And my apologies for referring to your Yardman as an "MTD". ( I have so much *hit on my desk with all kinds of notes and names, I guess I looked at something with MTD written down and lapsed into a coma. I apologize and a check for $100.00 is in the mail.

Lilymouse - as I search for some comforting words to ease your pain, I can only say as others, that my prayers and heartfelt sympathy are with you. A little over thirteen year ago, I lost my only child - my daughter that was only 18 years old. All children are special creatures from God, but my daughter was truly special - she was born on a holiday (1/1/76, and passed from this life on a holiday - 5/31/94). I'm OK now (as much as I can be)and have used that challenge to hopefully better my life. I mention my situation only to say, it doesn't get any better; it just doesn't. But, it does get easier, I promise. As it gets easier, you are able to let go of the pain, the fear, the anger and the confusion. I used to get angry with myself because as things got easier, and the intensity lessened, I thought I was beginning not to care. But that's how it is. If we remembered everything at it's initial intensity, the world would be in a mess. Think of childbirth - we know the pain, but dont' remember how bad it was at the time. My first thought to you was to take care of you, your son, and then your business. However, as a previous poster so wisely mentioned, you do need to take care of the business if this is your only sense of livlihood at this time. That being said, please be sure to use every advantage available to you at this time. If you can get help from family, neighbors, other friends, do that. I can't tell you how much help they can provide, even if you don't want it at the time. As I look back, it was so overwhelming. But I am so thankful now for all of that help as I would not be where I am today without it. Besides, as the days go by, your thoughts will become more organized. This will help you get through your next moves. The other thing I would like to say is, talk, talk talk, until no one wants to hear you anymore; and then keep talking. The same goes for your son, if he is old enough. Listen to him, and if he has questions, answer them as best you can. I know that this is one of the toughest things you will ever go through in life. Don't do it alone. Losing my daughter was devastating, but as I tell everyone, to lose a spouse is truly a loss. You spend your life searching for, and then cultivating a relationship that you expect to last for an lifetime a little longer than yours did. But, I'm sure your hubby is smiling - watching and guiding your every move and thought. Please continue to grow and be strong. Above all, have faith - YOU CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT IT!! You are carryng so much emotion right now that you need to let some of it go. I don't care if you believe in a rock, you have to have faith - in something. (I also heard this from a Columbine HS father that lost his daugher on that tragic day) If your faith is in God, then you already know that He will provide the strength and courage you will need to continue forward and raise your son. "to everything there is a season", and for you, the next one has arrived. Have peace in your heart and in your walk that this is so; know that you will be OK. I know this is long,and you may not be at the stage I've passed to, to want to hear some of this. But I only want you to know for sure, that you and your son will survive this and be able to use this experience for the good. I do want to tack on a bit more here though. As hurtful as it may be to you now, my thoughts are also with the young lady that caused the accident and her family. My daugher was a passenger in a car accident; the driver was hurt also, but survived. Many times I have thought of the driver and prayed for his wellbeing. Accidents happen - to the best of us. Unfortunately this one was dynamic and traumatic, especially for you. I'm sure that this is not the easiet situation for her either. Twenty year olds are mature only to a point (hence the cellphone while driving). When something like this happens, they don't have the level of maturity to handle the reality of the loss she has caused. I love you in spirit. I can say this because my faith is strong and I know of God's love for us all. However, I'm not a fanatic about it. I just believe that God's love has given me the strenth to hopefully help where I can. I'm here if you ever want to talk. I mean that, honestly. Mary A.

Once I asked my Financial Planner's assistant (the CFP works at our bank) to transfer $5,000 out of one of my accounts and into an investment. I got a phone call from my banker (who works at a different branch than our Financial Planner) early the next morning, she was curious as to why I was $44,000 overdrawn on one of my accounts. I told her she was asking a really good question! It seems the assistant put $5,000 into the investment as asked... but transferred $50,000 out of my account to do so! What shocked me most was that the bank allowed the transaction to go through! I would've thought it would set off all sorts of bells and whistles and management would have been alerted before I ever heard about it, but not so. But this is my bank... with whom I have a relationship... and my banker recognizes me by name when she sees me. I bump into these people when I run errands in our village. Were I dealing with strangers, I'd be involving my state's attorney general and all sorts of regulatory people (BBB, local news stations, etc.) IMMEDIATELY.

moonie, I did come to terms in a way...Things changed between him and my mom when they moved in together. Before they moved in he took her out a bunch, they went on a couple of trips, etc. As soon as they moved in, he stopped courting her. He became controling and she became unhappy in the relationship. We only stayed there for about 2 years before she grew tired of the relationship and we moved out. That is when we moved across the country. I was on board with going, but it was still a rough adjustment for me. I was 17 by that time and had just finished high school. I finished a semester early, so I was just planning to work until August and start college with the rest of my classmates. The move was hard for me because I was no longer in school, so I didn't have a way to connect to my peers. It was a lonely time for me and took a while to adjust. This is why I suggested that stressedmom move at a time when the kids will be going straight into school, so they don't have to deal with not having anybody to connect with. I was never against the relationship with my mom and her boyfriend, I was just so used to it being just the 2 of us and living by my mom's rules alone. With him I wasn't allowed to have my friends over very often. He always went to bed very early in the evening, and the master bedroom was next to the living room, so it made it impossible to entertain when he would get angry if there was much noise like the TV or talking after about 8:30 pm. That was the part I didn't like, but all in all, I got along with him alright. I just wanted my mom to be happy and I was warry that this wasn't the right guy for her. When I was a teenager, I just had a need to be included in decisions that involved and affected me. In the end though, I knew that I could always trust my mom to use her heart and although she didn't always make the best decisions, I know that she always had my best interest at heart. It has occured to me since then that part of my reluctance about moving in with him had to do with the problems I was going through with my dad and his girlfriend. He ended up married to her, and she has never been much of anything, but hateful to me. It's hard to trust the mate of a parent when you are going through hard times with another parent. A little note to stressedmom, do you think it would help if you told your son that if he gave it a shot and if he worked hard in school next year that you will buy him a plane ticket to come back home for a week or 2 over the summer and stay with his best friend back home? This way he doesn't have to feel as if he will be completely losing touch.