, you're protected from shark attacks as any shark taking a swipe at your passing midriff would immediately suffer whiplash. I fought my way into the bathing suit, but as I twanged the shoulder strap in place, I gasped in horror! My boobs had disappeared! Eventually, I found one boob cowering under my left armpit. It took a while to find the other, but at last I located it flattened beside my seventh rib. The problem is that modern bathing suits have no bra cups. The mature woman's meant to wear her boobs spread across her chest like a speed bump. I realigned my speed bump & lurched toward the mirror to take a full view assessment. The bathing suit fit all right, but unfortunately it only fit those bits of me willing to stay inside it! The rest of me oozed out rebelliously from top, bottom & sides. I looked like a lump of play dough wearing undersized cling wrap. As I tried to work out where all those extra bits had come from, the prepubescent sales girl popped her head through the curtain, 'Oh, there you are,' she said, admiring the bathing suit. I replied that I wasn't so sure & asked what else she had to show me. I tried on a cream crinkled one that made me look like a lump of masking tape, & a floral two piece which gave the appearance of an oversized napkin in a serving ring. I struggled into a pair of leopard skin bathers with ragged frills & came out looking like Tarzan's Jane, pregnant with triplets & having a rough day. I tried on a black number with a midriff & looked like a jellyfish in mourning. I tried on a bright pink pair with such a high cut leg I thought I'd have to wax my eyebrows to wear them. Finally, I found a suit that fit....a two-piece affair with a shorts style bottom & a loose blouse-type top. It was cheap, comfortable & bulge-friendly, so I bought it. My ridiculous search had a successful outcome, I figured. When I got home, I found a label which read, "Material might become transparent in water." So, if you happen to be on the beach or near any other body of water this year & I'm there too, but l’ll be the one in jean shorts & a T-shirt!

- IF YOU GIVE A MOM A MUFFIN -

If you give a mom a muffin,

she'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.

So she'll pour herself some.

The coffee will get spilled by her three year old.

She'll wipe it up.

Wiping the floor,

she'll find some dirty socks.

She'll remember she has to do some laundry.

When she puts the laundry in the washer,

She'll trip over some snow boots & bump into the freezer.

Bumping into the freezer will remind her

she has to plan supper for tonight

She'll get out a pound of hamburger.

She'll look for her cookbook

(101 Things To Make With a Pound of Hamburger).

The cookbook's sitting under a pile of mail

She'll see the phone bill which's due tomorrow

She'll look for the checkbook.

The checkbook's in her purse

that's being dumped out by her two year old.

Bending down to scoop up the contents already on the floor,

she'll smell something funny.

She'll change the two year old.

While she's changing the two year old

the phone will ring. (Of course!)

Her five year old will answer it & hang up.

She remembers that she wants to phone a friend

to come over for coffee on Friday.

Thinking of coffee will remind her

that she was going to have a cup.

She'll pour herself some,

& chances are, if she has a cup of coffee,

her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

- BBQ RULES -

we're certainly into the BBQ season - therefore it's important to refresh our memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity - when a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:

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Routine...

(1) the woman buys the food

(2) the woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables & makes dessert

(3) the woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils & sauces & takes it to the man who's lounging beside the grill

(4) the woman remains outside the compulsory three metre exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone & other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman

(5) the man places the meat on the grill

(6) the woman goes inside to organize the plates & cutlery

(7) the woman comes out to tell the man that the meat's looking great

(8) the man takes the meat off the grill & hands it to the woman

(9) the woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauce & brings them to the table

(10) after eating, the woman clears the table & does the dishes

(11) everyone praises the man & thanks him for his cooking efforts

(12) the man asks the woman how she enjoyed her 'night off' & upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women

- A FATHER & A SON -

after a few of the usual sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit & before he gave his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest who was in the service that evening - in the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest childhood friends & that he wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church & share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service - with that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit & began to speak - a father, his son & a friend of his son, were sailing off the pacific coast, he began - when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to the shore - the waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright & the 3 were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized - the old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with 2 teens who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story - the aged minister continued with his story - grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life...to which boy would he throw the other end of the life line - he only had seconds to make the decision - the father knew that his son was a christian & he also knew that his son's friend was not - the agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves - as the father yelled out, "i love you son!" he threw out the lifeline to his son's friend - by the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night - his boy was never recovered - by this time, the 2 teens were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old ministers mouth - the father, he continued, knew his son would step into eternity with jesus & he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into eternity without jesus - therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son's friend - how great is the love of god that he should do the same for us - our heavenly father sacrificed his only begotten son that we could be saved - i urge you to accept his offer to rescue you & take a hold of the lifeline he is throwing out to you in this service - with that, the old man turned & sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room - the pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit & delivered a brief sermon with an invitation at the end - however, no one responded to the appeal - within minutes after the service ended, the 2 teens were at the old mans side - "that was a nice story", politely stated one of them, "but i don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a christian" - "well, you've got a point there", the old man replied, glancing down at the worn bible - a big smile broadened his narrow face - he once again looked up at the boys & said, "it sure isn't very realistic, is it? - but i'm standing here today to tell you that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for god to give up his son for me - you see...i was that father & your pastor is my son's friend."

- JUST KEEPING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE -

I hear a mother complain about her child 'talking back to her' & think...

I wish my child could talk.

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I see two brothers playing tag at the park & think...

I wish my child could do that.

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I hear a mother complain about her daughter's choice of wardrobe & think...

I wish my child could choose & dress himself.

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I see my son line up his legos & think...

I wish he would build something with them.

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I complain about my child's picky eating...

& think about all the children who have to be fed through tubes.

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I see my child climbing on the table...

& think of the children who can't walk or climb.

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I see a child with leukemia & think...

at least my child's physically healthy.

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I receive from & give hugs to my son...

& think of the mothers who've never received a hug from their child.

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I hear my son say "Mama" for the first time...

& I thank God.

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I look at my son & am in awe at the beautiful gift God's given me. God only gives us as much as we can handle. Sometimes it seems as though we cannot cope with all the struggles, but we must remember we're CHOSEN as strong parents of VERY Special children.

- JUST A MOM -

A woman, renewing her driver's license, was asked by the woman at registry to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is", explained the woman at registry, "do you have a job or are you just a ...?" "Of course I have a job", snapped the woman. "I'm a Mom". "We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it", said the recorder emphatically. I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation.

`

The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient & possessed of a high sounding title like, 'Official Interrogator' or 'City Registrar'. "What is your occupation?" she probed. What made me say it?, I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development & Human Relations". The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair & looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire. "Might I ask", said the clerk with new interest, 'just what you do in your field?' Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory & in the field, (normally I would have said indoors & out) I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord & then the whole family) & already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) & I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it), but the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers. The rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money". There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up & personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants - ages 13, 7 & 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished & indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mom.' Motherhood! What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door

- RALPH & EDNA -

Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

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Ralph & Edna were both patients in a mental hospital. One day while they were walking past the hospital swimming pool, Ralph suddenly jumped into the deep end. He sank to the bottom of the pool & stayed there. Edna promptly jumped in to save him. She swam to the bottom & pulled him out. When the Head Nurse Director became aware of Edna's heroic act she immediately ordered her to be discharged from the hospital, as she now considered her to be mentally stable.

`

When she went to tell Edna the news she said, "Edna, I've good news & bad news. The good news' you're being discharged, since you were able to rationally respond to a crisis by jumping in & saving the life of the person you love. I've concluded that your act displays sound mindedness. The bad news is, Ralph hung himself in the bathroom with his bathrobe belt right after you saved him. I'm so sorry, but he's dead. Edna replied, "He didn't hang himself, I put him there to dry, now how soon can I go home?"

- MY DAY YESTERDAY & TODAY -

yesterday was an extremely hard day for me - it was the last day of summer & keep in mind...i love my kids being home for the summer - i'd asked several times recently for the name of kiara's teacher so i could prepare her a bit [she's ADHD & really needs to know things well in advance] - they couldn't give out the information until monday night [school started tuesday...UGH] - she'd a horrible time going to sleep the night before, as she was sooooooooooo nervous - finally she drifted & so did i
`

another 'emotional thing' for me yesterday was ahniér - she's been battling [severely] dry, flaky, crusty skin & it's driving me nuts! - i've used so much stuff, i couldn't begin to share it all - i've got enough stuff left over that didn't work, i could start my own store, for sure! - anyhow, everything i've been doing for her [extra bathes, not so many bathes, every kind of lotion/cream on the market, prescription ointments from the peds, warm bathes, oatmeal bathes, etc.] - well, yesterday i'd just had it & called the dermatologist's office - keep in mind, she had an appointment for september 22, but i didn't want to wait [that's me being impatient again!] - i called & they said they'd nothing, so i begged [not beyond that, i tell ya!] - they came back & said they might be able to get her in tomorrow [meaning today/tuesday] at 10am - beggars can't be choosers i know, but that wasn't going to work as i had to take karleigh to school this morning as a parent had to attend with them - they then said, "well, if you can't bring her in on tuesday, then she'll just have to wait until september 22 or unless we get a cancellation - begging kicked into high gear & i wouldn't stop [didn't really know at the time why i needed it so urgently, but i did] - after i talked to almost everyone on their staff, they said, "alright, if you can be here in 40 minutes, we'll see her" - "great", i said [now, neither she, nor i were dressed & the office was about 20 minutes away, but ya know what??...we go there! - i went in & saw the doctor & the words that came out of her mouth made me almost forget to breathe - after checking her over thoroughly, she said, "she's got a BAD case of staph infection & it's so bad, it could've been deadly, had it not been caught when you did" - she said that when it started out, it was dry skin, but nothing really to speak of - i used cetephil cream on her & then the only problem areas i dealt with her the bends of her arms, under her arm pits & behind her knees as she's chubby & she'd sweat there - they were so 'sore looking'/very pink, etc. - she said that when those areas became irritated, ahniér would then began to scratch them & wouldn't stop - she'd do this so much, it became more & more irritable - in doing so, she developed a staph & untreated, it could've killed her!! - my heart sank, but then i knew why i was so adamant on getting her in that day...BUT FOR GOD!!

