so saturday is the day ...

This very Saturday, this coming Saturday, I will ...

meet my daughter's boyfriend
meet my daughter's soon-to-be fiance (yes, same person)
see my daughter's workplace
see my daughter's living quarters
eat at the restaurant that she eats at daily
eat at the restaurant that she can never eat at (but I can)
order drinks at the bar that she hangs out in (her bf is the head bartender)

and just, in general, enjoy all that Honolulu has to offer ... aboard a big ship.

Sunday we'll head to Maui and start the process all over again.
Monday we'll disembark and try out the "Road to Hana".  I've always wanted to do that.
Tuesday we'll head to the Big Island and see if it's still there.  There's been a volcano erupting, I hear.
Wednesday we'll change positions on that Big Ol' Island, provided it's still there.
Thursday we'll head to Kauai and take in a Luau.  The pig is already trying to escape ...
And on Saturday, back we go to Honolulu for an extra day. 

It's a whirlwind and I'm very nervous.  Yes, I am.  And I don't know why.

Maybe it's because of Rick and his pain problems.  Or his cognitive problems.  Or all of his problems in general.  Maybe I'm the problem.  Most likely ...

Maybe it's because I was just in Honolulu in October ... and it weren't real pretty.  Maybe it's because I don't like ships.  Or harbors.  Or flying.  Or travelling.  Or vacationing.

Odd.  I used to live on a cruise ship.  I grew up around harbors.  I used to be a flight attendant.  I used to be a travel agent.

Hmmmm.  Maybe I just drank too much caffeine this morning.

prince charming

In exactly 23 days, I'll meet my future son-in-law.

I've never actually wondered about this day; where it would take place, when that day would be ... but I've always wondered what he would be like and how he would fit with Elizabeth.

This is what I pictured:

Medium build, medium height.  Medium to dark brown hair.  Young, but a couple of years older than Elizabeth.  A degree (or close to it) in some sort of something that would lead to a regular ol' office job, even though she desperately wanted someone who knew Hollywood inside and out.

And trim.  I pictured someone wearing jeans (niceish jeans) and a dark polo shirt.  His version of dressed up.  Yes, I was not hoping for a GQ man; not a magazine-pretty man.  My guy for her has some dirt on his hands, but not too much.

He also can wrangle her down.  She can be headstrong, but he could calm her with his gentleness and kindness.

She has a cat ... but he doesn't care for cats ... but would put up with hers for the sake of their marriage.

In exactly 23 days, I'll be meeting a man that fits absolutely ...

NONE OF THAT.

Yep, I'm a good guesser.  Not.

Mr. Benjamin Lee Adams has won Elizabeth's heart and, may I add, mine.  Rick is still working on opening his up to Ben ... but she and I both know he will.

Mr. Adams is purt near the opposite of everything listed above.

He's not a medium build, he's fit as a fiddle.  Not medium height, he's STINKIN' TALL.  Try 6'5" on for size.  And please note, Elizabeth is a whoppin' 5'2".  Hooo doggy.  He's a tall drink of water.  And, I mentioned fit as a fiddle ... I'm told he works out everyday.  She likes to, too ... but hers is mostly for show.  His seems real.

I imagine he does wear jeans and a dark polo shirt, but I ain't seen it yet.  So far, I've only seen a work uniform.  That's right, he wears a work uniform, as does she.  They work at the same company.  On the same ship, actually.  Fortunately they're in the same state.

Is he a couple of years older than Elizabeth?  Nope.  Try 19.  Okay, 18 1/2.  She's about to have a birthday and he just had one.  So, uh, closer to 19.

He doesn't work in an office ... he's the head bartender on their ship.  She likes that.  I hope she doesn't like that too much.  I'll judge that when I meet him.

He hasn't mentioned cats yet ... but he does like dogs.  I plan to offer him ours.  And Elizabeth's cat, you know, to break him in.

Most importantly, HE CAN WRANGLE ELIZABETH.   We've always prayed for a nice young man to enter Elizabeth's life to take care of her and watch over her.  He has assured me (via telephone) that he's up for that job.

I don't know much else to say until I meet him ... but I do have this video that I like.  It shows a side of both of them that puts my heart at ease.  She gets goofy/giddy and he wrangles her back into line.  Yea Ben!

So, in 23 days I'll have more to report.  For now, you can see for yourself what I'll be meeting!

She's a short drink of water.

Hey, there's a blue polo!

*

And ... here's the video!

.

because i'm crazy ...

