oh....... COUNTRY GIRL!!!! My heart goes out.... to you (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Y O U )))))))))))))))))))))))!!!! I just wanna hug you !!!! Dang it... YES I REMEMBER WHAT IT FEELS LIKE WHEN YOUR D D goes off to college..... OH my gosh... I'm just gonna get in my car and come over to your house.... I was So DANG Lonely..... I still flip out... I was just running thru the house... I would go upstairs to her room... and just Sit... then..... I would get on her bed... thinking I would feel better... but sure enough.... TEARS> TEARS>> and just more T E A R S !!!!! She was my Only child... she was only... 50 miles away... but I Was a CHRISTMAS " F R U I T ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ C A K E !!!!!!!!!!" yes... the dreaded Christmas Fruit Cake.... the one that NO BODY wanted to see... or be around... BUT>>>>> It is happening to you now.... and it happened to me several years ago.... and I AM WRITING TO YOU>>>>> so we know...... I did live thru it..... IT IS DANG TUFF>>>> It is "OK TO CRY !!!!" But Country Girllllll: what a cool Mother you are.... you raised you little baby girl.... she toddled... she ran... she jumped... she fell sometimes......... YOU HELPED HER UP !!!!!!! You Taught her " S P E C I A L THINGS !!!!!' You Taught her " R I G H T from WWROOOONG !!!!" and You know what... YOU WERE THERE FOR HER T H E N>>>>>> and YOU are there for HER N O W !!!!!!! You have helped a little baby grow up and toddle and run and jump and fall and get back up and....... now..... YOUR DARLING DAUGHTER IS IN COLLEGE!!!!!!! G R E A T JOB ~~~~~ now.... guess what...... YOU ARE STILL HER MOTHER>>> YOU ARE STILL her M O M !!!! she'll be waving ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ and saying ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~" H I M O M !!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ and you'll be SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PROUD!!! and guess what else..... SHE WILL ALWAYS BE YOUR BABY AND SHE W I L L>>>>> Come BACK !!!! I'm praying for you Country Girl! I think so much of you.... I've been getting to Love your POSTS and Especially what YOU STAND FOR!!! I'm proud to KNOW YOU !!! I'm excited to here reports of the JOURNEY !!!! TAKE CARE!!! Remember ~~~~~~~~~~~~" HI MOM !!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ and smile and say..... " T H A T 's MY KID!!!!!!!" Love ya bunches! SusieSunShine

I got this ominous message a couple of days ago -------- Dear mail.charter.net user, This message is from charter.net webmail messaging center to all email account owners.We are currently upgrading our data base and e-mail account center and We are deleting all unused charter.net email account to create more space for new accounts. To prevent your account from clossing or deleted you will have to update it below so that we will know that it's a present used account.We are upgrading our systems to improve the way we interact with you and to provide you with an enhanced level of customer service. CONFIRM YOUR EMAIL IDENTITY BELOW * Username: .............................. * Password:................................ * Date of Birth: ............................ * Country Or Territory:................ * Socal Security Number:................. * Service Address Zip Code:................. Warning Code:VX2G99AAJ. Warning!!! Account owner that refuses to update his or her account within Seven days of receiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently. Thank you for using charter.net! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I wonder if anyone falls for this?