`

i thanked god so much for making me pushy, because had it not been for that, i don't even want to think of the outcome

`

on a better note, we got up this AM & prepared for school - the girls did great & couldn't wait to leave - we headed out & dropped kiara off at her class, then i went with karleigh for the kindergarten's 1st day - she was there unti 10:30 & then it was off to get groceries

`

when kiara got home, i asked her how her day was - she said, "GREAT!, but did you know that 1st grade teachers look just like kindergarten teachers?" - she said, "i thought they'd look different...but they don't" - the only thing she's stressing about is that we've got to pay for a month of lunches at a time - then everyday, she'll go in & when she's in line, she'll put in her lunch 'code' & it'll be deducted from the balance on her account - she's afraid that if she puts in the wrong code, someone else will get to eat her lunch!! - that girl!!

`

here's some pics of the day [enjoy!]

- THE OLD PAST -

I liked the old paths, when Moms were at home, dads were at work, brothers went into the army & sisters got married BEFORE having children! - crime didn't pay, hard work did & people knew the difference. - moms could cook, dads would work, children would behave, husbands were loving, wives were supportive & children were polite - women wore the jewelry & men wore the pants - women looked like ladies, men looked like gentlemen & children looked decent - people loved the truth & hated a lie - they came to church to get IN, not to get OUT! - hymns sounded godly, sermons sounded helpful, rejoicing sounded normal & crying sounded sincere - cursing was wicked, drugs were for illness & divorce was unthinkable - the flag was honored, america was beautiful & god was welcome! - we read the bible in public, prayed in school & preached from house to house - to be called an american was worth dying for, to be called a christian was worth living for & to be called a traitor was a shame! - preachers preached because they'd a message & christians rejoiced because they'd the VICTORY! - preachers preached from the bible- singers sang from the heart & sinners turned to the lord to be SAVED! - a new birth meant a new life - salvation meant a changed life - following christ led to eternal life - being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of god - being a deacon meant you'd serve the lord, being a christian meant you'd live for jesus & being a sinner meant someone was praying for you! - laws were based on the bible, homes read the bible & churches taught the bible - god was worshiped, christ was exalted & the holy spirit was respected - church was where you found christians on the Lord's day, rather than in the garden, on the creek bank, on the golf course, or being entertained somewhere else i still like the old paths the best!

- TAMPONS TO THE RESCUE IN IRAQ -

please read the entire story as you'll see how god works in mysterious ways - this' a true story, so keep that in mind, while reading

`
my son told me how wonderful the care packages we'd sent them from the ladies auxiliary were & wanted me to tell everyone thank you - he said that one guy we'll call marine X, got a female care package & everyone was giving him a hard time - my son said, "marine X got some really nice smelling lotion & everyone really likes it, so every time he goes to sleep they steal it from him." - i told my son i was really sorry about the mistake & if he wanted i'd send marine X another package - he told me not to worry about marine X because every time i send something to him, he shares it with marine X - he said when my husband & i sent the last care package, marine X came over to his cot picked up the box, started fishing through it & said, "what'd we get this time?", but my son said they had the most fun with marine X's package - he said he wasn't sure who it was supposed to go to, but the panties were size 20 & he said one of the guys got on top of the humvee & jumped off with the panties over his head & yelled, "look at me, i'm an airborne ranger!" - one of the guys attached the panties to an antenna & it blew in the wind like a windsock - he said it entertained them for quite awhile - then of course, they'd those tampons - when he brought this up, my imagination just went running, but he continued - my son said they'd to go on a mission & marine X wanted the chapstick & lotion for the trip - he grabbed a bunch of the items from his care package & got in the humvee - as luck would have it he grabbed the tampons too & my son said everyone was teasing him about 'not forgetting his feminine hygiene products' - he said things went well for a while, then the convoy was ambushed & a Marine was shot - he said the wound was pretty clean, but it was deep he said they were administering first aid, but couldn't get the bleeding to slow down & someone said, "hey, use marine X's tampons!" - my son said they put the tampon in the wound - at this point my son profoundly told me, "mom, did you know that tampons expand?" [well....yeah!] - they successfully slowed the bleeding until the guy got better medical attention - when they went to check on him later, the surgeon told them, "you guys saved his life - if you hadn't stopped that bleeding he would've bled to death" - my son said, "mom, the tampons sent by the marine moms by mistake saved a marine's life" - at this point I asked him, "well, what did you do with the rest of the tampons?" - he said, "oh, we divided them up & we all have them in our flak jackets & i kept two for our first aid kit - i'm absolutely amazed by the ingenuity of our marines

`

i can't believe that something that started out as a mistake then turned into a joke, ended up saving someone's life - my sister said she doesn't believe in mistakes - she believes god had a plan all along - she believes that 'female care package' was sent to marine X to save our marine - ether way, our efforts have boosted the morale of many marines, provided much needed items for our troops & saved the life of a marine! - god bless every one of you for your efforts & hard work & god bless our marines, army, navy, air force & all our military service personnel - GOD BLESS AMERICA & KEEP IT SAFE!

- WARN YOUR FRIENDS! -

you've heard about people who've been abducted & had their kidneys removed by black-market organ thieves - my thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years ago - i went to sleep & woke up with someone else's thighs - it was just that quick - the replacements had the texture of cooked oatmeal - whose thighs were these & what happened to mine? - i spent the entire summer looking for my thighs - finally, hurt & angry, i resigned myself to living out my life in jeans & then the thieves struck again - my butt was next - i knew it was the same gang, because they took pains to match my new rear-end to the thighs they'd stuck me with earlier, but my new butt was attached at least three inches lower than my original! - i realized i'd have to give up my jeans in favor of long skirts - two years ago i realized my arms had been switched - one morning i was fixing my hair & was horrified to see the flesh of my upper arm swing to andfro with the motion of the hairbrush - this was really getting scary - my body was being replaced one section at a time - what could they do to me next? - when my poor neck suddenly disappeared & was replaced with a turkey neck, i decided to tell my story - women of the world, wake up & smell the coffee! - those 'plastic' surgeons are using REAL replacement body parts, stolen from you & me! - the next time someone you know has something 'lifted', look again...was it lifted from you? - THIS' NOT A HOAX - this' happening to women everywhere every night - WARN YOUR FRIENDS!

`

P.S. last year i thought some one had stolen my boobs - i was lying in bed & they were gone, but when i jumped out of bed, i was relieved to see that they'd just been hiding in my armpits as i slept - now i keep them hidden in my waistband - thought this was too 'important' not to pass on - have a wonderful day, with a joy filled heart - these same thieves come in my closet & shrink my clothes too! - how do they do it????

- THE SNEEZE -

they walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. - with their rich maroon gowns flowing & the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt - dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles & moms freely brushed away tears - this class would NOT pray during the commencements...not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it - the principal & several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling - they gave inspirational & challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance & no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families - the speeches were nice, but they were routine, until the final speech received a standing ovation

`

a solitary student walked proudly to the microphone - he stood still & silent for just a moment & then, it happened - all 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED! - the student on stage simply looked at the audience & said, "GOD BLESS YOU, each & every one of you!" & he walked off stage - the audience exploded into applause - this graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval

`

this' a true story & it happened at the university of maryland

A WEEK AT THE GYM

this' dedicated to everyone who's ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine

`

dear diary, for my birthday this year, my daughter (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me - although i'm still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it'd be a good idea to go ahead & give it a try - i called the club & made my reservations with a personal trainer named belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor & model for athletic clothing & swim wear - my daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! - the club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

`

MONDAY: started my day at 6:00am - tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when i arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me - she's something of a greek goddess, with blond hair, dancing eyes & a dazzling white smile - woo hoo! - belinda gave me a tour & showed me the machines - i enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today - very inspiring! - belinda was encouraging as i did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around - this' going to be a FANTASTIC week!