I just decided that I won't have enough granite in my upcoming new house.

I will have it in all but one bathroom, and of course, it will be in the kitchen.  But I began to feel that the dining room and the family room would feel left out ... so I just signed away to have granite put there, too.

Hey, it's only money.    Sure hope my house sells.

And because I'm crazy, I decided to have a garage sale this weekend.  It's supposed to rain.  Strike that, it's supposed to STORM! 

And because I'm crazy, I just signed up to be a hippo in a game at my school.



Never mind that my back is out currently.  Never mind that I'm risking it to go back out during this game (assuming it ever comes back in.)  And never mind that I'm NOT 21 anymore.  Nor 31, 41 or even 51.  Never mind that I'm crazy.

By the way, those fools on the floor grabbing balls?  Those are the hippos.  The very thing I signed up to be.

Sure hope my house sells.

But speaking of really, really crazy ... I reorganized my garage last night.  (Gee, I wonder why my back is out!)  Stuff I'm keeping over here ... stuff for said garage sale over there ... and stuff that I'm hiding from Rick goes under here.

Know what Rick said when he noticed?  "Hey, I like what you've done with the garage!"  Um, all I did was push stuff to one side, push the other stuff to the other side and remove a car.  Pushing that car out was a killer. 

There's now room for us to play "Hungry Hippos" in our very own garage.  Wanna play?  Yeah, me neither.  What if I put some granite in there?

.

aloha oy

We'z headin' back to the land of sunshine and industry.  Yep, Hawaii.  It just ain't what it used to be and it just ain't paradise.  It IS industrious, though.  But nope, nothing paradis-y about it no more.  But we're going.  And this time we'll get to actually set foot on Elizabeth's ship.  We didn't do that last time (in October) when we went to surprise her ... and when I went to celebrate turning ... turning ... well, turning THAT number.  Still can't say it.  Let's just say I'm old.

So, we'll take her cruise, watch her work and then head back to the mainland, as the islanders call it.

We'll disembark on a Saturday and oops, couldn't get a flight back until the next day.  Dang.  Have to stay one more day in Paradise ... even though it ain't Paradise.  But it really is.  And day on vacation is paradise to me.

And since we just had to stay one more day ... I had to get a hotel room for said Saturday night.

After studying prices and location and proximity to the beach, I picked out a Marriott, cuz, let's face it, I do Marriotts and Hiltons.  Occasionally I'll even do a Sheraton.  But this time?  It was a Marriott.

I scoured and poured over all of the hotel photos and was surprised to learn a few facts about my beloved little Marriott.  Maybe even about Honolulu in general.

The hotel I picked has a lovely ocean view.  I can only hope that my room gets to share in some of that view ... but what the heck.  If not, I can force myself to go downstairs and see it in person.

But that's not what I really noticed.

*

I noticed this ...

The lobby.

The empty, empty lobby.

What?  Does no one work here?

*

Apparently no one works here, either.

And not only that, there's no PEOPLE milling around.  Where are all the people???

*

No one here ...

*

No one here ...

*

and

No one here!  Not a soul eating or drinking.

Have I landed on Mars?

*

Heading on over to the convention/banquet rooms, I see this ...

NO ONE conventioning nor banqueting!

What the heck?

*

More 'no peopleing'.

At least this room has tables, though, in case, you know, I may want to sit down.  Not sure who'll wait on me, though.

*

Heading back outside to see if the view is still there ... and I decide that THIS won't be my view.  It just won't.  With the kind of luck I have ...

*

THIS will be my view.

*

See?  Here's my room.  You can see my awesome view through the window.

And look!

More no peoples.

No one sleeps at this hotel!

*

Good grief.  I was right.  It ain't Paradise and no one wants to come here anymore.

I'd complain ... but there ain't no one here to listen.

.

if a tree falls ...

Nope, didn't hear it.

But I did try out my gardening skills over the weekend. 

Rick has been wanting to trim up the front bushes for many, many moons.  I kept telling him (mostly as a way to simply 'put him off') that if he'd wait until December, the bushes would pretty much cut themselves.  Trees and bushes in Texas ... in the wintertime ... do not flourish.  They do not green and they do not pretty.  They pretty much brown and they pretty much 'stick'.  Yep, we've got nothing but brown sticks in our front yard.

