May 25, 2011 Dear Son,

Today I started your blog for Kennedy!

 It feels so good to take action, make a change, be a change,

 to have faith in the future!  

What a miracle ~

A letter from prison

Dear Lance, I was able to convert your beautiful letter and post here!  Ended up getting sick in Flagstaff, even went to the Doctor, Antibiotics too the rescue, Bronchitis -so much better now...I love you 

May 11, 2011 Dear Son

Your cousin, Hannah is graduating from NAU!  She will be the first one of us to graduate from a University! Mom and I are leaving in the morning - driving to Flagstaff to be there for her walk...What a miracle it is and how proud I am of her.


When your Uncle Micheal died, leaving a young widow and three small children, not to mention the hardship and grief that comes with losing someone so tragically, who would have guessed that the young,  brown eyed two year old would turn out so beautiful and talented?  Her art work is astounding!  She has worked so hard studying and working to help pay for college...


Your Aunt Wendy, a beautiful woman with unbelievable True Grit!  Raising three kids like a pro, working full time, staying single and focused on the kids!   Thank God for her mom, whom I will always be grateful for, who - throughout the years, off and on would stay with them and help!   

So in this you will see...

 Hard work really does pay off

 Pay now or pay later with your kids

Family is a Strong word

 That children who lose parents at a young age can Thrive!

May 7, 2011 Dear Son,

I woke early this morning to the birds singing and chirping, you would not believe how many humming birds we have now ~ there are 7 feeders out and when I looked this morning every feeder was full with drunk hummers!  


I am so grateful for my life, I wake up excited, full of energy and knowing that God is in charge!   Grateful that I am free from drugs and alcohol, free from having to chase WHATEVER it was, that I thought I had to have to function, to be happy, and best of all ~ free to just be...


Tomorrow is Mothers Day!  I love celebrating this day as I have pride in the choices, the hard work and dedication to changing my life, not only for me but for my children, and my children's children!  I am picking up Kennedy after work today and he will spend the night then in the morning we will go have breakfast with mom in Oak Glen.  I will be thinking of you all day and sending prayers and love.  


I love you Lance, I will love you forever, you were born from me, you are Gods child - a miracle!


Mom

Amazing Grace

While visiting my son in prison, we came up with an idea for him to keep in touch with his son ...We are going to start a blog for Kennedy!  Lance is so excited about this, giving him hope, faith, purpose, and a way to express his love for his son whom he will not have much contact with for at least 8 more years...God is so good, my heart sings with JOY...There is much to be grateful for - Have you found your gratitude today?

Prison Road

What an adventure!  It took 9 hours to get to Folsom and I found out that my cousin lives 6 miles from the prison!  She graciously offered us dinner and a bed we gladly accepted. Had fun catching up and getting a glimpse of some wonderful, warm hearts...

Early next morning, Easter Sunday I called the prison visitor hot line and they were NOT on lock down, we were going in!  Folsom is a beautiful area with lush greenery,  lakes, waterfalls and wild turkeys!.... We arrived, parked in a huge parking lot that was not crowded. Easter is not a big visiting day?  The prison itself - large grey sprawling buildings - we find the visitor processing building, fill out our forms for visiting and check in...They have many rules of what you can wear and what you can bring in...Will's Levis being something you can not wear in!  Luckily they have a place called "family house"  where you can trade your clothes for something that works...Also had to trade his steel toe boots for slippers!! Now we are ready to go in - you take coats, shoes off  and place everything on a trey and go thru the detector, just like at the airport -  well I could not get through without it going off.  They tell you not to wear bras with wire, which I did not, but for whatever reason this bra was not going to work and they were not letting me in!  I was starting to panic, I have driven all this way to see my son and I might not see him... I remembered I had another sports bra in the car, I went out again got it and traded, this bra worked!  We were led now to a bus and taken to about 4 stops Lance's "bunker" C - we get off bus to go thru another processing room!!!  Finally led to a large cafeteria looking room with small tables and chairs...Vending machines everywhere!!  Normal diet there has no sugar or caffeine...so when you visit the inmates they love to have vending food!  It took Lance awhile to come out but he did....With tears streaming down my face we hugged long and hard...he looks good, thin....we talked and talked...So many people sent hugs and prayers for me to give him, one of my favorite friends, who has known lance for many years asked me to send her love and to ask Lance what his wildest dream is, to hold it, think about it with no need to share it....I delivered this message with great joy in my heart! we ate from vending machines, laughed and it was so good!!!  At 2:00 visiting hours are over and we had to say goodbye... I am so glad we made the trip it is so important for me to show my son that I have not given up and that I  love him....

on my way

Dear Son,

I called the prison they are not on lockdown!  I am on my way, think it will take about 8 hours, stay in a hotel near the prison and go in - visiting hours are 9:30-2:30 - God is with me, right here!  As our good friend Karen has reminded me, see you soon....

I love you,

Mom