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TUESDAY: i drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door - belinda made me lie on my back & push a heavy iron bar into the air, then she put weights on it! - my legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile - belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile - i feel GREAT! it's a whole new life for me

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WEDNESDAY: the only way i can brush my teeth's by laying the toothbrush on the counter & moving my mouth back & forth over it - i believe i've a hernia in both pectorals - driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop - i parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot - belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members - her voice's a little too perky for that early in the morning & when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that's VERY annoying - my chest hurt when i got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster - why the heck would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? - belinda told me it'd help me get in shape & enjoy life - she said some other crap too
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THURSDAY: belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl - i couldn't help being a half an hour late, it took me that long to tie my shoes - belinda took me to work out with dumbbells - when she wasn't looking, I ran & hid in the restroom - she sent another skinny girl to find me - then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank

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FRIDAY: i hate belinda more than any human being's ever hated any other human being in the history of the world - stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic little cheerleader - if there was a part of my body i could move without unbearable pain, i'd beat her with it - belinda wanted me to work on my triceps - i don't even have triceps & if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the stupid barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich - the treadmill flung me off & I landed on a health & nutrition teacher - why couldn't it've been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

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SATURDAY: belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why i didn't show up today - just hearing her voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner, however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote & ended up catching eleven straight hours of the weather channel

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SUNDAY: i'm having the church van pick me up for services today so i can go & thank god that this week's over - i'll also pray that next year my daughter (the little brat) will choose a gift for me that's fun...like a root canal or hysterectomy

- i'm so sorry!!-

i'm so sorry it's been this long since i've blogged - c'mon you faithful readers, come back & read & i'll do much better blogging...k? K! - what's been going on around here lately is all the girls getting out of school, all the school programs, all the school picnics, etc. - summer came quickly this year in my mind - we're wanting to go camping soon, but we've not been yet - also, one of the first things on the agenda's taking the girls to kings island - for me, it'll be bittersweet, as that's one of the last places we took ALL the kids [including dustin] & now he's not here to go along & for that reason, i'm sad

`

i do pretty good day to day with dustin not being here anymore, but some days are much, MUCH harder than others - we visit him every weekend which's such a long haul with all 7 of us & a 7 hour drive, but we do it & no one complains at all [yeah!] - he's looking good & acting good as well - those that wish to write him, he's still at westville, but will be moved soon to plainfield - for now the address is:

dustin shepler #198634

westville correctional facility

5501 south 1100 west

westville, IN 46391

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here's a couple pics that i've taken recently [random i know] - enjoy!!

- WE GOT TO SEE DUSTIN TODAY!! -

me, ruby, dustin, karleigh & ahniér in my arms

[ahniér had been asleep, thus the reason for her looking 'sleepy']

spike, brit, kiara & dustin

man, it was a great day! - we rose at 4am [yes, you read that right], got us all ready & out the door at 6:30am - kiara kept saying, "why are we visiting dustin in the middle of the night??" - we arrived at 10:00 & the plan was that spike, brit & kiara would visit from 10:00-12:30 & then when they'd come out, ruby, karleigh, ahniér & myself would take our turn & visit from 12:30-3

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well, anyone that knows me, KNOWS how i like plans to go according [to what was planned!!] - well, spike, brit & kiara all walked up to building number 1 to 'check in' & get their visitor passes - while there, they were told that due to brit wearing shorts [they were long shorts, but about ½" above the knee, that she'd not be allowed to go in - they're being told this after we've driven about 3½ hours with a van FULL of 'stuff' [ask my dad about that!] - they walked back out to the van & shared the news, just as my 'group' was pulling out things to eat for an early lunch, while we waited - plans all changed at that point & in a hurry it happened - i hurried & got ahniér dressed as she was still in pj's - had to take everyone's earrings out, as we were going to do that during our 'wait time' - we were trying to hurry fast as he knew when we'd be in there & we also knew that visiting hours end at 3, so in order for all of us to 'have our time', we needed to get movin' & quick!

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kiara couldn't figure out why we'd told her that she'd be in the first group & now we were making her get back in the car to go shopping in town for brit some pants, but quickly became OK with it, once she realized that whomever stayed behind, got to eat first! [gotta love that kiara] - ruby & karleigh were also so confused because they'd been told that they were going to eat right away & now we were yanking [yeah, that's a pretty good description of what was happening] their earrings out of the ears & slamming ahniér into her clothing & trying my best to remember everything [to take $20 in quarters only, nothing in any pockets, only can take 1 diaper, 1 wipe, 1 filled baby bottle, 1 small blanket, 1 pacifier & 2 picture tokens to have pictures taken with dustin] - ruby's my one that 'stores thing's in her pockets & i was so concerned that would happen & we'd been told that if they found anything on us [any of us], that we weren't allowed to take, that they'd make us all leave & we'd forfeit our visit...talk about pressure!

`

we walked in & there he sat - he stood up & the girls went running to him & he scooped them both up in his arms as if it was only them & him & no one else around - he spun them around & started kissing all over them - karleigh's been the one that's had the most issues with him being gone & she was VERY stand-off-ish with him - she'd sit with him, but he had to ask - she'd look at him, but he had to remind her - it was as if she was very uncomfortable with the situation & was having issues taking it all in - she'd smile all over the place, but look away every time she caught him looking at her - she'd stare at him as if to say, "i remember you, but you're not around anymore" - it was really pitiful watching it all - then there's ruby...she took the situation & ran a totally different way with it - she'd poke at dustin & tell him [while signing] how silly he was & how funny he was - she'd go behind him & tickle his neck, etc. - she'd bounce around there like she'd been there a million times - it was funny to see how 2 little girls that have gone through the same thing, processed it all in their little minds & acted totally different on the outside

`

ahniér was very good & let him hold her for awhile, but then he got a mt dew & she began fussing - don't know why as she's never had anything like that, but to her, it looked like something she should have & wasn't taking 'no' for an answer - i ended up rocking her to sleep & she slept for about 2 hours [until they called for 'picture time']

`

we went for pics [posted above] & then it was time for us to leave - a knot began in my throat that i couldn't shake & it was all i could do to get out of there in one piece - i made it to the van & then it was our other group's turn - they were back with clothes for brit & they were ready to head in there - i gave them all the instructions that we'd been given & said we'd wait in the parking lot - we ate our lunch then as they'd already eaten while we were visiting & then got everything cleaned up - the wind was whipping around like crazy, so we really couldn't sit outside or we'd have been blown away, so it was 'van sitting' & boy, was that fun! - the girls did fine, but i know they were getting bored, just sitting there - they'd brought things to play with, but all of a sudden, those things didn't seem all that 'fun looking' to them...UGH

`

spike, brit & kiara came out when they were finished & we began loading up the van - we were pulling out of the parking lot & looked up on the second floor [dustin's floor] & there he was, pressed to the window as hard as he could be, signing 'I LOVE YOU' to us as we drove out of the parking lot - i looked back waaaay down the road & could still see him watching us driving off...UGH

`

one thing i've prayed over dustin while since he's been gone, was for protection - he's not 'street smart' at all & especially in prison, that's not a good thing - i've just prayed that dustin would watch out for him & cover him while he's there - well, while i visited dustin, we talked about as much as we could - one of the things we were talking about was his 'bunkies' - he said, that the 2 guys he shares a cell with are nice, but the one guy that's been the nicest to him is a mexican man across the hall [they apparently can see into one anothers cells] - he said, "yeah, when i first got here, i knew nothing & this guy helped me out with everything - he was always there, telling me what i needed to do & if i needed anything & he'd have it, i'd either buy it from him, or we'd trade for something i had - he's turned out to be a pretty neat guy & has sort of 'watched out for me' since he knew i'd never been in a place like this before - he's in his 40's & all in all seems like he cares & is just plain NICE - i said, "well, i'm glad he's helped you out at a time when you needed a friend - from what you're telling me, he's been just that to you...a friend" - dustin said, "yeah, he really is" - i began asking about people in there & what they go by [their real names or nicknames] - he said, "oh, most everyone goes by nicknames, except me & this 'friend' across the way - we just use our real names, i don't know why...just because" - i said, "what's his name?" - he said [smiling], "JESUS!" [keep in mind he's mexican & so it's pronounced differently] - now don't get me wrong, i'm not saying this mexican guy's the real messiah, but his name's jesus, he's been 'watching out' for dustin since day 1 & always tells dustin, he's 'got him covered' & has 'got his back' & that's what i've prayed for that jesus would do all those things & maybe he's doing just that, through this man - either way, it made me smile just at the thought of it being...jesus & dustin :)

`

that's the main part of today & i've still got lots to do & it's already 10:30, so i'm gonna close - hope you enjoyed hearing about our wonderful day, as we'd a great time

- GOING TO SEE DUSTIN! -

spike, i & all our girls were approved today to go visit dustin!!! - mom & dustin's pastor have been approved for awhile & have been visiting him, but no one else was allowed - today he called & said not only was my dad & my sister madisyn, but also all of us!!! - dad/mom/madisyn are going tomorrow & spike, me & all the girls on sunday - we can only go in 3 at a time & ahniér doesn't count since she's a baby, sooo...when we go on sunday, spike, brit & kiara will go in for 2 hours while i wait in the van with 3 young ones [fun!] - then, me, ruby, karleigh & ahniér will go in for 2 hours - this'll be a good weekend for all of us!! - the ONLY thing i can carry in is: 1 diaper, 1 wipe, 1 filled bottle, a paci & a blanket [the wipe can't be in anything, not even a ziploc!] - it'll be interesting/blog material, that's for sure!