Guess what I learned, though?  Brown sticks are had to cut.  I'm assuming that green ones are, too ... and maybe I'm wrong ... but I've sure got a lot of bumps and bruises and cuts and scrapes and OH, MY ACHING ARMS! to prove that brown sticks ain't easy to cut.  So much for my brilliant idea to have Rick wait until December to cut the bushes back.  So much for Rick's brilliant idea to schedule surgery in December/January and NOT be able to do it .... but be able to remind me of how easy I said it would be in December.

Well, this is January and it was not easy.

But I did it.  And there is a freakin' bloodbath in my front yard.  Well, a 'sap bath'.  There are sticks and trigs and branches and bushes strewn everywhere.  No one told me that I'd have to pick all of that debris up afterwards ...

Know what the bright side is, though?  The pizza man can find us now.  Our address on the front wall of the house is no longer blocked. 

Now ... if I could just lift my arm up high enough for the pizza to actually reach my mouth.

.

stop the counting ...

As Rick is turning 64 and I'm whining about not having any money next year ... dear, sweet Lauren ... well, read this:

I bought this ornament for Lauren when she was born. I loved the sweet cherub sleeping on the moon and the little angel wings. Today our dear girl put those wings on and flew home to her Father.

My heart is heavy and hurting.

Lauren is at peace.  And suddenly no amount of money even matters.

Thanks for listening.

You can read a bit of Lauren's story here and see her beautiful face.

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not big on this stuff ...

... but just sorta felt like doing one today. I think it's been that kind of a week. Just humor me for a bit; I do have a plan here. And a direction. And a plan for a direction. Directing a plan? Oh, just go with it.

1. Do you like Blue cheese dressing? yup

2. Have you ever smoked cigarettes? pleading the 5th

3. Do you own a gun? nope

4. What flavor Kool-Aid was your favorite? good ol' cherry

5. Do you get nervous before dr appts? finally, no; had many a nervous moment before, though.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Well, have you ever had a puka dog? They're the best! Found only on Oahu in Hawaii and I'd give anything if they were here on the "mainland". That's hula talk for the rest of the United States. Know what else? Once I had to have a hot dog and I jumped in the car and drove to my favorite hot dog stand ... that was suddenly out of business. I then drove AN HOUR to another stand that I knew about. ALSO OUT OF BUSINESS. I drove home defeated ... and refused to go to a gas station or store to get one ... all because I didn't want to get out of my car. Dork.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Well, it's NOT "White Christmas". Rick always makes me watch that and I hate it. My favorite Christmas movie is called, "In The Good Ol' Summertime." No, seriously. Stupid movie takes place at Christmas time!

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? chocolate milk ............ because I'm five?

9. Can you do push-ups? the girly-kind, yes. I can do about 15. Remind me to take those up again.

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? my mother's diamond ring .... Sorry Rick.

11. Favorite hobby? games on my computer. I really need to get a life.

12. Do you have A.D.D.? my daughter would say yes. I'd say no ... but can we go shopping now?

13. Do you wear glasses? yep and I've just realized that I've been wearing them full-time now. Ugh.

14. Who was your childhood idol? David Cassidy. Have you seen him lately? Good think I didn't marry him. I'd still marry Donny Osmond, though. He's aged pretty well. Seriously. I wonder if he'd divorce his wife for me. Sorry again, Rick.

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? Wishing 4:00 would hurry so I could go home and start my Thanksgiving week off. Wishing I could go back to Idaho. I really like my new condo. AND ... I Love Lucy is playing on my computer. Wishing I could be sitting in front of my TV watching it instead of just listening to it.

16. Name 2 or 3 drinks you regularly drink? diet coke, water (FINALLY I'VE DISCOVERED WATER!!) and chocolate milk.

17. Current worry? same ol' worry ... money.

18. Current hate right now. how blind the world is; they may not like the new president but they aren't making it any better standing out there protesting.

19. Favorite place to be? Two places - H O M E and I D A H O!! Who knew that one day I'd call Idaho a favorite place to be... OR THAT I'D EVER EVEN GO TO IDAHO!!

20. How did you bring in the New Years? last year? Yikes, I think we were both sick. New Year's Resolution ... DON'T BE SICK ON New Year's Eve!!

21. Where would you like to go? hawaii. ALWAYS the place I'd like to go to.

22. Who will respond to this? Um ... I don't have any friends ...

23. Do you own slippers? yep, 'cuz I'm old.

24. What color shirt are you wearing? white, 'cuz I'm boring.

25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? no ma'am. Get 'em off!

26. Can you whistle? yep. I don't take no prizes, though.

27. Where are you now? at work. workin' away. SHUT UP.

28. Would you be a pirate? only in a play. and only if people would respect me like ol' Johnny Depp.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? ooh, I haven't done that in awhile. Note to self: take up singing again ... even in the shower.

