It's Been Longer Than I Thought....

I knew it had been a couple months since I had posted last, but I had no idea it had been since July!!!!  Good night how the time sure does fly....even when you really aren't having all that much fun. =)


Let me share a bit about what has been going on with me since my last post. 
In March my eldest son and his wife decided to call it quits on their marriage, so they split up. Well, a couple weeks after he moved o
ut, there was another man living with his wife and 2 year old daughter!! Oh NO she didn't....Oh YES she did!!!!
Needless to say it was an extremely stressful time for all of us really. I started keeping  "My Little Apple" (nickname my other grand-daughter, "My Only Sunshine", gave her), every week usual
ly starting from Thursday through to Monday or beyond. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't arguing about being able to spend so much time with her, because she is "My Little Apple" - 'Apple Of My Eye' and I would do anything for her or any of my family members....and most of my friends and their children, wouldn't you?? 
Then August 5th came around and I was to be keeping "My Little Apple" for a couple weeks while her mother moved to Las Vegas with this other man, because his children and ex-wife live there. Yes, you read that correctly!!
So, not a problem, I was more than willing to keep her because I knew that once she moved I wouldn't see her as much if any really, and that was an extremely hard pill to swallow!!  But I had resigned myself to that fact and decided I was going to thoroughly enjoy each and every minute that I had "My Little Apple"!!  


As you can imagine, I was praying for a miracle to happen....anything that might prevent this precious little girl from having to move so far away. At her young age (2 yrs old) it wouldn't be long before she would pretty much forget me and all those special moments we shared while she was in my care. (My husband helped with her as well...just giving credit where it is due!). 


Ya know, it actually felt as if there was a death without anyone dying....ya know??  
It was like, I knew that in a couple of weeks my time with her; teaching her the ABC's; teaching her the letters in her own name and knowing it when seeing it; teaching her to use her spoon and/or fork when eating; teaching her how to hold a pencil/crayon to write her numbers and/or letters; teaching her to sing - not only her ABC's, but songs like 'Row Row Row Your Boat' and 'This Little Light Of Mine'; my singing her to sleep with 'I Surrender All'; teaching her to count past 10; teaching her to pronounce words properly...or where they could be understood; teaching her to say please and thank you; and most of all....teaching her to 'feel' Love and to know that, without a doubt, she IS Loved - was all going to be taken out of my daily routine and who knew when I would see, hold, or hug her again. It was like walking around with a knife flopping in and out of my heart!! So, I began to cherish every moment we had and hopefully build memories that will last a lifetime for her as well as myself. 


Then, God answered my prayer!! August 25th her mom was flying in to pick up "My Little Apple" and fly back to Vegas with her the following day. Trust me, the day was an incredibly long day too!! Anyway, I went to the airport to pick up her momma and didn't take "My Little Apple" because she didn't have a nap and was the fussiest I had ever seen her be, so I left her at home with my husband. 


While I was waiting for the plane to come in, I was talking with this other lady and her two kids about all the ways the airport has changed. About that time I heard (we'll call her 'Jane' as not to use her real name) Jane's voice saying, "That's my mother-in-law right there" and I turned to see her walking with this man who happened to Hispanic as the lady I was talking with was. (Keep in mind that this is a very small airport where the planes they use are what we call 'Puddle Jumpers' so it's not like there were tons of people everywhere). So I 'assumed' the man Jane was with was the husband or family of the lady I had been talking with. I stood up and began walking towards them, when he put his hand out and asked if I was this ladies mother-in-law, of course I said yes. Then he begins to tell me that he is with Immigration and is taking Jane to jail because her passport/visa had expired....in 2002!! 


Now I promise ya, my mouth dropped open so wide you could have driven one of those puddle jumpers up in there!! I was so shocked and couldn't say anything, I mean I knew she was from England and had been here illegally prior to her and my sons marriage, but once that happened I again 'assumed' that would seal the deal and she was now a US citizen because she married one.....boy was I wrong....they never did the paperwork after they got married to make it legal. 


I was also super surprised because I didn't even know we had immigration like that in our town. (Yes, I'm in Texas and we have border patrol in the border towns, but I am not close to a border town, so I had no clue they were here). He does allow Jane to talk to me for a minute and she asked where her daughter was. I explained about her foul mood because of no nap but she is doing really good otherwise. Then off they go and that was the beginning of a journey I never imagined myself traveling .... ever!!


To make a rather long story, and one that isn't finished yet, short....their divorce also included a fight for custody of their daughter, which is pretty much a normal outcome of a divorce when there are kids involved.  BUUUUTTTT.... not only did this journey start out as 'not the norm' kind of thing, the divorce proved to be somewhat 'off the beaten path' as well!!


Without giving all the gory details, I'll just say that the fight for custody wasn't just between Jane and my son....but my husband and myself petitioned for custody as well. That's right, we feel it would be best if we had custody because we can provide a stable, healthy and loving environment for her better than either of them could. 
Yes, we were nervous at first about taking that step, especially since Texas doesn't have "Grandparent Rights" per say, but more and more are petitioning and winning so we did it. When we started the court hearings would be over that day or so everyone thought.....nope, 3 days later, that spanned over 3 weeks full of all the nasty truth of how she began living a most unscrupulous life and even said she didn't feel she did anything wrong or immoral. (I will leave things to your own imagination about what I am talking about).


After we were done presenting, the judge said he would give us his ruling the beginning of the following week and we ended on a Wednesday. 
When Monday rolled around we really didn't think we would hear anything on that day....and we didn't. But on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we were sure we should have heard from him, but we didn't. So we were positive we would hear his ruling on Friday, so we could have a great weekend we thought, but nope, no word! Talk about time standing still but rushing past ya at the same time....these days were the epitome of that!!!! Finally on Wednesday we received his ruling, my son was awarded custody, but not sole custody...joint custody. UGH!! 


Needless to say, Jane appealed that ruling and because of that, we also appealed it. We now go back to court, before another judge, to re-do this whole mess again and see if anything will change on Nov. 17th. Yep, next week!!  I must admit, I'm looking forward to it, and then again....I'm not. Yes, I want the decision to change but NOT in favor of Jane at all....in favor of us of course, but will be satisfied with the decision as long as Jane doesn't get managing custody (or whatever it's called) know what I mean??


Anyway, there ya have it...pretty much all things that have been going on with me other than still working as a RSD Coach™ and doing my weekly radio program; "Winning Life Through Pain". It's been a busy busy, actually borderline hectic, few months!! But....so many things have happened to show me that God does perform miracles, does hear your prayers, and is there when you need Him most!! He is such an AWESOME God!!!!


Hope your lives have been less active but most of all .... just as full of the love!!


Thank You All &
~God Bless!~