- BRIT'S PROM NIGHT -

the limo taking them to prom

[my brother owns 2 of them & offered to do this for brit on 'her night' -

by far & going away, he's holds the 'best uncle in noblesville', award for sure!]

riley & brit

the 'group'

riley & brit

brit lookin' pretty

tonight is prom for brit & her friends & she was excited!!!!!!

here's some pictures of the group before they left

- MY RECENT HAITI TRIP -

since arriving home 1 week ago, i've been swamped with things to do - not only the typical laundry, cooking, cleaning, taking care of 5 girls & 1 husband, running errands, carpooling daily, etc., but when i got home brit was just getting over her sickness [she was the LAST ONE!!!], but before she gave it up for good...she shared [with me!] - needless to say, i've been under the weather & yesterday was by far the worst, but i'm on the mend & feeling pretty well today [praise the lord!] - i talked with my neighbor christy this morning & she was questioning me about my lack of blogging about my haiti trip, so christy, as it was promised to you this morning...

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karleigh's papa richard

[thanks mom for noticing i'd put the wrong name!!]

richard was with rachel & i in our hotel room for many hours & while there i got the idea of letting him call karleigh on the phone - i phoned mom [who was at my house taking care of the girls] & said, "mom, get madisyn on the phone right away & then put karleigh on another phone & have madisyn to translate to papa, all that karleigh says & then have madisyn translate to karleigh, all that papa says" - madisyn did an awesome job & for this papa who last saw his daughter at 5 months old, when we brought her home from haiti, to be talking to her now at age 5 for the first time, was an absolutely beautiful thing to watch - here's a picture of him talking to his baby girl for the first time ever & being able to hear her speak to him [even though it was in english & was being translated - in my mind, as happy as he was, i truly don't think he would've minded talking to her & not even understanding a thing she said, just being able to 'hear' her would've been good enough to him...& her!

karleigh's sister, mimose [me mOs] & her little boy stephen stephen 10 year old judeline, another one of karleigh's sisters kiara's papa beau kiara's auntiemadisyn's grandma madisyn's brother sonsonmadisyn's brother hermann [air mon] rachel's little boy schneider [soon to be named isaac] the locals

- PRETTY GIRLS ALL IN A ROW -

well, i've been in haiti for a week now & left there wednesday morning, only to miss our connection in miami [thanks to AA leaving haiti 1½ hours late - we did an overnight in miami & arrived in indianapolis yesterday afternoon, stopped by walmart on our way home to grab a few things & found that the pics i'd taken of the girls prior to me leaving, were in!! - here they are & aren't they adorable - the one of all the girls, isn't my best as ahniér looks a bit washed out, etc., but all in all it was fine - the ones of ahniér alone, turned out great though [L to R: ruby 6 years, ahniér 7 months, kiara 6 years & karleigh 5 years] - BTW, when i got home yesterday evening, we put ahniér down on the floor & guess what?????...she began crawling!!! - we're so proud of her :) [now i've gotta run & put things up & out of her way!!]

- PRETTY YOUNG LADY -

brit has prom the end of april & she's so excited - she's been asked by a young man boy [sorry, i feel i must call him a boy or it'll seem she's so much older than i want her to be!] named riley - we're to meet this young lad sometime soon so we can 'check him over' & see if we approve - here's the dress she's picked out & it fits her beautifully - she doesn't want anyone to comment on the hair as she's done nothing with it all day, except wore it in a ponytail, so for the pics, she just pulled it up, as she said these pics are 'all about the dress' - what do you think? - doesn't she look pretty??

- MOM GOT TO SEE DUSTIN!! -

when dustin went to westville, anyone/everyone that wanted to visit him, had to fill out a request form & mail it in - we all did that, but now we're just waiting to be approved by the prison & then we'll go visit him - well, they approved my mom for a visit with him on saturday :) - she went & spent about 3 hours with him & had a wonderful time - here's a picture that they had taken yesterday - she said he looks good & acted well too - i'm so happy that someone in our family was able to hug him & i can't wait for it to be my turn!! [just so you all know, dustin's the TALL one on the right & mom's the short one on the left]

- BAKED BEANS -

One day I met a sweet gentleman & fell in love. When it became apparent that we'd marry, I made the supreme sacrifice & gave up beans. Some months later, on my birthday, my car broke down on the way home from work. Since I lived in the countryside I called my husband & told him that I'd be late because I'd to walk home. On my way, I passed by a small diner & the odor of baked beans was more than I could stand. With miles to walk, I figured that I'd walk off any ill effects by the time I reached home, so I stopped at the diner & before I knew it, I'd consumed three large orders of baked beans! All the way home, I made sure that I released all the gas. Upon my arrival, my husband seemed excited to see me & exclaimed delightedly, "'Darling I've a surprise for dinner tonight." He then blindfolded me & led me to my chair at the dinner table. I took a seat & just as he was about to remove my blindfold, the telephone rang. He made me promise not to touch the blindfold until he returned & went to answer the call. The baked beans I'd consumed were still affecting me & the pressure was becoming most unbearable, so while my husband was out of the room I seized the opportunity, shifted my weight to one leg & let one go. It was not only loud, but it smelled like a fertilizer truck running over a skunk in front of a pulpwood mill. I took my napkin from my lap & fanned the air around me vigorously. Then, shifting to the other cheek, I ripped off three more. The stink was worse than cooked cabbage. Keeping my ears carefully tuned to the conversation in the other room, I went on like this for another few minutes. The pleasure was indescribable. When eventually the telephone farewells signaled the end of my freedom, I quickly fanned the air a few more times with my napkin, placed it on my lap & folded my hands back on it, feeling very relieved & pleased with myself. My face must have been the picture of innocence when my husband returned, apologizing for taking so long. He asked me if I'd peeked through the blindfold & I assured him I'd not. At this point, he removed the blindfold & twelve dinner guests seated around our table sang Happy Birthday to me & I fainted!

- PEACEFUL AHNIÉR -

as i posted here before, i tried for the longest time to get ahniér to be a thumb sucker, but she'd have no part of it as she couldn't coordinate it well enough & got discouraged - so, i bought every kind [LITERALLY] of paci that's on the market today & not only bought 1 of each, but bought multiples in hopes that one would...'stick' [yes, i'm severely OCD!] - well, she'd take one for a day or so, then 'change her mind' & so we'd try a different kind - that would be alright with her for a day or so & then we'd play this whole game again - finally, i didn't care if she took one or not, as i was tired of trying
`
then a month or two ago the girls were playing dolls & found a doll paci - karleigh stuck it in ahniér's mouth & she threw the biggest fit when it was removed - i ran down & found her paci stash & gave one to her & she's hooked for good - she wants that thing all the time & it works like a charm
`
some of you've written emails to me, asking if ahniér's still a paci baby & all i can say's here's a picture to prove it! - to her these days, it's all about her paci & silkie :)

- KATHARINE...THIS ONE'S FOR YOU! -

yep, kiara got new glasses today - she's actually, we've thought for awhile that she needed glasses, so i took her last week to the eye dr. - he said yes, she needed them as she's far sighted & has a astigmatism - she picked these out all by herself as she said, "i want these & i know my cousin katharine will like 'em because she has a pair just like it...YEAH, that's the one!" - she was so excited, but they said they wouldn't be ready until april 6 [when i'm in haiti], so i told her that we'd get them as soon as i got back - they said they'd try & get them in sooner, but middle of next week would be the soonest - well, this morning they called & said to come pick them up! - she couldn't get in the van fast enough - she said, "mommy, will you blog me so all your friends can see my new glasses?" - hope you all enjoy...she sure is!

`

see katharine, she really looks up to you, because you're such a polite young lady & you treat her so well [thank you!]

`

rebekah, karleigh & ruby both wanted to get 'their glasses' today too & i explained to them that over the summer break, i'd bring them in for testing, but i didn't think they were going to need glasses - all of a sudden karleigh gets this look on her face [sad frown] & said, "i REALLY need glasses mommy, because you know what? - i'm blind like my friend hannah...you know mommy, the friend of ours that can't see & uses her CI stick [i was trying at this point NOT to loose it & laugh at her]" - i said, "karleigh you're not blind & you don't need glasses right now" - she said, "well, i think i'm gonna go to hannah's eye dr next time, because he'll tell you i'm blind...COZ I AM!!" [then, talking to herself, i hear this] "gosh, i really want to be blind so i can get glasses"

- DUSTIN'S BEING MOVED! -

yep, that's right - we found out last night that dustin's being transferred back to plainfield prison sometime within the next 2½ months - where he's at now [westville], the only class he can take's 'substance abuse' & he's taking it just to get the credits, but it doesn't even apply to him - in plainfield, he's eligable for many other classes/courses, so he's very excited - i'm excited as he'll be much closer to home - westville's about 3½ hours from us [one way] & plainfield's about 1½ hours away [one way]...much easier with little ones, that's for sure! - anyhow, i wanted to get on here for a second & share!!

