nothing like seeing an old flame....

Ok, I tried to embed the video, but could not get it figured out, so check out this link...oh, and if you know how to post the video directly to a blog....PLEASE, PLEASE let me know so I don't remain completely computer illiterate.

http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0308/504724_video.html?ref=newsstory

Anyway, the girls dad is a guy I went out with just as I was turning 16. He was 19 had a FULL head of hair and was sweet in a technical kind of way. After a couple weeks, he let me know that he wanted to date this other girl so I said fine...I feel bad looking back on it now, because I had only gone after him because a different girl I knew said she thought he had a cute butt....actually, the word she used was "suave".. hehe.

He was a nice guy, but I had just entered the world of boys and had much exploring to do...we really did not click in that way. We had been friends for a while before seeing each other and I regret that hanging out "in the bf/gf" way, caused that to end.

Ah well....

I do hope that all goes well for him and he beats his cancer. If he ever sees this, I want to let him know that his daughter is adorable and very sweet hearted and looks just like who I assume her mother to be.

So anyway, hubby and I were watching the news..not paying much attention..when I looked up and saw him talking with his daughter in the interview. Well, hubby and I got into a LOOOOONG conversation about our past flames. It was an enlightening conversation and one that can only be had with a LOT of good humor. I learned things that I do believe I never really wanted to know...haha. I would not advise having this type of conversation unless the relationship is solid and as I said before, both members have a dose of good humor...

So, I said all that to say, saw an old friend on the news, turned into an hour long conversation that was funny, but I NEVER want to have again....I still believe my hubby was a lonely and despondent...not to mention celibate...man before I swooped into his life to save him from himself....right?

Got my refund!!!!

Let me just say Phew....

I just e-filed a week ago and let me say, it is well worth not procrastinating and getting those taxes in early when expecting a refund. I can't BELIEVE how fast I got it back!!

It was a decent refund, but I owed some back taxes, so that took a good chunk and I owe property taxes, so that took another chunk, but at least these along with a few other bills are taken care of and I don't have to worry about them anymore.

I actually had enough left over to buy my family and my sis's family all steak...we grilled them ourselves and when I say "we" I mean hubby, they were sooooooooooooooooo tasty! The only thing is...he wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy over-bought on the steaks, so we have had steak every night and will continue for the next few days...lol.

Anywho...this was just a quick post so I didnt feel like my non-readers were being neglected.

Oh, I have something REALLY funny to post later, so check back probably Monday evening!!

Went to court today...

Ok, it is a looooooooooong story to tell, and I am not sure I will give all the details, but I will give you the basic idea.

My brother met a girl.

This girl is nice, but she has some mental problems.

For the most part, you can't really tell she has problems. I mean, she isn't a raving lunatic or anything, but she does have some diagnosed issues that she will always have to deal with.

Due to these problems, some bad choices and friends/family who turned on her, and turned her in to DHS, she had lost custody of two children ( both at different times ).

Now, my brother loved her and thought that he could "fix" her. They got pregnant and had an adorable baby girl.

Sadly, because she had 2 children already in custody, DHS automatically took custody of this baby, making 3 children she now has in DHS custody.

I am not saying that she does or does not deserve to have her children, but I am saying my brother has a God-given right to prove himself as a father...the same as any other parent who ever has children.

Unfortunately, DHS decided that because he dated her, he is not fit to be a father and has no rights to his child.

Ok, a little background on what has happened so far....

My mother immediately requested to be a foster parent to her new granddaughter. DHS dragged their feet because the baby had been placed with the same foster mother as the girlfriends second child. This foster mother is old enough to be the grandmother of these babies...not that makes a major difference, but if they are going to be with a grandmother, then shouldn't they be with a blood related relative that wants them?

Well, finally after months of trying, my mother was able to get the younger 2 girls ( the oldest child in custody is in another state ).

Eventually, the courts worked out a "re-unification" plan with the parents and they were able to regain custody of the 2 girls. After a short period of time, my brother and his girlfriend decided to split up and she took the girls to anther county in the state to live with her mother.

Apparently, from what I have been told, the girlfriends sister called DHS on her and once again, the 2 babies were taken back into custody. My mother immediately tried to get the girls placed with her once again, but DHS decided that the foster parent in their county was a more convenient place for the girls. What I want to know is.....what happened to the DHS creed, "family trumps all"? My mother had already been approved for foster care, had already had the girls, and wanted them again, but they chose to instead give them to a stranger.

This all occurred in Feb. of '07. Fast forward to today.

Because of my most recent incident with DHS and my other niece, I decided to go after getting my brothers little girl. Up until recently, I had not been financially able to support her, but I am now in the position to provide for her and her half sister.

I hope this is clear so far.....

so....I contacted DHS in the county where the girls are right now and told them I would like to have the girls placed with me where they can be surrounded by their cousins, aunts/uncles and grandparents and have a place to live as long as absolutely necessary.

Well...I have received nothing but resistance from this small county DHS system. From everything I have researched about the judge and the county's DHS workers, it is nearly impossible to win a case in favor of one or both of the parents.

I need lots of luck, lots of information and tons of resolve to pull not only myself but my disheartened brother through this affair.