30. Favorite Girl's Name? used to be Katy, used to be Elaine, used to be Nancy. Currently it's HOLLAND.

31. Favorite boy's name? it has ALWAYS been Christopher. Elizabeth would've been named Matthew, though, because Rick wouldn't let me have a namesake ... like my name was Christopher ... jeesh. Probably because she was a girl, too. Just sayin'...

32. What's in your pocket right now? probably a bobby pin. I'm always finding those in there. 'cuz I'm old.

33. Last thing that made you laugh? a cat drawing a turkey around its paw. Still makes me smile.

34. What vehicle do you drive? a car. Okay, a Nissan Rogue. But I also drive a Toyota Rav4 ... when my husband's not looking.

35. Worst injury you've ever had? BACK PAIN. I've injured a few things before but none have ever hurt as much as my stupid back when I've done something stupid ... like cough.

36. How many TVs do you have in your house? only five ... and that's pretty darn good for us!

Okay, I'm done. You can all go back to work now.

;)

.

lauren

This may be hard to see ... but I feel compelled to post it.  

Meet Lauren.

I have never, ever had the chance to speak with nor understand how a person feels when they know they're going to die.  I've watched my best friend Nancy actually pass away ... and I spoke to each of my parents before they passed ... and with my brother, too.  But none of them knew they would be leaving the earth that soon.  Nancy was definitely dying but she was unaware.  And we worked hard to keep her unknowing.  We felt it was better that way.  I mean, why spread bad news?

But Lauren?  She knows.  And she shares her feelings here quite well.

The disease she has is  Ewing's Sarcoma

Might I add that she's only 16 years old.

Again, I just had to post this ... and reread it and reread it myself.

.

.

still bummin'

 I wasn't the only one at the beach that day.  There were others ...

And some of them even brought friends.

These two don't seem to be speaking to each other.  I'm guessing their vacation isn't going so well.

I got to visit my birthplace on this trip, too.

Well, I wasn't born at a state university ...

... nor in a car.

But I was born in Long Beach.  Or so I'm told.

And while in Long Beach, I visited my friend Katie.  She was born in Long Beach, too.  We were even born in the same hospital.  Just not at the same time.  Although I don't know that for sure, I'm just going by what I was told.

Katie and I met at a funeral.  Who knew that a funeral could bring people together.  Usually it's just the opposite.

And speaking of funerals ... I didn't go to one, but the next day I thought I'd be planning one.  

Mine.

Ever ridden on a train?

.

cray cray

Before we go all chaotic and everything, I wanted to pin up just one more photo of ol' DLand.

This will always be one of my favorite spots in the Magic Kingdom.

Not.

This spot is infamous.  

I got lost here when I was five years old ... and a mean old lady found me, but threw my ice cream into this here lake.  I didn't mind being found, but seriously?  Take away a poor little crying kid's ice cream???  Never mind that it was running down my arm.

On this particular day, (not the day that I was lost and gone forever) a little ducky was just-a swimming by.  

I'll bet he ate my ice cream.

No, really.  He looks pretty guilty to me.

Of course, that would make him like 53 years old now.

Not that I'm 58.  It would just make him 53.  'Cause I said so.

See this girl here?  She scolded me for getting on my phone in her presence.  I'm thinking about scolding her for the same reason.  

Nah, she'd come up with some dumb excuse.

I know I did.

And so ends a nice little day at Disneyland.  Well, for Elizabeth, anyway.  While she went to work, I stayed on and on and on and on and on and darn near walked my little feet off.

I figured I could lose fifty or so pounds before the chaos hit.

I didn't.  And the chaos hit anyway.

Stay tuned.

.

if it's monday, it must be the swiss alps ...

I found myself in the Swiss Alps on Monday.  

I forgot my lederhosen, though.  Darn.  It was so cold, too.

Just kidding.  I left 100 degree weather and came to 100 degree weather.  What's up with that?

Look at this cute little spot.  It used to be the Motorboat ride at Disneyland.  It's now just a bunch of table and chairs and people and water.  The boats ain't there no more, though.

Know what famous thing happened here?  No, no one stole my ice cream ... but someone did try to steal me, though.  I remember it OH SO CLEARLY.  I was either five or six years old, maybe seven.  Maybe four.  And a man approached me and tried to get me to go on that Motor Boat ride with him.  Like I was gonna just jump right on with him.  He was so stupid, he asked me.  He asked me!!  Um, I answered his question quickly with a big, fat NO.  Actually, the truth is, I didn't answer at all.  I just ran to my parents that I had somehow lagged behind.