- A POLL, GIVEN TO 3 OF MY GIRLS -

i found this on another blog, asked my girls the same questions & here's their answers...
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BRIT [age 17]

What's something mom always says to you?...Press the button & say hello

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What makes mom happy?...when i obey [which explains why she may not be happy all the time]

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What makes mom sad?...bub

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How does your mom make you laugh?...when she says stupid things

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What was your mom like as a child?...she was talkative

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How old is your mom?...41

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How tall is your mom?...5'4"

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What is her favorite thing to do?...taking pictures

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What does your mom do when you're not around?...talk about me

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If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?...[laughing] hmmm, missionary work

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What is your mom really good at?...annoying me [laughing]

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What is your mom not very good at?...history

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What is your mom's favorite food?...mexican or japanese steakhouse food

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What makes you proud of your mom?...the fact that she has such a caring heart

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If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?...i don't really watch cartoons, so i don't know!

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What do you and your mom do together?...talk

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How are you and your mom the same?...we're both very persistent

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How are you and your mom different?...i'm into learning & she's not

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How do you know your mom loves you?...because she tells me
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How do you know your mom loves you? [without just saying it]...because she shows it - even when she's annoying me, it's because she's trying to help me

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What does your mom like most about your dad?...his patience

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Where is your mom's favorite place to go?...haiti

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KIARA [age 6]

What's something mom always says to you?...clean up

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What makes mom happy?...when we do nice stuff

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What makes mom sad?...when we don't obey

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How does your mom make you laugh?...when she laughs at me

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What was your mom like as a child?...she was a toddler

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How old is your mom?...34 years old

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How tall is your mom?...50 inches

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What is her favorite thing to do?...cook brownies

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What does your mom do when you're not around?...play hide & seek with the other girls

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If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?...for playing with people

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What is your mom really good at?...cooking

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What is your mom not very good at?...brushing her hair

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What is your mom's favorite food?...mac 'n cheese

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What makes you proud of your mom?...because i love her

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If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?...the sheep on word world

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What do you and your mom do together?...go out to eat
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How are you and your mom the same?...our lips look the same

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How are you and your mom different?...mommy has brown hair & i have black hair

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How do you know your mom loves you?...because she does stuff for me

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What does your mom like most about your dad?...his hair

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Where is your mom's favorite place to go?...monkey BBQ [mongolian BBQ]

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KARLEIGH [age 5]

What's something mom always says to you?...she loves me

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What makes mom happy?...smiling

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What makes mom sad?...to hurt

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How does your mom make you laugh?...tickle

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What was your mom like as a child?...she was little

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How old is your mom?...14 years old

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How tall is your mom?...6 feet
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What is her favorite thing to do?...play hide 'n seek

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What does your mom do when you're not around?...she's sad

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What is your mom really good at?...games

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What is your mom not very good at?...fixing doors

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What is your mom's favorite food?...pizza

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What makes you proud of your mom?...she let's us play with makeup

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If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?...a ballerina

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What do you and your mom do together?...we go to the park
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How are you and your mom the same?...we both like games & suckers

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How are you and your mom different?...our shirts are different

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How do you know your mom loves you?...because i love her back
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What does your mom like most about your dad?...his clothes

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Where is your mom's favorite place to go?...swimming

- My day...Priceless! -

heading out the door at noon, after taking forever to get your 4 little girls ready...rushed

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running errands not only yourself, but for your hubby too since he was out of town...exhausting

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taking your girls for lunch...refreshing

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going with your 4 little girls to walmart to buy groceries, when your youngest was ready for naptime & being it WAS naptime, that wasn't going to happen...stupid

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walking through walmart & out of nowhere, your bra strap snaps while you're just in aisle #2...embarrassing

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listening to your child start giggling in aisle #3 because she was tired & everything was hilarious...funny

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getting onto your girls for the hundredth time for not watching where they were going...tiring

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listening to a 95+ year old man that's walked behind you, the entire way & all he's done was whistle the same tune over & over & over...displeased

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wishing you'd have left your jacket in the car, but you didn't & now you're sweating...hot

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paid the bill & walked outside, only to search for over 20 minutes as you forgot where you parked the van...dumb

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drive all the way home, pull into the neighborhood, only to find you'd drive to your OLD neighborhood on the other side of town...mindless

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knowing it was all going to be blog material...priceless!

- What is your child...What are you? -

Natural Child: a child who's not artificial

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Real Parent: a parent who's not imaginary

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Your Own Child: a child who doesn't belong to someone else

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Adopted Child: a natural child, with a real parent, who's all my own

`

taken from kathy's blog

- Have to ask... -

several years ago, we took the girls to disney world [florida] & had a fabulous time - karleigh still talks daily about that 'great vacation' [literally!] - what we'd planned, way back then, was to take them again when they were all in the 5-8 rance - well, that's the ages they are now, but with all the expenses that were eaten up in dustin's legal trouble recently, we've not much money to throw at this - as you've all read in my blog over the last year, we're all emotionally spent...WAY spent, including the kids as they really don't understand any of what's going on

`

my question to you all is this...does anyone out there know where our large family can obtain cheap...VERY CHEAP disney tickets, so we can take the girls & just get away for awhile - it'd be a total of 6 [3 ADULTS: spike, myself, brit] & [3 KIDS: kiara 6 'she'll be 7 in may', ruby 6 & karleigh 5] & i'm assuming that since ahniér's only 6 months, that she'd be free, right?

`

this might be doable, if we can get some of the cost down - we can either pay airfare or gas prices, 'IF' we can get the tickets another way - it might not work out, but it's worth a shot, so i thought i'd check with all you brainers out there as to how we can get away for a bit & it not break the bank [any more than it's already been broken] - thanks!

- It must be spring because... -

as of today, we turned on the AC!!! - yeah, we just couldn't handle the heat any longer!! - so, anyone out there that's comin' to visit, you might wanna bring your long johns or a sweater :)

- 'Lil Miss -

- She's ours!! -

yes, you read it right…she’s now Ahniér Mirlande Desruisseaux Shepler!! – thanks to all those that were praying as we could really feel it – not only did the judge require us to be there at this formal hearing, but when we got there, our attorney let us know that the judge wanted us to be get up on the witness stand [what’s up with that???]
`
I have to admit, I was really wondering where he was going to take this, but it was something we were just going to have to ‘walk out’ – they told us what circuit courtroom to go to [it was the same room that we’d last seen dustin in…UGH] – when we walked in, we met the judge [it was the same judge that sentenced dustin, just 2 months ago…UGH] – then they told spike, myself & our attorney to all take our seats & sat me in the exact same seat that dustin had last sat in [where he had his sentence read to him…UGH] - It for me, was very emotional [extremely sad, but on the other hand extremely happy, all at once…UGH]
`
after we found our seats, our attorney had spike to head to the witness stand, had him sworn in & he began – he asked simple things like: his full name, current address, previous address, etc. – he then started asking things like: did he feel that adopting ahniér, was in her best interest – what date we brought her home – if he was married – how many children we currently have, etc. – after they were done with spike & just as I was wiping the sweat from my palms, our attorney & said something to the effect that, “if it pleases the court, since mr. shepler’s already been on the witness stand, would the judge allow me to ask mrs. shepler her questions, while seated in her seat & he said yes [whew!]
`
he then granted the adoption, signed the papers & had them notarized &certified them – he gave 1 to us & just before sending us away, he said he’d be willing for us to take pictures with him & that he would let us come up to where he sits & stand behind him – here’s a few of those pictures – hope you enjoy them & thank you again to all those that prayed…I needed it!

- Kept -

you see, there were a few times when I thought i'd lose my mind, but GOD kept me sane. (Isa. 26:3)

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there were times when i thought i could go no longer, but the LORD kept me moving. (Gen 28:15)

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at times, i've wanted to lash out at those whom i felt had done me wrong, but the LORD kept my mouth shut.. (Psa. 13)

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sometimes, i think the money just isn't enough, but GOD's helped me to keep the lights on, the water on, the car paid, the house paid, etc.., (Matt. 6:25 -34)

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when i thought i'd fall, HE kept me up.

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when i thought i was weak, HE kept me strong! (I Pet. 5:7, Matt. 11:28-30)

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i could go on & on & on, but i'm sure you hear me! - i'm blessed to be 'kept' - do you know a 'kept' woman? - if so, pass it on to her to let her know she's 'kept' & i'm 'kept', by the love & grace of God

- Ahhhhh, how nice -

this was sent to me today, but a friend

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'to get something you never had, you have to do something you never did - 'when God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better - concentrate on this next sentence... 'the will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you'

- Mixed Emotions -

alright, here's what's going on today...

`

as most of you know, ahniér was born in september [pictured above, with her 2 pearly whites showing!] & we've been completing her adoption, as is required for our state [ie: homestudy, background checks, etc.]

