In Honor Of Chelsea

Today, many people have descended on a park in San Diego. They are there to finish a run that Chelsea will never got to complete. Chelsea King was a beautiful young woman who went out for a run one morning, and never came back home. Instead, she fell prey to a child predator that shouldn't have been out of jail.

So, today, the masses go to not only pay respect to Chelsea, and finish what she started, but to take a stand for her, and every child in our nation. A beautiful life was taken from us because the system failed her. No one can really say how many lives have been taken because the system fails to truly protect those who can not protect themselves, our children.

This is unacceptable. We as a society must take up the cause of keeping our children safe, and realize that if we don't take this stand, no one else is going to do it for us. We must be vigilant. We must be adamant. We can change the laws, and though it can never bring back the beauty of the those that were lost, we can honor them, by making sure it doesn't happen again.

Consider this issue, and when legislation comes that will give our children more protection, take a stand. Call your elected officials and let them know that you want change, you want to see laws passed that will keep our children safer. Be a part of the effort in any and every way you can.

So, today, while I can not be with those wonderful people running where Chelsea ran, I will instead go to the park here. The Girls and I will have a picnic lunch, and play, and then we are going to walk, and we are going to do it all in honor of Chelsea.

If I Make You Cry, You Probably Deserve It

Tonight, I made someone cry. I made another mother cry. This was no stranger, either. It was someone I know very well and am around often enough. Quite frankly, she did deserve it. She deserved more than just a tongue lashing, but for some reason, I spared her.

Most of the time, I believe that however people choose to parent, it is not my place to judge. You do what works for you, and I do what works for me. I may not like what you do as a parent, but it isn't my place to tell you what to do.

There are two exceptions to that belief of mine. The first is if you ask. The second is when I feel a child is truly in danger.

Tonight, I encountered the latter of those two exceptions. With the recent news about Chelsea King, I think my danger meter is off the charts full time right now. Then, I saw a clear cut case of neglect and child endangerment, and my meter exploded.

This mother is truthfully lucky it was only my own face and finger in her face. The full force of that danger meter explosion came right at her, but she needed it. She needed someone to snap her back to our reality and make her understand that what she did was absolutely terrible. She needed to cry. The reality that we live in isn't pretty all the time, and we have to do everything in our power to try and keep our children from seeing that ugly side. She put her child in danger by choice, by being lazy, and that is simply not acceptable.

I hope tonight I was that shock for her. With all of my heart I hope that she never makes that mistake again. It is my hope that child can grow up to live a happy and healthy life, and if it takes an occasional verbal beating on her mother to get her there, so be it. I'll be around to provide that service when necessary.

Losing Someone Close

Today, I found out that we lost a dear family friend. I am devastated. Though I knew she was sick, and very sick at that, I still feel shocked by her passing. It seems like there should have been more time. I had plans. I wanted to make her a card and send it to her. I wanted to send her a little get well gift. None of that will come to fruition, now. Life, or death really, trumped my plans.

Linda was a wonderful woman. I have so many fond memories of her. She is my mother's age, and I grew up with her. More than just my mom's friend, though, she was my friend. I would go places with her. I would hang out with her. She made every formal dress I have ever owned, including my prom dress and even wedding dress. We shopped a lot for that one. We drove an hour and a half to the best fabric store we could get to so that we could find exactly what I wanted. She custom made my Renaissance gown, with a partial pattern because nothing was exactly what I wanted. She hand sewed the pearl beading around the edge of my 10 foot train. She made my sister's dress, too. Then, as if doing that wasn't enough, she even served as my wedding coordinator. I don't know how I would have gotten married had it not been for her. Well, I suppose I would have gotten married in a dress that I didn't love, and a whole lot less organized without her.

I remember thinking she was such a cool mom. Not that my mom isn't cool, but Linda was in many ways a much more liberal parent than my own mother. Sometimes a little more liberal is good.

Yeah. She was great.

I feel so much for her family right now. The kids must be so distraught. I can't imagine. I so wish I could be there to support them in person. I would hold her daughter's hand, and send The Big One off to play with her oldest son. Sometimes, distractions for kids are a great thing. I would hug the middle child, because words just wouldn't do.

To the family: I am so sorry for your loss. I loved your mother dearly, and will miss her terribly. Know that she was and is a greatly loved woman, and there can be no greater legacy than that.

Goodbye, Linda. I wish I had gotten to tell you that myself. Thank you for everything. I mean everything. You meant a lot to my life, and I appreciate your being a part of it. I hope your body is finally healed, and you are in paradise, relaxing now. Rest in peace.

Life Changes in a Flash

Sometimes, your walking around in life, having a great time, just doing your thing. Maybe you aren't even having a great time, but your in your life, where you know what is going on, and how things are supposed to go. You have a plan. You have a vision.

Then, out of no where, some thing comes at you like a 10 ton boulder and knocks you off your feet. You get the breath knocked of you. Your beaten and broken, and your left laying there, trying to make sense of the world around you, after that boulder flattened everything in its path, including you.

Sometimes, that just happens in life. Maybe there are warnings. Maybe you heard the boulder rumbling as it rolled before it came into view. Maybe there are no warning, and it came just as quietly as a mouse, but with the force of a n elephant, to topple your world.

No matter whether you knew it would or could happen or not, the force is the same. The boulder does the damage it can, and then you are left there to survey, and start over, broken, hurt, and different from its impact.

Some people can go on, and though they will always be different, you can never heal to be exactly the same way you were, you can be ok. Some people won't be able to go on. The boulder will leave them too broken to be able to continue.

Me. I am going to pick my self up. I am going to brush off the dirt that it left. I am going to allow myself the time to heal to breaks that have been caused. I know that I will never be the same, but I am not going to lye under that boulder and let it hold me down. I will make a new path, in this different world, changed by the impact, and though I don't yet know this new world, or know what that path will be, I am going to make it the best that I can.

I will be ok.

The Tragic Tale of a Cupcake

That's right. This is tragic. Anytime a good looking sweet goes to waste, or meets a terrible demise, it must be called a tragedy.

Yesterday, we went to the store, and then stop at a gas station. Next to us an older lady pulls up. She goes to the kiosk to show her id, and then starts pumping gas. While pumping gas, apparently, she looses her glasses. I know this because instead of walking back over to the kiosk, she starts yelling to the attendant so that she, and everyone else near by, can hear that she has lost her glasses, and can check to see if anyone at all sees them. The person she was with found them in the car. So, all was fine.

Until, that is, we all started to leave. She pulled out just before us. As soon as we got behind her, I saw it. A cupcake. Sitting on the roof of her car. Just hanging out. All by it's lonesome. We had to stop at a light and I thought about getting out to let her know there was a cupcake on top of her car, but unfortunately, the light changed too quickly.

I was rather impressed by the cupcake. I held on through the intersection, and even when she pulled on the the on ramp to the freeway. Alas, once she actually started to accelerate, I knew what was going to happen. Sure enough, the sweet delight fell from its perch, and crashed onto the street. It was obliterated. There was cupcake carnage everywhere. We may even have some of its remnants in our tire tread.

Ahh, the poor lady will probably never know what befell her cupcake. Unlike the glasses that she lost immediately upon putting down, there won't be anyone there to find the cupcake for her. I wonder how long she will search for it. Bless her heart.

Let this tale be a warning to you. Don't ever be the cupcake lady. Every time you leave a party, be sure that you have everything you are supposed to, your glasses, cupcakes, children, and what have you all inside the car where they are safe and secure.


The cupcake is on the left side of the Volvo.


I tried to snap a picture of the carnage as well, but couldn't get it fast enough. I'm sure you can picture it, though.