Boy have times changed. When I was a young girl and my grandparents needed help. They always came to stay with us and we took good care of them hand and foot.

In todays world the families of the elderly act like they are just to busy to be bothered to come visit or take care of their grandparents.

One of the ways we as a family have participated in giving back to our community is in the Elderly Out Reach Program. We often visit someone who is living alone or in a nursing home who may not have many visitors.

We have found that they love to talk about children and what they used to do when they were little. We take in a plate of home baked cookies and we sit and talk... more

Well so much for enjoying the summer. Emotions are running high with the teens around town lately. This sort of thing always happens when kids have to much time on their hands. They end up in gossip gripes.

All the he said, she said in the world wont iron out the truth when to many teens have their two cents in the kettle.

One innocent comment gets twisted and then off it goes into a big snowball effect running down a hill and engulfing everyone within its space.

By the time it gets back to the person the gossip has been said about.... more

Well let's see. April is my sixteen year old daughter who has BiPolar Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and, Intermiten Explosive Disorder. After receiving two Minor In Possession of Alcohol charges followed by a tobacco charge and, a resisting arrest charge. The juvenile court judge turned her over to DHS.

So now as her parents we share custody with DHS of our daughter. Meaning April is now living in a "Independant Living Foster Home."

We have managed to meet her DHS worker one time. WE have talked to her twice on the phone. We do not know their plan for our daughter or what is going to take place. We call and get a voice mail when we try to speak with the... more

As strange as it may sound. My husband and I are so used to having a house full of kids around us all the time. It feels almost sad not to hear the laughter, bickering and spats of the kids rushing around the house.

I never thought I would think of our house as too peaceful. Our Angela is so good at occupying herself that she rarely makes noise.

What on earth is wrong with me....I can't be missing noise can I? I love it when Angela has friends over because they fill the house with laughter and fun again.

Angela is right at... more

What color do your words paint the world around you?

Sitting quietly here tonight I have been reminiscing of the good times I have had with my children.

With each memory I have thought nice things about each one of my children. I also speak well of almost all of my children all of the time. Even my hard to handle April.

I see past her anger and her need for drama. Right into to her loving and kind heart. But much to my dismay I can not remember one single time when April has had a nice word to say about us, her parents.

I... more

Well the sleep over parties have begun. all the teenage girls on the block seem to flock down to my house. April and the girls hang out all day and all they do is compare notes on all the guys.

It is kind of fun to listen in and find out what the chat is about. When the bad gossip begins I just walk away. All of her friends think I am mean for grounding her at the age of 16 and a half. But she just never shows respect to anyone and if it's the last thing I do on this earth, that girl will learn some respect before I die.

It is strange... more

The life of a teenager is not always a "Party." They are struggling to become young adults. To make the right and wrong decisions for their own selves.

They are managing school, home life and peer pressures. They deal with the decisions to take drugs, to smoke or to drink alcohol. They make the choices to have sex or not have sex. Knowing all the dangers of STD's and Pregnancy.

I for one would not like to relive some of my teenage years. And, I was a good child. My parents didn't know how good they had it. I didn't smoke, drink or do... more

To say the least, my family has been at wits' end on several occasions. Dealing with April, our bipolar daughter, is not an easy thing.

Bipolar Disorder is a very abusive disease to the person who has it and to the loved ones around them. When the patient takes all their medications and begin to feel normal and in control, they begin to think they do not need the medication any more.

This is one of the hard parts of dealing with the bipolar person. When they are older like my daughter, you can not force them to take their medication... more

Well it is time for a Birthday Party. My darling little girl is growing up on me again. She is turning 8 today~! How Awesome is that !!

Looking back through her pictures it seems as if time has flown by us. It feels like only yesterday that she was just 6.8 oz and sleeping in my arms.

She has grown up falling asleep at night beside me as I scratch and rub her feet and legs. Yes she is spoiled. I have given her all that I can afford and I would lay my life down in a second for her.

There is nothing more precious to me than my kids. It gets a little bit lonely... more

As many of you know. This past week we experienced two deaths in our family tree. One was my brother in law and Pastor for many years. The other was the Grandma of my son in law.

Thus, it has been a very stressful week in our immediate family. To top it off my oldest daughter was admitted to the hospital with pancritis and gallbladder issues.

We were watching our grandchildren and trying to support my sister and her family along with other church members at the wake each day. Then leaving and going up to the hospital for my daughters gallbladder surgery.

By the time the funeral got here and the surgery of my daughter was over. Combined with taking care of a... more