`

we received a letter from our attorney a few weeks ago, stating that tomorrow [tuesday, march 17, 2009] was the adoption finalization, but that there wouldn't be a hearing as no one was contesting it & everything looked great on paper, etc. - it said it'd be pretty cut/dried & it'd be done through the mail [attorney to attorney] - after all the 'paperwork mailing', attorney to attorney was completed, we'd receive a copy of everything in the mail & we'd be done [YEAH]

`

well, i just got off the phone with our attorneys secretary & she said that our county's requiring us come in tomorrow for a formal hearing!! - not only that, but we've got to go before the same judge that sentenced dustin, just 2 months ago [man, talk about bringing back horrible memories! - you can read that post called 'A Heavy Heart', if your memory needs refreshing] - this judge is known for 'trying to make a name for himself' & i'm sure hoping he doesn't show himself tomorrow afternoon, in a negative way

`

please pray with us that it'd all go smoothly [we can sure use something smooth these days] & nothing's thrown at us that we can't handle, because i feel i'm just teetering on a cliff, with a toe-hold most days, so smooth would be a huge blessing!

`

please pray for me/us as this judge/courtroom, etc. is the last time we saw, touched & hugged dustin & the feelings are all still so raw - after tomorrow, it'll also be the courtroom that will finalize ahniér's adoption & once & for all, make her a shepler...our daughter in the courts eyes

`

with kiara having the stomach flu all last week & a VERY full weekend, i got up at 4:45am to not only a very fussy baby that's down with a tummy ache, but also have ruby running a 103.6° fever - so many mixed emotions are running through my head right now, just pray

- Kiara's sick -

today, i sent kiara to school as usual, but when i picked her up, i could tell there was something going on - we'd to run a couple errands, so off we went - our first stop was lunch [always a hit!] & i chose the china buffet as they eat so well there - well, karleigh did great, but kiara [remember what kind of eater she is usually] ate 1 meatball, 2 small bites of mashed potatoes & about 10 grains of rice & that was it!...RED FLAG #1

`

then, we had to pick go to the hospital in order for me to get my routine blood draw - while in there, kiara sat on a chair with her head leaned on the wall...RED FLAG #2

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we then get to the van & she gets on her knees inside the van & says she thinks she's gonna choke [vomit] - she didn't, but the warning was still there...RED FLAG #3

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i ran in the building next door to grab some paperwork they had for me & was in there a total of maybe...maybe?? 30 seconds & when i came out, she was not only asleep, but snoring!...RED FLAG #4

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we head home quickly & upon entering the garage, i start calling her name as she's slept the entire way home - she gets out & i proceed to say, "lay your coat/backpack on the love seat in the living room" [why, oh why didn't i say put them in the kitchen where we've tile floors???] - all of a sudden, karleigh runs into the kitchen where i'm at & says [with a horrible look on her face], "MOMMY, IT'S ALL OVER THE FLOOR!!!"...RED FLAG #5

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i just remember yelling, "spike, come quick...QUICKER!!" as i had a sleeping baby in my arms & walked into the living room that had just been cleaned [my sister in law cleans here every 2 weeks & she hadn't been gone an hour, when this happened] to fine there was puked EVERYWHERE!

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i'll not go into more detail [i know you're all thankful], but let's just say she's 'visited' the toilet/wastebasket/trashcan, etc., well over 30 times & 'produced' every time - she's one sick little girl, so she's sleeping in our room - she just went to sleep about 30 minutes ago & seems to be sleeping well [praise the lord!] - anyone that will, please pray for her

- We talked to him! -

yep, we got to talk to dustin tonight! -it was the first time, since he left the jail on febuary 11 & he sounded very good [praise the lord!] & seemed to be 'upbeat' - he said that he was told he was going to pendleton prison [don't know who told him] & that's what he's been thinking for all this time - well, the 'group' that came in together/same day, all started being taken in the night, 1 by 1 - there were only 2 from that group left & 1 of them was dustin - he was really wanting out of the plainfield diagnostic center [not the actual prison] & as we found out later, that it's a place that's so bad they make you wish you'd NEVER gone there [& for dustin...it worked!]

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well, he said they called his name the other night [march 2] & said pack your bag, you're being shipped out - he said he was ready in about 10 minutes & was so excited just to be leaving that horrible place & being able to head to pendleton, that's only 20 minutes away from us & 2 minutes from my parents

`

they loaded them all up in the bus & as they were pulling out of the parking lot, they were told that they were transporting them to westville & he said his head dropped & his heart sank - he knew it was waaaaaaaay up north [that's what he'd heard], but he didn't know where so he asked - they let him know that it's about 15 minutes from chicago & from doing so many haitian adoptions & him going to chicago with us so many times to the haitian consulate, he knew we were over 4 hours from there, so he knew it'd be VERY HARD for us

`

he's in a level 1, so it's not too bad he said - the guys that are in there are really trying to do right as if you get caught in nonsense, you can be sent to level 2 or 3, on the other side of the wall - he said you can hear people yelling/screaming there all day/night long & he said it's horrible! - he said there's a cemetery right there behind the 'dorm'/level 1 that he lives in & when he asked, the guards said it's because there are so many killings there, they've got to bury them on-sight...UGH!

`

he's been told too, that since he's considered a 'short timer'/under 3 years, that he can request to be moved back to plainfield...not to the diagnostic center, but instead, to the prison

`

we also found out through calling the westville facility, that we've got to fill out/turn in paperwork & then be approved before we can go visit him - i called today to let them know that we sent our paperwork yesterday, so they'd be getting it any day [like they really care] - i said, "well, with you getting it any day, when do you think we'll be approved?" - she was very nice & said, well, after i approve you, it'll be about 2 weeks from then to get you 'in the system' - i said, "2 WEEKS, wow, i didn't think it'd take that long!" - she chuckled & said, "well, that's AFTER i approve you, but our approvals are taking between 8-10 weeks & THEN it's another 2 weeks or so after that [so they're saying i can't visit my son for anywhere from 8-12 weeks!!! UGH]

`

on a positive note, he did sound good & let me know he's where he's supposed to be [prison] & that he's taking this time to get where he needs to be with god & for that i'm thankful as that's what i've prayed over him for many years [but this' NOT what i had in mind!!]

`

also, i did find out that you don't have to be approved to write him, just to visit him - saying that, anyone that's willing to write him, you can go ahead & do it anytime - thank you for that too!

`

Westville Correctional Facility

Dustin Wayne Shepler #198634

5501 South 1100 West

Westville, IN 46391

- Dustin -

this was sent to me just now from a good friend of ours - he wasn't sending this to me to get me to panic, but instead to let me know what we're up against...

`

"Hi, Thanks for the info on Dustin. I can't believe they placed him in Westville. That's not a good place for him. I've a buddy of mine from years ago up there & he hates it there. Of course it's not supposed to be a fun place, but I've been there to visit & its a rough place. My cousin who works at Plainfield started his career in the prison system there & said it was one of the worst places he's ever worked. I guess there's a lot of stuff that goes on there that gets people in trouble. I guess the black guys are really rough on the white ones. I don't say this to upset you, but to let you know it's not a nice place & for Dustin to be on the look out. I hope he can get a job & stay away from those guys. I guess they live in like "dorms" so that's good, but I pray God will protect him while he's there. It's such a long drive there. You're correct about being 3 hours away. It's in the middle of no where! Well, now that I've given you the "horrible news", I hope & pray that God will speak to him while he's there. I do know you can take up to $20 in quarters to spend while you are there. You visit in a large room with the rest of the inmates & there's candy, chip & drink machines for purchase. They're very strict on what you can bring in, so check that out too. I'd to get prior approval to visit & have my name added to the visitor list. Make sure he does that ASAP. I know you check in a building & go through metal detectors & then you've to walk outside to the "visitor's" building. I was there in the winter time & it was a cold walk. Hopefully it'll be warmer when you can visit with him. I'll write him & encourage him."

`

i received the information today on dustin & the address to write him - i've mentioned before during all this, that if anyone would like to write him for encouragement, please do so & some of you have...THANK YOU! - right now i'm asking/begging for all those that read this, to PLEASE send him letters of encouragement - i know it was his choice to do what he did, but it was a mistake that he can't take back now - it's something that he's got to live with from now on, but i'm not willing to let him sit there & not be able to talk to anyone or read anything good that's going on in the world, etc. - i'll write him everyday if i have to, but would love it if some of you would do the same - consider him a 'pen pal' if you will & encourage him - you'd want the same for your son/daughter, wouldn't you?