You should've seen my dad.  I thought he was gonna kill the man.   

Come to think of it, I haven't seen that man since.  Maybe he did kill him.

And, in my honor, the Motor Boats are no longer there.

Yep.

I eventually grew up and became a wench.

I got locked in a jail once.  Stupid dog wouldn't bring me the key.

I whistled to him ... but he wouldn't budge.

And so ends my Monday.

It was exciting.  Elizabeth had to work so I visited her on the Splash Mountain ride once or twice.  I hate that long drop.   I hate Splash Mountain.  Know what I did that I hated, too?  While Elizabeth worked, I walked around Disneyland and California Adventure ... for quite a few hours.

Know how my feet felt?  Not so good.

Know what I did the next day?

Something that required that I shouldn't have walked around two and 1/2 amusement parks the day before.

Ugh.

.

dinner anyone?

Heading to my reunion, I got to experience California traffic first hand.    No thanks.

And here's the funny picture I promised you ...

$120 big ones for this meal.

I'm still laughing about it.

Not.

Here's a funny one, too:

Okay, so my name's not Larry Wade ... buy my nametag looked pretty darn similar to ol' Larry's.  

$120 got us a name badge that didn't even have our names on them!!!

Look!!

It says right there that we got Name Badges.  

Okay, okay.  I got a name badge.  So did Larry Wade.  But, uh, WHERE'S MY PICTURE???

It seems that that wasn't all that was incorrect.

If you'll notice ... the year that we graduated high school is incorrect, too.  We had to handwrite our year on the badge.  

And ol' Bill can't even write real goods.

Larry looks a little ticked, too.

By the way, WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

I'm not sure they went to high school with me.

Maybe I was at the wrong reunion.  Yeah, that's it.

Maybe I didn't even go to high school.

That's more like it.

These gals I liked.  One I even knew.  Not well, but hey.  A familiar face is a familiar face.

See the girl on the right?  She was a "grasser".  I was scared of grassers when I was in high school.  They ... sat on the grass.  And they cut class.  And did all kinds of evil things in high school.

Know what I've learned now that I'm older?  I've learned that you can actually talk to grassers and they even answer back!  I simply said ... because I'm not afraid of them anymore ... "So, uh, what did you do up there on the grass?"

Know what they did?  You'll be shocked.

They smoked cigarettes.

Pretty darn tame by today's standards.  Back then, that scared me to death.

Leah, the grasser on the right, said she even cut class once.

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH.

Here's what I did on the way home ...

Same thing.  

'Cept I was dreaming about this:

It was so delicious.

.

stepping back in time (step in time, step in time...)

I have returned.  And I have never been so glad to be back home!!  You don't know how HARD that dang train trip was!!  Well, maybe you do... but either way, I can cross that off my bucket list.  You know something?  Bucket lists are not all they're cracked up to be.

I want to head back in time and show you some of my reunion photos, because you just won't believe them.  But sadly, I got sick.  Not sure if it's train food, California food, heat, travel, stress of a train trip, stress of heading back to work after a summer break ... or if I simply just got sick.  But photos will have to wait a day.

So, am I glad to be home?  You're going to say yes, due to that first line up there.  But you know what?  Life is hard here, too.  Mister Rick has gotten sick, too.

Life is just so fun right now.  Did I mention that I returned to work today?  There is no rest for the weary.  The wicked?  However that phrase goes.

So, we'll start here.  I flew into Burbank on Friday night.  Friday July 29th.  I thought I had a ride to my daughter's apartment ... but little did I know, she thought that since I hadn't confirmed it with her, that I was renting my own car and she wasn't needed.  Um, sure, Liz.  Sure.  Fortunately she just happened to show up AT the airport to say hello to me.  Good grief.

I stayed at Elizabeth's apartment with her 83 year old roommate.  I just didn't have it in me to drive to my hotel, some 60 miles away.  We sweet-talked and sweet-talked and sung and danced ... and got the hotel to waive their fee to me for the first night.  We won.  But you know how we won?  We had to give up our second night at the hotel, too.  That made ABSOLUTELY no sense to me.  If you needed the room, WHY did you originally book it to me?  Then what made you give it away?  Technically I was IN that room for the second night!!  (And the third, fourth, fifth and sixth.)  (And seventh.  Lost count there.)

