I'm going to try to get pics today. Glad to hear everyone is doing okay. C3D, I would have put up electric fence ;) 9,000 gallons is a good size. A bit overwhelming to plan out though. Mary, I'm so sorry to hear about Sasha. To me it's the worst way to loose a dog. That's what happened to Nebt-Het it was devastating even to Isis. When they're sick you have some time to come to terms with it. Heather, i can't compare temp that's for sure but suffice it to say it wants to be spring here but it's not working. Last week it snowed just enough to make everything icy. Not too bad until you figure it was about 80 the day before. Hey zinnia.. fishy, I'm sorry. Maybe you could install a locking top? Brenda, I have to work too hard ;) That's how you end up with more hours than everyone else. Then you have to push them to work with you so people get their food on time..My Napoleon complex is well suited to the job ;) Adrea

The family is already hooked into social services. They ARE receiving the help that they qualify for. They get custodial care 5 days a week, for seven hours each day. They COULD have sent him to a nursing home--but only one that would accept medicaid patients. Their private insurance would only cover...I think it was 90 days. That would have been easier for the family--but he'd have "turned his face to the wall." Thomas wrote his own advanced directives when he turned 18. The hospital had to get his permission to insert (install?) his stomach-port feeding tube. He has the option of having it removed...should he so desire. I don't think he'll go that route, unless he fails to improve. Susan--I'll get on that web-search right away. If you are willing to help...I'll keep you in mind as well. I don't think any of these modifications that Paige wants for her house are hurry-up-and-do-it-yesterday...but folks at church want to help--and keep asking her what they can do...so she's been putting together her "in a perfect world" list. I hope you have a FABULOUS time in Norway. Remember--whatever you buy--you have to get home! ;~) Florence,Deb,Sammy, Carla--Thanks for the kind words. Keep Thomas and family in your prayers/positive energy list. I've been over on That Home Site--there is a lighting forum! One of the memebers has offered to help me with a lighting plan once we have the blueprint for the room--he says we should know furniture and art placement before LP is designed. THAT is the sort of guidance I need(ed). I love y'all--you know that? I'll post updates as I get them. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Ima,my mother in law made the complaint to myspace today. It was infact her fault that BM was able to obtain the pictures, and now all family members profiles and pictures are private. Yes, I know that once they are "out there" there is nothing I can do, I'm sure she has them saved to her computer and will always have them. As for her having to believe the things she says, it's more of a way for her to prove to her family out of state that she is who "they" think she is. We (my husband and myself) did in fact get it easy where gaining custody was concerned. Dhr/Cps was involved because of some health issues reguarding one of my step sons, with many DHR visits to the home she left them living in and her home, I was granted temporary custody per her request (dad had been trying for 2 yrs before hand) because of his job.A year later my husband and myself were granted full custody with no support and only supervised visitation from her on the first and third sunday of each month (she has never once followed through with a visit). It has since been ammended to no visitation and we have a protective order on her and her husband. My step kids were beaten, threatened with weapons and not fed for over a week the last time they were with their mother over 4 years ago. Not only do we have the protective order but our local ymca, ballpark and their school also have them. She has shown up numerous times and still continues to do so, to all of the above screaming they were kidnapped and are being held hostage. She has even tried to "kidnap" my youngest step son and my own son from walmart and they were in the buggy I was pushing. So in that aspect no we arent lucky as you tell me to consider myself. I know of the emotional damage a BM can do to a child, I see it daily times 3. As I said, I have a 9 yr old who thinks he should be a girl and a 7 yr old who vomits at will to not have to eat. AND FOR THE RECORD... I never in my post accused her of being a bad parent for giving up custody, I simply chose to post a FEW of the bad choices she has made over the years, but I will say now; I think she is a bad parent (not for giving up custody) for how she has emotionally and physically abused her children and allowed others to do the same. I think she is a bad parent because she still allows her husband to abuse her and their child together, instead of seaking help(and before you say I dont understand what an abusive relationship is like, I was in one for 7 years before I met my husband all of my teenage years and into my early 20's, eventually everyone knows enough is enough). Now, you asked why I wanted to contact a lawyer. No, not necessarily to sue her, she has nothing to sue for and she wouldnt show up in court anyways. To have it documented, yes. She shows up and causes enough trouble without aid of pictures at their school, ymca and sports activities ect. It does scare me to think she has updated pictures that she can wave around and them possibly have the chance of seeing. They know she wasnt there and Im unsure of what that could do to their stability, their mental capacities(they have alot to work through as it is) and their all around behavorial issues, even if it's only for that day or week. Do I think she will use them in that manner, yes. So again, no I dont want to sue her. I dont want to waste money we dont have to waste, energy I am completly drained of already or time that I never seem to have either. As for her myspace page, today was the first I knew of her having one and no I dont care to go back to it. All of my focus does now and has for almost 7 years gone into MY KIDS, I do love them and they know it and with their father's job I am 99.999% the only PARENT they have. I do also try and ignore her, I have only one other time fed into her pity party and that was her email, she isnt worth it. But yes, this makes me angry and I feel I have the right to be, as you stated you were doing the job of "your" BM, so am I. I have a myspace page, I dont post pictures (for this reason) of any of my kids, yet here she is posting them, ones she didnt take, from a holiday she was absent from and claiming MY son as her own child also, when she didnt want to be a parent to her own kids. No matter her reason behind it, I cant seem to want to let it lie. And your right, its not going to change or fix thing nor will it make them better, but I cant help how I feel. Maybe this is all too fresh having all happened today, and Im sorry if this post seems rude, but I didnt expect to be reprimanded or attacked for my earlier post and thats kind of how it felt.

Wow, thank you everyone, the warm welcome brought me a much needed smile! I must confess, Im in a bit of a depressed state here of late as I just lost my baby brother to cancer in April. I am fighting to keep myself from going under and I knew I needed to reach out, meet new people and find some other connections. I am disabled due to my health so I donot get the chance to physically go out and meet and connect with others. I remembered the KT and made the leap to try and re-connect. Oh and how many pounds of chocolate shall I bring? I make some pretty delish choc covered pretzels :) and my coffee pot is always full and ready to share!!!