`

for those of that will do this, please email me FIRST at ChatterboxLS@aol.com, giving me your address, so he can add it to his 'mail list' - here's the address of where you can write him - thank you

`

Westville Correctional Facility

Dustin Wayne Shepler #198634

5501 South 1100 West

Westville, IN 46391

karleigh - 2004

ahniér - 2009

well, this will be quick as i'm heading to bed, but wanted to post a couple things

`

yesterday, we got word that dustin was transferred to westville prison - we know nothing about that prison other than it's 3 hours away from us!! - we know that visitation will be on a rotation which means sometimes we'll see him Monday-Friday & other times we'll see him on the weekends, but it'll change all the time [great, i handle change like a trooper these days!] - another thing we know is that there can only be 3 people per visit & there's no exceptions! - that means spike & i'll take brit, but then someone else has to babysit all the other ones! - then 2 weeks later, spike & i'll take kiara & at that point, brit can babysit the others, but the hardest time will be when brit's not available - ahniér, until she walks, can go & not be counted, so we're good there for a bit - we can only go every 2 weeks, but can stay 2 hours, so that'll be good - with summer coming up, that'll help with brit being available for awhile, but i don't even want to think of what it's going to be like when they're all back in school & we've got to coordinate schedules through the week!!!

`

on a good note, i thought today about ahniér turning 6 months in just 5 more days [on the 8th] - it was then i remembered that karleigh came home, just 5 days before she turned 6 months - so, ahniér TODAY'S the same exact age that karleigh was when she arrived home - here's 2 pics of them both [ahniér now & karleigh then]

- Do we have 1 son...or 2? -

alright, here's the deal [as karleigh says all the time] - we, right now have 1 son & 5 daughters, but i'm beginning to wonder if those numbers are a bit backwards - maybe we should be saying, we've 2 sons & 4 daughters, ya think?

`

the reason i'm saying that's because of what you're looking at in the picture above - those are ruby's shoes that she wears to school every day - the girls all have 'good shoes' that they wear whenever we go somewhere, on the weekends, out to dinner. etc. - kiara & karleigh also wear those 'good shoes' to school as well & we've never had trouble at all with them looking bad even though they're wearing them all the time

`

we purchased ruby extra shoes [pictured above] that she ONLY wears to school - she puts them on in the morning & takes them off when she walks in the door after school & wears them no where else - we did this due to her being a bit harder on shoes, clothing, toys, etc. - well, she's had these shoes about 6-8 weeks or so & here's what she came home with last week - i hit the roof & asked her how they got like that - she signed that she plays on the playground & drags her toes to stop the merry-go-round GRRRRRRRRRRRR

`
she's been told that we're not buying her new shoes, but instead she can wear something extra that she has at home - i swear, she's like a tom-boy!!

- Cute Ahniér & Loopy Dad -

well, here's some pics of dad & ahniér today at the hospital - we went up to see him this morning & ahniér's all smiles, but dad was sooooooooo 'out of it' - we were going up tonight, but mom called & said he was going to sleep & talking out of his head again, so we opted not to go up - we'll go tomorrow, but for now...enjoy the pics!

- Prayer please -

i'm asking anyone that will, to pray for my dad tomorrow - he's having knee replacement surgery on one of his knees at about 1:30pm - he'll stay in the hospital for 2-3 days [so i guess you can pray for the nurses as well!] - i told him today that i'll be up at the hospital as much as i can, with my camera in hand, but for him not to think it was for 'him', or for 'moral support' or anything nice like that, but instead, it'll be one for one reason & one reason only.....BLOG MATERIAL!!! - i said that i'll be there for all the embarrassment that i can muster [gowns that open in the back, him loaded on up meds, etc....oh this will be sooo good!] - check back here often over the next couple days & i'll post pics as they come in - oh yeah BTW, thanks for the prayers too!!!

- Lots to share -

first off, if anyone would like to mail dustin, he was moved last week to a processing facility & will be there until they ship him to whatever prison he'll be living at - the address where he's at now is:

`

RDC Dustin Wayne Shepler #198634

737 Moon Road

Plainfield, IN 46168

`

in other news...ahniér's doing fabulous on the potty training end of things - i kid you not, when she's sat up on the toilet, she'll produce something EVERYTIME & it's usually always within about 30 seconds of sitting down [you go girl!!]

`

the highlight of this email's to say...I'M GOING TO HAITI IN 5 WEEKS!!! - some friends of ours, billy & rachel, are adopting 2 children from haiti & since billy doesn't like to fly & didn't really want rachel going alone, they said if i'd go with her, they'd pay my ticket - was that a 'god thing' or what??? - thanks so much to them for the opportunity to be able to go back to the country i love - mom, along with spike & brit will tag team while i'm gone & keep the house running smoothly - i overheard kiara say to karleigh today after they found out i'd be leaving & nana would be here with them, "karleigh, this means we'll get to do all kinds of stuff because nana lets us do whatever we want!!" - to that karleigh said, "well, let's think of all the things we want to do & then we'll tell her what she can do with us!" - nana, you better watch out!! - i'll be leaving on april 1 & returning home april 8 - i absolutely can't wait & will take tons of pics [those that know me are shocked, right?]

`

on a sad note...we were informed yesterday in church that the main church board was firing our senior pastor due to 'sexual misconduct outside the marriage' - it's hit all of us pretty hard as we really liked him & he was a wonderful pastor - i keep hearing that, "god won't give you more than you can handle", but i'm sure thinking we've got to be at that 'more than you can handle part', right?

- Potty training...warning: 'poop' is mentioned -

well, i'm sure i'll get some 'nice' & maybe some 'not so nice' comments on what i'm about to say, but here goes - i didn't set out to start potty training ahniér at 5 months, but here's how it came to be...

`

ahniér absolutely HATES to poop - from the moment her little body feels that poop's a comin', she gets attitude - i talked to the pediatrician about it a couple times & she said there are many children that don't like the whole 'feel' of pooping, so they either resist it all together until such time, that they physically can't resist it any longer - then others rush through the entire process & end up possibly doing some damage

`

ahniér poops only about 1 time every 3 or 4 days & that's WITH prunes, juices, etc. - now you all have seen the pics i post regularly of this smiling baby girl & that's really how she is...all the time...EXCEPT when she starts to poop & then she gets stiff as a board & makes it known to everyone that she does NOT like it at all!

`

what i've been doing was taking off her diaper, laying her down, pulling her knees up towards her chest & then letting her take her time to 'go' - after she'd finished, she'd be fine again for another 3 or 4 days

`

well, 2 days ago, spike was holding her in the chair as i was in the kitchen & she started carrying on - spike said, "well, she's working on a dirty diaper" - without thinking, i just went & got her, stripped her down & noticed she'd not produced anything at that point in her diaper - i took her into the bathroom, sat her on the toilet & started talking really sweet to her & smiling at her...like this :)

`

she looked at me as if to say, "mommy, have you done went off the edge?" [notice the above picture], but then after about 2 minutes SHE POOPED!!!!! - although i was thrilled, i knew she'd no clue what she'd done - the next day, there was a repeat performance, with no poop this time, but it was as if [i know she really didn't understand], but it was almost as if she knew what she was there for because as soon as i sat her up there, she grunted like there was no tomorrow - i ended up letting her try hard for about 2 minutes & then put her in her diaper because i really think she'd have sat there for hours, just 'trying'

`

well, that was 2 days ago & since then this little girl's pee'd EVERYTIME i've sat her on there & i've been timing her & the most i've had to wait's been 1 minute/10 seconds - the past 3 times i've not even had to wait 15 seconds & now when she goes, she just beams from ear to ear - let's put it this way, she's just 5 months [last week] & from 6:30am this morning until midnight [now], she's only had to have 3 diaper changes & they weren't even soaked! :)

`

call me silly, but i'm gonna continue what i'm doing & if it's nothing more than saving a few $$ on diapers, then that's good enough for me - i'll post again to let you all know how it's going, but for now, she's doing great!

- We've our first 'toofie'!!! -

we'd haitian camp this weekend [friday, satuday & sunday] & had a wonderful time [absolutely great!] - ahniér's had a tooth about ready to break through the skin for about a month or so & saturday night, it popped through!! - i didn't know if you could see it from the photo, but it's her lower right [in the circle] - you can rub on it & it'll even scratch you - just thought i'd share!! - BTW, she turned 5 months on the 8th

- I'll never... -

the poem below must have been written just for me with all we're going through - i know others are going through things to0, that to them's just as important, but i'm not them...i'm me - i'm seriously not trying to whine, but feel i'm loosing my mind

`

i'm a mom to 6...dustin's 23/homegrown, brit's17/domestically adopted, kiara's 6/haitian adopted, ruby's 6/haitian adopted,karleigh's 5/haitian adopted & ahniér's 5m/haitian/domestically adopted & we live in indiana

`

dustin was just sentenced a bit over 3 weeks ago, to 2 years in prison, 2 years work release & then 4 years probation for a crime he committed a year ago - he's never, EVER been in trouble & then boom, he does this! - to say we're all 'in shock' would be putting it mildly

`

brit, for the most part is doing fine...for now *wink*

`

kiara was diagnosed with ADHD/sensory integration several months ago - she's suffering majorly with not only changes [we adopted ahniér just before kiara's diagnosis, sold our home & moved into a rental for 4 months while our home was being build, then moved into our new home this past october & then a couple months later, dustin was taken away], but with just learning to cope day to day - she's in her 2nd year of kindergarten & we're seeing now that was the best thing for her - we've chosen at this time to go no meds, but are working on a gluten free diet for her & she's accepting it great

