Congratulations, Grandma Xuan! :-) Shelle is simply gorgeous, as is her mother... and they look so happy! Yes, I'd say good genes run in your family! You all must be so thrilled with this new addition to the family! I'm so sorry I didn't see this thread earlier... I haven't been around too much... This is wonderful news! Thank you for sharing your family with us! Just think... two more, and you will have caught up to me! ;-) The two eldest of my own grandchildren are in school already! Gosh, time really flies! Treasure every moment... because they pass so quickly... it seems like only yesterday my own children were young, playing the games children play, wishing they were older and bigger... ah, the memories! All the best, Xuan... from my family to yours! :-)

That's one rockin'....rock! I'm a big fan of rocks (usually shagged in moss or lichen), but I appreciate them all! Great work! Josh

I had a somewhat similar situation years ago. My daughter ended up marrying the guy and they have 3 kids now. The situation isn't any better today than it was 8 years ago. My daughter did finish college, has a great job and is a wonderful mom. Like your daughter she was very careful with money early on, very responsible, but then whe this idiot came along she started doing things his way. He doesn't work at least half the time, doesn't help with the kids, she does EVERYTHING. They have no $ because he has destroyed their credit, depleted their bank accounts, etc. A part of me looks back and thinks should I have said more to her when this relationship started? Like you, I didn't want to go ballistic even though I knew the guy was a jerk, so I tried to wait it out and let her figure it out. She's a very smart girl so I figured it would work out in the end, but it didn't. I know she's miserable right now but I think she doesn't want to hear "I told you so" which I would never actually say or imply, but basically she doesn't want to look like a failure so she just keeps up the pretense. He also cheats on her. Like your daughter, she has lied about things too. She had a very good life growing up, but I've heard where she's said things about her childhood that are just plain lies. I think they do that to justify what they're doing now. Your daughter has to convince herself that she has a better life now, which is of course untrue but she has to believe that these people she's around are better than what she had otherwise she would be fighting a lot of guilt. I think you need to accept her choices for now, do your best to convince her to take birth control because that's not a mistake you can easily fix later and if drugs are in the picture, yeah you definitely want to prevent a pregnancy. Do not pay any of her bills. She can't have it both ways. You can't make choices, say you're old enough to do what you want and then expect mommy and daddy to support you. When the time comes to reach out to you and it will, she will be able to do that, phone or not. I'm sorry for all your pain, I know just how you feel.

Thanks everyone! My oldest daughter got some more good news today. She had missed the dead line of a nursing school she really wanted to go to due to having to take a nursing test (TEAS) before applying to the school. I must say it is too bad that every school has different requirements to apply. They called her today and said she could still apply and there is a TEAS test next Thursday. This is for St. Luke's in Kansas City so still close to us and to where my younger daughter is going.