We started to hate this house. boy, does that resonate! I've been thinking, why would ANYBODY want to buy my apartment? Why do *I* want to live there! Remember I mentioned our seller called; they want us to get more aggressive on pricing and are willing to do so as well; they just want a sale. They're exiting the market (retiring to their 2nd home out of state), and they don't want to pay broker fees, or expend much energy selling (which of course don't go hand-in-hand; if they keep us as sellers, they don't pay a broker OR do any work FSBO). They're also really nice, and a bit romantic, and I think they liked the idea of being such a perfect opportunity for us (plus they'r epretty sure we'd be approved by their board, since we're neighbors). Not a businesslike outlook, but I think that was a motivation for them, honestly. Honestly, it's probably not their best move, to drop their price and sell to us. The 3BRs are holding steady. It's the 2's that are dropping. (though I suppose; if they sell to us at $510, it's still more $ in their pocket than a 5% fee on a sale of $530) Here's a brief history: In Jan & Feb, apartments exactly like mine went for $450 and $439. In early May, we got a bid for $450. (asking prices were $465k for all of these, except for the $439k; its asking price was $439k). About a month and a half ago, another guy on the block for $430k. An apartment just like ours (and estate sale, the guy wants out now) came on the market for $420k (the co-op board pressured him not to list below $400k). He got, and apparently rejected, an offer of $400k. It is possible the market has dropped by 11% in 6 months? Anyway, our sellers have said they'd come down in price if it would make the deal. But I'm not so sure it's worth the effort. I think if they list, they can get what we were offering. And I think they can get it before we can get a buyer. I'm just not ready to face the idea that my place is worth only $400k. Maybe that's foolish of me, but it just seems like a fire sale. And even if we got $400k, by the time we pay the realtor, we'll be borrowing $130,000 (that's *if* they're willing to drop the price)--that's more than we wanted to afford, given that we're now a 1-income family, and the maintenance will be a lot more. We'd really hoped our equity would have a bigger oomph than that. The thing is, if the market drops, I don't think that will help us; I honestly don't thin the 3BRs are under the same pressure as the 2BRs. There aren't nearly as many of them, for one thing. And people who can afford a 2BR will be more likely to try to reach higher for a 3, which means actually fewer people for us. Plus, this second wind may all be moot. Frankly, the 3BRs move off the NYTimes website much faster than any of the others. True, their apt. isn't up-to-date renovated, but it's fine. I think they'll get a sale much faster than WE would, even w/ a lower asking price.

Gracie, If i can suggest one thing from all the experience I have gained as a stepmom in the last 18 years is the following. Don't give up on your mariage. Nobody said it would be easy. If it weren't the difficulties with your stepdaughter (SD) it would be something else, believe me. Granted having a SD, no matter the age, is difficult. In addition to raising a five year old, you also have a brand new little baby to take care of. You know, I do believe that five years olds can be manipulative and although DH has not always been there for me when I had difficulties with his children, he did often remind me of one good point and this is that I was the adult and she, the stepdaughther I was having problems with, was a child. It helps to put things in perspective ad makes you think that right now this child counts on you and needs you and all you can do is do your best as a stepmom to this child who is your daughter's step sister. I know it is not easy but you yourself will feel better as a woman, a mom and a wife knowing that you have done your best for this child. Read everything you can on being a steparent. This forum is extraordinary. Divorced daddies all seem to be the same after a while. They'll do anything and everything to protect their child against the stepmom. It doesn't mean dear husband don't love us but rather that they feel stuck (not sure that is the right word) between their children and their wife who is not the mother of their children. I've talked 100's of time to my husband about the difficulties I had with his oldest daughter. I'm always wrong according to him, until he sees for himself that his daughter is not such a goodie-goodie after all. Then he'll tell me something like ya your right -she is acting a little bit spoiled or whatever. This being said, sometimes when I disagree with dear hubby about his daughter, I'll stop and think " If this was my child, what would I do''. Most of the time, not all the time, deep down in my heart, I say to myself I would probably do exactly what my hubby is doing''. Parents always, always want the best for their children. Wouldn't you fight like hell in defence of your 11 year old baby girl if there was another man in your life who saw things differently than you in regards to one of your child's needs or wants. I've been going on way to long, but still, I just find it really sad when I see a young woman like you wanting to leave the mariage because of the difficulties you are experiencing with your hubby and his daughter, your stepdaughter. Be good to yourself. Your feelings towards what you are living are completely normal but talk to hubby and talk to him again and again about how you feel. Don't cry, don't wine and chose the right time to talk to him. One day, you will be proud of your little family. Sometimes it is the woman who needs to be a hero in order to keep the family together. Go girl! husband's attitude towards his daughter