`

ruby's profoundly deaf in both ears & so we're an ASL family now [american sign language] & need to work daily [literally] in increasing our sign language - she's by far the most stubborn in the family & tries to perfect it daily

`

karleigh's right now struggling the most [out of the kids] with her brother being gone - trying to process it all & making sense of what she can - she has meltdowns at least 1 per day & this' a child that never hardly ever throws fits & is about as easy to raise as they come - she's sort of 'getting lost in the shuffle' & i hate that, but feel i'm a one handed octopus trainer & i can't keep everyone 'gathered in' - about the time i feel i've got my arms wrapped around everyone & all they're dealing with, someone starts 'slipping' out of the box i'm trying to keep them in

`

ahniér right now's just a smilin' fool :)

`

spike & i are working together nicely on making sure things get done, but i feel like it's a loosing battle right now & everyone's suffering - we've had some people make comments in the past in reference to kiara & her ADHD - they think we 'give in' to her too much, that we should 'lower the boom', so to speak & make her do things exactly as we do the other girls - we're not giving in, in our minds, but to keep peace & keep the large household running smoothly [not smoothly, but maybe a bit 'less bumpy'], we pick our battles - we've got so many obstacles in front of us, i'm just tired & tired's putting it mildly - i could go on & on from here [note: that's how i got my screen name], but i won't for your sake - i'm just saying all that [above] to say, this poem's for me if for no one else [thanks rebekah!]

`

A PARENTS POEM

[taken from my friend rebekah's blog]

`

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray my sanity to keep.

For if some peace I do not find,

I'm pretty sure I'll lose my mind.

`

I pray I find a little quiet,

Far from the daily family riot.

May I lie back--not have to think,

about what they're stuffing down the sink.

`

Or who they're with, or where they're at.

and what they're doing to the cat.

I pray for time all to myself,

(did something just fall off a shelf?)

`

To cuddle in my nice, soft bed,

(Oh no, another goldfish--dead!)

Some silent moments for goodness sake,

(Did I just hear a window break?)

`

And that I need not cook or clean,

(well heck, I've got the right to dream.)

Yes now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray my wits about me keep.

`

But as I look around I know,

I must have lost them long ago!

`

Author Unknown

- Thanks Kiara!! -

today, kiara came to me & as she was smiling, said, "mommy, i just started the dishwasher for you!" - i said, "the dishwasher??" - she said, "ummm, yeah?" - i asked, "what are you talking about?" - she then took me into the laundry room & showed me that the washer was going - i said, "YOU DID THAT?" - beaming, she said, "YES" - i then opened it to find a load of whites that were almost completely finished, but they were still dirty - i said, "did you put soap in?" [because they watch me every time i do laundry & always 'show' me where to put it] - she said, "ahhh man, i knew i forgot something!" [whew!!, i'd much rather have to run them all back through, than clean up a mess that a 6y old made with laundry soap...that gives me the chills just thinkin' about it!]

`

above's the picture of our 2 laundry hampers [whites go on the left & colors go on the right] - as you can see, the colors are mounded & overflowing, where the whites are empty - i said, "kiara, since there wasn't very many whites in the hamper & you could see the colors were overflowing, what made you choose whites???" - she smiled HUGE & said, "because mom, i just wanted to help a little tiny bit...not a LOT!" - oh great, she's already starting the teens years!!!

- Padded cell...here I come! -

well, i messed up again!! - as some of you might remember, i blogged here about forgetting karleigh at school one day - well, last night ahniér wasn't sleeping well as she was all congested, so i was up with her until about 4am - i then slept for 2 hours & got up at 6 to get ruby ready for school - after that, i got kiara ready & then it was karleigh's turn

`

spike said he'd take karleigh to school for me as he knew the night i'd had & he'd to run errands anyhow & to that i replied, "YEAH!" - he called later & said, "lori, i dropped karleigh off at school & now i'm out & about getting all my things done, but we've got a problem" - [i thought...a problem? - yeah, i'm handling those great these days, so bring it on] - i asked, "what problem?" [praying it'd be an easy fix] - he said, well, karleigh's school just called & i'm on my way back to pick her up" - i couldn't imagine why as she's pretty much over her sickness that we've all been dealing with, so i wasn't thinking that'd be the problem & then he told me what it was..... "TODAY'S THURSDAY & SHE DOESN'T GO ON THURSDAYS!!"

`

ooops, sorry karleigh, i thought today was wednesday - man, i've gotta get this stuff straight or i'll be heading to a padded cell before long!

- Dustin's change of address -

i posted here the other day, asking people to please write to dustin for encouragement - i wanted to share that they did move him to another cell, so make note of the new address change - he's still at the same facility, but in cell 408 instead of 404 - thanks!

`

Dustin Wayne Shepler #55798 D-block 408

c/o Hamilton County Jail

18102 Cumberland Road

Noblesville, IN 46060

`

- Ahniér doing what she does best...SMILING! -

here's some recent pics i've taken, that are in my opinion...absolutely ADORABLE!! - enjoy!

[she'll be 5 months old this sunday the 8th...can you believe it!!]

- Happy Gotcha Day, Madisyn!! -

february 4, 2008 january 31, 2009gosh, i can't believe it's been 1 year today, since madisyn arrived home - her adoption took 10 months/19 days from the day her dossier arrived in haiti, until the day she left that country - here's a couple pictures of her - the first is the day she arrived here & the other was taken last weekend - she fits into our family perfectly as she's got 'sass', that's for sure - she's got a quick comeback for any 'slam' you might throw her & loves to joke around - she's big on jumping out to scare you when you're walking through a dark room, but takes it well, if you do the same to her - she's always teasing with me, but i've a hard time with that, as i'm not a joking person for the most part [hehe] - she's a great sister to have around & i'm able to see her about every other day [yeah] - anyhow, welcome home madisyn & hope you have a great 'gotcha day'!!

- I miss my best friend -

yes, there ya have it - i miss my best friend sooooo much! - with all that's going on around here with dustin [well, life in general], i've not been the friend that i should've been - i know her well enough to know that she's not offended or anything like that, but i just want her to know she's missed...A LOT - i miss the long chats we have on the phone - i miss the, "you'll never in a million years guess what my son did today" stories [thanks noah, you make my life fun!] - i miss the 'pep talks' she's given to me so many times in the past as they help so much - for now, i'll have to share with the world that i miss my best friend angela, so would some of you run over to her blog & let her know!! - you can find her HERE! - love ya ang & thanks for being my friend

- Listen to these girls sing!

- Phylis & 'ipod girl' -

here's the walmart scene today...

`

i went alone to purchase groceries today & there were no less than 7000 people there & i'll bet 5000 of them brought screaming kids with them - [keep in mind i'd a migraine...yep, fun time for me!]

`

i was motoring along & just as i turned to walk up the cereal isle, i stopped to grab a bag of cereal - there was a lady [phylis] in front of me with her teen daughter that had earbuds in listening to her ipod [aka 'ipod girl'] - as i was stopped, they also stopped & phylis must have forgotten something as she came all the way back, behind me...leaving ipod girl & the cart in front of me - i was in noooooooo hurry at all [keep in mind i was 'alone', thus...noooooooo hurry]

`

i'd thought about passing ipod girl on the left, but a family was coming from that direction & being i was in no hurry, i thought i'd wait - it was at this time, ipod girl saw me & grabbed her cart & drug it over in to the other side of the isle, so i could pass easier - i thanked her, but was thinking, "girl, you didn't need to do that as i'm in noooooooo hurry" - she smiled & i went on, but then i hear someone screaming [yes, SCREAMING], "what the 'F' do you think you're doing lady??" - i turned around & phylis was talking to me!! - i said, "EXCUSE ME?" [with a jerkin' of my head...& yes ang, you'd have been proud!] - so she repeated it again, just as loud [thanks phylis!] - silence fell in the cereal isle & all eyes were on us

`

she said, "YOU MADE MY DAUGHTER DRAG OUR FULL CART ALL THE WAY OVER HERE [pointing where the cart sat] & YOU'D PLENTY OF ROOM TO GO AROUND ON THIS SIDE!!" - i waited until after she was completely done, so i could be assured i'd be heard *wink*

`

"well, for your information ma'am... your daughter was being very polite in even thinking of moving YOUR cart out of the way of where YOU left it - she saw that YOUR cart was blocking everyone else from getting through & she was being very helpful & moving YOUR cart & to that i say, 'thank you' [as i'm looking at ipod girl]

`

furthermore, i didn't ASK her to move anything for me as i'm in NOOOOOOOO hurry & was doing just fine waiting on YOU to move YOUR OWN cart from in the middle of the isle - i could've gone around YOUR cart where YOU left it, but there were other people coming & i didn't want to get in their way since i was in NOOOOOOOO hurry, i was just standing there - it was at that time your daughter saw me & tried to help

`

she didn't say anything, but instead got her cart & stormed off - grrr, i was so angry with her behavior & was thanking god i didn't have any of my little ones with me to hear her language - UGH...some people!