Hormones are your greatest enemy!

I am not sure whose hormones are more out of whack ... my 44 year old hormones or my 16 year old's hormones!!! But if something doesn't happen soon, one of us isn't going to make it. I do not know what God had planned when he put pre-menopausal women in the same home as teenagers. Then throw a toddler in the mix and it just doesn't mix well. Thank goodness for tennis & naps - because today Abbie is out playing tennis and Natalie took a three hour nap! I will take small victories!

Since moving back home I have gained 20 pounds and lost most of my freedom. We are considering buying a home in Fort Benton. I am not sure that is wise. There are no jobs for me here and it is too stinking cold!! I am constantly under the judgment of family where as when we did not live close - they kept their comments/thoughts to themselves. Mainly they were not aware of our day-to-day dealings. Bigger problem - I hate to move!!

I realize that in todays world - my problems are nothing compared to what a lot of people are going through! The nice thing about this blog - I can hit a "publish post" button and send my thoughts out into the vast web - I am not really expecting any advise or words of wisdom, but it is a load off my chest!

Amber, Mo, Abbie & Natalie

wow - an update .....

A lot has happened since I have last blogged ... imagine that - it has been over a year. My son moved to Montana to live with us, went to Northern Montana College in Havre and then dropped out! My girls are going to school at the local high school, playing volleyball and cheerleading. Mo and I are in the process of adopting my 3 year old great-niece. It has been some process. Her brothers have been adopted by another family - we went to Billings to help celebrate their new family. My mother is fit to be tied! She is not handling it well. Part of the adoption process you have to read their file - to find out how they came about being in the foster care system. After reading Natalie's file - if she was left in the wild to be raised by wolves, she would have been better off than living with my niece and her loser live-in, father of her three children excuse for a parent! I worried that I was 44 years old, my husband is 51 and our biological children are 20, 17 and 16. Worries no more. After dealing with the seriously flawed state system and seeing first hand what drinking and drugs can do to your parenting skills - we will manage just fine. I can't imagine my biggest flaw as a parent being a drop in the bucket compared to the mess we saved Natalie from.

I am currently not working and need to do something with my nursing license. Mo and I looked at a bigger home today but we are still considering moving to Garden City, Kansas. I am afraid to move to a new state ..... me, fearless mover over the years .... doesn't want to mess up Amber in her senior year and doesn't think Abbie can handle it.

We made it!

We made it. We are in Montana.....

Hurry up and wait

Well, we have to wait until November 3rd to go back to court. The judge who was supposed to view Kyle's case was actually on the school board when the trees were planted and so we were put on another judge's calendar. But, here's an update about the other juvenile cases: I think I reported that the three boys who beat up the farmer and left him for dead (permanent damage to one eye) the police are not prosecuting. The farmer is suing the boys in civil court for damages. One of the boys is counter suing for two million. UGH. The three boys that destroyed ($200,000.00 worth) the teachers home: one went to court and got six months in jail, $10,000.00 fine and he agreed to testify against the other two. The second boy is taking his to the state supreme court because he wants to be tried as a juvenile and not an adult as the first boy. Nothing on the third child as of yet. After a tremendous amount of pressure from the public - the last two boys are suspended until they meet before the school board regarding being expelled from school. They both can not play football (season is almost over). They were escorted off of school property and informed of this. Now, what little I do know, I do not agree with most of this. After the mess with my son - what ever happened with innocent until proven guilty? Doesn't apply in Crooked Crittenden County Arkansas that is for sure. I think the boys should be punished for the damage they did. I know it happened to be a teacher's home, but I do not think the school should have involved themselves in this. I don't believe it was a crime against her because she was a teacher. It was because one of the boys lived by her and knew they were heading out of town - opportunity.

Okay - new happenings at my school. A boy brings a gun to school, shows it off, scares a student to death so he runs to the office and tells about it. Come to find out, it is a bee-bee gun (fashioned like a glock similiar to what the police carry). The boy is arrested and taken to the police station. All to have SUPERINTENDENT DAN SHEPPARD SAY THAT IT IS NOT A WEAPON, IT'S A TOY AND DO NOT PRESS CHARGES AGAINST HIM FOR BRINGING IT TO SCHOOL HIDDEN IN HIS BACKPACK. Whew...... glad I got that off my chest. And now to get on my soap box once again....

MY SON DRIVES A FRIEND TO SCHOOL, DROPS HIM OFF TO DO A SENIOR PRANK, DOESN'T EVEN STEP FOOT ON SCHOOL PROPERTY AND HE IS CHARGED WITH A FELONY AND EXPELLED HIS SENIOR YEAR................. What is Marion, Arkansas coming to?

The police officer that works at my school is furious. Can't say I blame her. Anywho... someone from the police department called a reporter, when he showed up they asked him to pick up the "real" gun.... between the bee-bee handgun and the gun our school police officer wears. You guessed it..... he picked up the bee-bee gun.

For those of you who have never had to deal with Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson.... last year a 12 year old boy was shot and killed by a police officer when the boy pointed a similar toy gun at him in a parking lot at 10 p.m. in our neighboring town of West Memphis. And Dan Sheppard is not going to charge this individual with bringing a weapon to school. The only thing the police can charge him with is disorderly conduct.

I guess this is God's way of telling me, Yes, Stephanie, it is time to go home.

3 months... really?

In three months we will be heading to Montana for good. Hard to believe.... Haven't packed a thing nor been home long enough to do laundry let alone pack a single thing. Who in their right mind moves North in the winter? Something 'aint right about that......... then again I haven't been right for some time! Court on Monday - pretrial. Not sure what that means, but I guess I am about to find out.....

books, books, books

I have recently (within the last year) joined a book club.  Way expanded my comfort level - I was stuck in the murder mystery funk.... anyhow - I have enjoyed some great reads!  Thought I would share some of them:

1.  Woman in Red

2.  Good in Bed

3.  Garden Spells

4.  Firefly Lane

and at the moment I am reading "The Shack" which I think will top them all!

It's all about the hair!

No lie - you play better volleyball with your hair done right!  Well, somewhat better v-ball.  We placed 2nd in the tournament.  Got creamed by valley view.  They play great ball (it must've been the hair)!

And this says it all!

http://reneeswope.blogspot.com/

You need to go to the above blogspot and watch the video - awesome!!! totally awesome!

It's been a long time!

It's been a while since I have posted.  I have driven almost 500 miles or more this week going to volleyball games/tournaments.  My butt is getting bigger than Texas! I drive, sit and then drive home again!  The Jr.High girls placed 2nd in the tournament.  Only to be beaten (totally and without mercy) once by the Valley View team.  Sr. High... not so great.  

One of the four boys who destroyed the teachers house got 6 months in jail, $10,000 fine, and five years felony probation.  I work at the school where the teacher teaches.  This particular mother told her that she ruined her sons life.  HELLO.... it was your son who destroyed her house.  I am trying to keep this all in reality check as we go to court on Oct. 6th to see what the sentence is  handed down to my son for driving his friend to do a senior prank.  I feel for the boys and their families, but Lord have mercy.... I truly believe my son would not break into anyone's home and destroy one item in it.  But, kids do the stupidest things and sometimes they pay dearly - just like my boy is.............. I am just glad he didn't beat the stew out of a farmer nor did he damage anybody's property.  Gotta look for the silver lining people!

The above mentioned family also is moving............... kinda like us............ wonder if there is any crazy connection there?  hmmm......