"We told them to make sure they used the booster seat and the Grandma said it was ridiculous that we were making him sit in a booster seat at his age, plus they didn't like the booster seat pressing into their leather seats in the car." 1) My daughter, age 6, is 39" tall and 38.3 pounds. She is tiny. It runs in the family. The carseat she came home from the hospital in is still her backup seat. It goes up to 80lbs. Here in CA a child must be in a seat until age 6 or 60lbs. Well, at age 6 she's no where near that weight, so she's still in the car seat. Not tall enough yet for the booster. And yes, I make sure everyone who drives her knows the rules (plus, she can see better from the extra heigth the booster gives her). 2) I had leather seats in my car, I put a fluffy beach towel down first and there were no issues with the leather. "they were not going to come to a Thanksgiving dinner celebration called a "peasant potluck", so they didn't come." Their loss. Sounds like fun to me! And a lot more like the first Thanksgiving would have been. Sounds like they missed the point. That being said, even though we only have one side of the story, it sounds to me that you are justified in feeling angry, hurt, and unwelcome. Now what do you do? I think Colleen and Rob said it best. Let your husband handle it and be supportive. Let the kids know it's ok to love their grandparents and want to see them. Enable the family to come together, but don't be the instigator. Stick to your guns, only you know what is healthy for your family, and I wish you the best.

Thank you for being excited with me! I knew I was in the right place. xo I'm so excited about your daughter and her stories, sherrmann -- happy April homecoming! My "helper" and I took a few snaps and it has literally taken us >two hours to upload due to the "help." The pregnant mask didn't photograph well -- maybe once it's hung. Thank you again for your encouragement. The Yoruba money tree, with the Mali Wedding Beads (which came back in my luggage as I occasionally wore / wear them) The multi-colored beaded crown The blue bird crown The 6 3/4" wide diviners' belt -- I am totally going to wear this one! The top of the multi-colored crown Vinyl heishi beads -- again, came back in my luggage because I wore them, and now a santo does -- he's so cute Venetian trading beads (one of too-many strands), again came home with me as I wore them jumbled on A yak bone bracelet given me by a villager I befriended in Tsadorje, the Himalayas and an African carved ivory bracelet (purchased in France), the African necklace slung over the chair is another of the dozens purchased in France. I was never, ever able to wear the ivory bracelet, but here on the lamp it doesn't hurt my animal-loving soul And you know, that stuff about my mother (and father, to be perfectly fair for he was a part of it all) doesn't matter. It used to, and it was painful. However for the past many years it just hasn't mattered. I'm not sure precisely when or how, but one day I woke up and realized the wound had healed and the scar is barely visible: when a story with them / their actions comes up it's merely an additional flavor, never the heart of the story. I got over nursing that one a long time ago. I guess because I know them when I wrote what she'd done it was just a piece of the story, certainly not the main part. No biggee. We haven't had a relationship for years, if ever. While I've never actively forgiven them I also no longer care, if that makes sense. I have bigger fish to fry! (mtnrdredux knows I have set my sights on health insurance. Just this week they denied my son's wheelchair saying it's less expensive for them to chance him being hit by a car than fund the pediatric wheelchair. Now this makes my blood boil.) Thank you all again for sharing my old-new-old with me! Je vous remercie -- bon weekend!

Thank you so much everyone. Magic was definitely a very special gift. We had no idea when we named him just how appropriate that name was for him. When he was at the vet a couple of weeks ago even she mentioned the "special bond" that Magic and I had. DH has commented on it many times. We don't have kids and I guess I transfer my maternal instincts to our kitties. In the past, when we've lost one, we had at least one other at home. That isn't the case this time. While others certainly don't replace the one that's gone, having a furry face to come home to does help fill the void. The house feels so empty now. Magic wanted to be involved in (or at least supervising) pretty much whatever I was doing, so almost everything reminds me of him. I keep expecting to see him in one of his favorite spots or wanting to call him. Cats indeed seem to have a knack for being photogenic and for photos ops. DH and I have noticed that many times. At some point, we hope to find another kitty to love. Actually we'll probably get two so they can play during the day when we're at work. We decided not to get another when our last one before Magic passed because we felt a kitten would have been a little much for Magic at his age.

I can't add much to what's already been said, but I still have to post just to say "yay!' There are too many good animals out there who need loving homes, and it makes me so happy when I hear of good, responsible people opening their homes and their hearts to another one. I can all but promise a new little one will heal your heart. Of course they will never replace Theo - but love is a great healer of pain. A few years ago, in what ended up being just a really weird coincidence, I had one beloved dog die one day and picked up a new puppy the very next day. It was basically emotional whiplash - but I can tell you that tiny new puppy healed my heart. I was concerned about the timing, but it ended up being the best thing for me.