But alas, I stayed with Elizabeth for the first two nights.  And saved myself over $250.  Yea, me!

And on the second night?  I went to my reunion.  It was supposed to be my 40th ... but it was technically my 41st.  My actual class had zero spirit and no one would put it together.  I offered, but they thought they had a better idea ... just combine it with the class right behind us!  WRONG.  What a bad, bad, bad idea.

Anyway ... stay tuned.  I promise not to bombard you with photos.  Just one or two.  One in particular.  You won't believe it.

.

if this is wednesday, it must be california ...

Arrived in CA a week ago and have darn near lived an entire lifetime in just five short days.  Unfortunately my iPad won't allow me to post any pictures but I can share some of the details with you.  Are you ready?

On Saturday, I went to my 40th high school class reunion.  Actually it was my 41st ... my class had no spirit and never could get their act together.  Soooo, the class after ours graciously invited my class to join theirs.  Guess what I learned?  The class after ours sucked at getting their act together, too.  FIVE whole people attended from my year. Not a whole lot more attended from the prior year. So ... said high school reunion was a bust. I did meet some nice people, though. Too bad I never ever saw them in high school ... I wonder if they even went to my high school ... wait, maybe I never attended my high school.  Well, maybe I never went to that high school.  Oy vey.

Photos will follow ... If I ever escape this train!

counting down

We're four days away from my next adventure ... I'm heading to California for what was going to be just a simple class reunion.  Simple class reunion trip has now turned into massive chores, massive responsibilities and, of course, massive fun.

Massive responsibility because I'll be filming another "Long Lost Family" episode and meeting another long, lost sister.

Massive chores because I need new clothes and new hair for the show. And believe me, I'm already nervous about those two things.

And massive fun because I'm seeing my long, lost brother, whom I like very much.

Massive chores because the hotel room I booked is way too expensive and I'm desperately trying to find another one.

Massive fun because I'm taking a train trip home from California ...

... and massive chores because I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO TAKE THE TRAIN!!

I'm terrified I'm going to be bored silly on the train trip (it's TWO FULL DAYS LONG!) so I'm crazily buying books, cards, notepads and snacks for this adventure.

And I'm busy worrying about my suitcases and how I'll access them while on the train.

I'm a NERVOUS WRECK!

And massive fun because ... well, I don't see anything fun about this trip at all, yet.

Oh, wait. I am going to Disneyland on one of the days.

Great. More chores. Gotta look good there, too.

Mouse ears.

I've got it. One pair of black mouse ears and I'm all set. They'll look good on the TV show and I KNOW they'll look good at the reunion.  Too bad they'll look ridiculous on a 58 year old woman at Disneyland ...

here we go!

So .... drama.

What do you do when you find your biological mother and biological sister and the circumstances surrounding them and your relationship to them isn't so great?  You realize it doesn't matter.

What does matter though, is the circumstances surrounding your biological father's past.  He's got quite a history and quite a story.  I'll never meet him because he's already passed on ... but wow, oh wow.  What a tale.

Of course, you know most of it.   Bank robber, career criminal, kidnapper, rapist, thief, money launderer, etc.  A real upstanding guy.  But none of that compares to the chaos that came home to us recently.

Apparently ... dear ol' dad had a wife.  Or two.  And he remained married to one of them for many, many years.  And they had a daughter.  This was all AFTER the kidnapping.

But let's take a peek at things BEFORE the kidnapping.  There was another wife.  And that wife had a daughter with dear ol' dad.

And THAT WIFE, that woman, that confidant ... was a friend of my biological mom.  A friend!!  A confidant!  And yet, she didn't stop the kidnapping.  SHE LET IT HAPPEN.

And that daughter of hers and "dad's"?  THAT FRIEND is claiming that THAT DAUGHTER is not related to me.  Implying that MY DAD is someone else.  Implying that THERE'S ANOTHER MAN IN THE PICTURE.

But I know there isn't.

And THAT FRIEND is still alive and causing/stirring up trouble.

See?  There's always drama.  In every family.

And you know what else?

I win.

I won.

I continue to win.

I've got the best mom/sister/brother ever.

So there.

;)

a week away ...

... and I'm already starting to lose sleep again.   Great.

In trying not to think about it, my daughter sent me this text series from a friend of hers.

Meet Spenser.  I taught Sunday school to him many moons ago.  MANY moons ago.  But I am proud of who he became, turned out to be, is.

Enjoy!

Pardon the swear word.  I left it in for effect.

;)

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