We are in it for the long haul and will fight for the girls to be reunited with their father who has done nothing wrong.

I am sure after posting this, I will see much information that I neglected to add, so I will piece the story together better as time allows, but for now, I am off to finish some homework.

more drama to come!

figured out the picture thing...

This is my hubby and I before the "party" last night.

Isn't he cute?!?!?!

Anyway, just thought you would like to know who is on the other side of the puter.

More pics and notes to come.....

A little info about me

Although I am sure not many people I do not know really read this blog, I thought I would share a little about myself for those who stumble across my page.

I am 31, married with 3 kiddos: girl, boy, girl. I am currently a foster parent to my infant niece, but she will be going home in the next week or two. I have adored the time I had with her, but the situation, which I will not go into here, has been so absurd. I know DHS serves a function, but at times, such as this one, they have a knee-jerk reaction and seriously screw up.

Anyway, enough about that..

I attend college full time and am working towards my Bachelors in Criminal Justice. I have a year and a half to go, which seems forever, but I know it will fly by. I intend to enter the police academy in January of 2010. I can NOT wait! I have known I would be a police officer since I was a little girl.

I own my own business working on car lots, fixing windshields, in my hometown. I do really enjoy this work and will continue after becoming a police officer.

I love to play poker! I do not get to the casino much because I stay home in the evenings with the kids, but I play online when possible. I have really been too busy over the last month or so to play much, but I am hoping once my niece goes home, things will settle down and I will get to play more.

ummmm....what else.....

I can't think of too terribly much else right now.

If I come up with anything, I will add a post.

Oh, and I have some pics. I will try to figure out how to add them to the blog once I post this one.

Stay tuned....

The joy of company parties...

So we just got home from my husbands company party. I would have to say on the 10 point fun factor, it rated maybe a 5.

Don't get me wrong, it is fun meeting a large gathering of total strangers with whom you have nothing to talk about.....for 4 fun filled hours.

The finger food this year was actually better than last years pickings, but still, not enough to fill you up without making yourself look like a pig. I got to say though, the shrimp was HUGE! Almost like small lobsters, so that was a bonus.

After the "feast" the blackjack tables were open for business. Now we are talking. Last year, they had a No Limit Texas Hold 'Em table, which, I must say, is my game, but blackjack is fun too...

The way these tables have been run in the past, at the end of the night, all your winnings are counted up and those who have won the highest amounts get to choose from a table of prizes ranging from trips, to big screen to T.V.s.

Last year, we won the laptop on which I now blog to you on :)

I had my game face on and hubby and I did really well. In fact after taking an unscientific poll of the other game players, we figured we ranked probably second or third in winnings.

The prizes this year included air hockey tables, big screen t.v.s, trips and the prize my hubby coveted most....a playstation 3.

Well, apparently, someone thought it would be a good idea to take the highest winning 20 or so people, put their name in a hat and draw out prizes.

Yeah, we ended up with 2 dvds and a coffee mug....LOL.

Let me tell you, it was sooooo worth sitting there for 2 hours after the games ended, watching the drunks make fools of themselves.

We decided next year, we may just order a movie and a pizza and have a real party. haha.

Oh, I will post some pre-"party" pictures in the next couple days.

Have a great weekend all!

It happens once every four years, and no, it isn't leapyear....

It is time for my drivers license renewal. This is the time I have looked forward to with great anticipation. For four years, I have had to carry around a terrible license picture and always shuddered when it needed to be presented to another actual human being.

So....I woke up yesterday morning, took a shower, did my normal 'get ready for the day' routine, and when I looked in the mirror, I thought "WOW, my hair looks great, my makeup is flawless, today is THE day".

I took care of a few things, then I arrived at the tag office, anxious, nervous, but excited to rid myself of the last four years. I boldly step up to the counter and announce I am there to renew my license.

I sit in the little chair with the plain blue background and wonder "do I smile? do I look bored? perhaps I should look off into the distance? maybe I should give my sexy look..." CLICK... she took the picture while I was still deciding how to pose for the next four years.

The lady behind the counter could see my picture on her computer screen and she commented on how it was a great picture! She kept saying over and over how it was probably the best drivers license picture she had ever seen! I was elated! I could not WAIT to see this portrait that would determine how willing I would be to produce my license to those who asked.

The anticipation is thick while waiting for the agonizingly slow printer to produce my picture.

Suddenly, I had a thought....I had moved a couple years ago and was not sure if the correct address was in their system, so I asked...

She said no, the address was not correct, so she voided the once in a lifetime snapshot and we needed to try again.

Oh, and she showed me the picture finally....it really was a good picture, I would have definately been proud to carry it for four years....

UHG.

It's ok, I tell myself...I did it once, I can do it again.

I look directly into the lense, give my most thoughtful, intellegent yet cute perhaps sexy look and CLICK.... she takes the picture.

Of course, I blink because of the flash, so my lids are half closed, my head is slightly tilted to the side so I look either drunk or doped up. The flash cast a weird shadow, so my face looks abnormally orangish and my hair, that is a natural blond, looks red"ish".

Sigh....

Maybe in four years, my next picture will be better.