Yesterday was a (semi) wonderful day!!!

Ok, so yesterday was my day in court and it went BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE EXPECTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so I get to court around 8:30ish, it doesn't start til 9, but, let's face it, I couldn't wait and parking downtown is a BITCH. So I'm sitting there waiting on the courtroom to open so I could go in a freeze my ass off and I'm thinking "ok, is the ex-husband gonna show up or what?" I am also wondering if he is gonna bring his new girlfriend of 2 months for the show (he didn't). I finally go into the courtroom and, since I've been there soooo many times since I got divorced, the judge's clerk knows who I am; how sad is that?? Anywho, she asks me if the ex is there (lets give him a better name than The Ex, how about the Loser, yeah I like that one).

Ok, back to my story. She asks me if The Loser is there and I told her that he is usually late but I was assuming he would show up. So court is called to order, blah, blah, blah, and the case before mine on the docket begins. The Loser shows up shortly after, which I was glad about cuz I don't wanna continue going back to court. The first case, boring as hell by the way, FINALLY finishes and they call me case. We move to sit up front and the judge asks me to go ahead and give him the facts, which he already had in front of him, but wanted me to kind of explain. So I explain to the judge that The Loser (I didn't call him that in Court, but I wanted to) hadn't paid child support since February of 2006. I also explained that we were in his courtroom one year ago for the same thing and 2 years before that also. The judge asks The Loser why he hasn't paid and he says he wasn't working for 2 and 1/2 months, yada, yada, yada, bullshit, bullshit, bullshit and thats why he couldn't pay. Mind you, he could ask his girlfriend to come and live with him and help to support her but not his own child. Ok, so the judge asks him why he didn't look for another job, and he tells him that he has looked and cannot find a job, ha! Come on now, McDonalds is always hiring.

The judge really didn't like this. The Loser brought in his latest paystub, he went back to work for his last job, and said that child support was being taken out. I looked at it and, yeah, child support was coming out...one fucking payment last week, WTF!!! I guess he though this was gonna be good enough to satisfy the judge. Well...it wasn't. The Loser is currently in the custody of the Shelby County Sheriff's Department and will be in their custody until he pays $2,500 bond which comes straight to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was what I wanted but I wasn't sure it was gonna happen.

I thought about running up and hugging the judge, but I'm gonna guess that courtroom deputy would have frowned on that.

Anyway, I finally get to work around 11 and I am just in the best mood possible. I am at work for 2 hours when Alyssa's babysitter calls to tell my that my 7 month old is throwing up and has diarrhea. OMG, there goes the great mood. I go pick her up and take her to the doctor and she has a stomach virus. Where she got it remains a mystery, cuz, no one she's been around has one. Who the hell knows. But all in all yesterday was a pretty awesome day, at least for me, don't know about The Loser.

Alyssa

Yesterday evening, Chris was leaving to go coach football. I had just changed Alyssa's diaper and picked her up off the changing table just as he walked in the room to tell us bye. She turned around and saw him and, I swear, said DaDa like she knew what she was saying. I'm just not sure because she will sit and repeat dadadadadada and bwabwabwabwabwa over and over again. I just thought it was really cute that she said that (even though she should have said Ma-Ma first, I mean, I did have to be cut open and scared to death to give birth to her 4 weeks early).

Just a little info...

Tell Me About Yourself - The Survey
Name::	Rachel
Birthday::	08/25/1979
Birthplace::	Memphis, Tennessee
Current Location::	Memphis, Tennessee
Eye Color::	Brown
Hair Color::	Brown
Height::	5'5"
Right Handed Or Left Handed::	Right
Your Heritage::	Irish, English, Lebanese
The Shoes You Wore Today::	Black Sandals
Your Weakness::	Chocolate
Your Fears::	Bugs, making the wrong decisions regarding my kids
Your Perfect Pizza::	Pepperoni & Jalapenos
Goals You Would Like To Achieve This Year::	Buy a new house and complete my series 7 exam
Your Most Overused Phrase On An Instant Messenger::	LOL
Thoughts First Waking Up::	Already???
Your Best Physical Feature::	My eyes? I don't know, ask my husband
Your Bedtime::	Depends on the day, usually around 10pm
Your Most Missed Memory::	I forgot, probably just being irresponsible with my friends when we were teenagers
Pepsi Or Coke::	Coke
McDonalds Or Burger King::	Both
Single Or Group Dates::	Both
Lipton Ice Tea Or Nestea::	Neither
Chocolate Or Vanilla::	Chocolate
Cappucino Or Coffee::	Coffee
Do You Smoke::	Yes, but not alot
Do You Swear::	Occasionally
Do You Sing::	Only in the car
Do You Shower Daily::	Of course
Have You Been In Love::	I am in love!!
Do You Want To Go To College::	Yes, I would like to finish one day
Do You Want To Get Married::	I am very happily married
Do You Believe In Yourself::	Most of the time; Chris does when I don't
Do You Get Motion Sickness::	Sometimes, if I try to read in the car
Do You Think You Are Attractive::	Most of the time
Are You A Health Freak::	not really
Do You Get Along With Your Parents::	Very well
Do You Like Thunderstorms::	I love them; I love to sit on the porch and watch storms roll in, it's awe inspiring
Do You Play An Instrument::	Nope
In The Past Month Have You Drank Alcohol::	Yes
In The Past Month Have You Smoked::	Yes
In The Past Month Have You Been On Drugs::	No
In The Past Month Have You Gone On A Date::	Yes, with my husband
In The Past Month Have You Gone To The Mall::	Yes
In The Past Month Have You Eaten A Box Of Oreos::	A whole box? Seriously, that's alot of Oreos!
In The Past Month Have You Eaten Sushi::	No, I could use some though. Mmmmm, spicy crawfish with some wasabi!
In The Past Month Have You Been On Stage::	No
In The Past Month Have You Been Dumped::	No
In The Past Month Have You Gone Skinny Dipping::	No
In The Past Month Have You Stolen Anything::	No
Ever Been Drunk::	Yes
Ever Been Called A Tease::	I don't think so
Ever Been Beaten Up::	Hell no!
Ever Shoplifted::	No
How Do You Want To Die::	Peacefully, in very old age
What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up::	Um...I wanna be a princess! Oh, wait, I already am!
What Country Would You Most Like To Visit::	Oooooh, that's a tough question, there a sooooo many
Take this survey Find more surveys You've been totally Bzoink*d

Just need to vent a little

Ok, so I consider myself to be a pretty reasonable person when it comes to my relationship with my ex-husband and our daughter. There are many things that he does as far as she is concerned that I don't agree with, but I've learned to pick and choose my battles. We get along 99% of the time. There have been times when I've had to speak up regarding certain things. Like the time a few months ago my 5, let me repeat that, 5 year old came home with her toenails painted BLACK. I had to put my foot down on that one. Anyway, back to my point...about 1 1/2 to 2 months ago, Kaylie tells me that her daddy's girlfriend (of not very long) has moved in with them. I didn't really have a problem with that, I lived with Chris for about 2 months before we go married and I certainly would not have appreciated my ex telling me that I was not allowed to. I met her about a month ago when I picked Kaylie up at his house. She seemed nice, a little young, but nice. Kaylie seems to like her, so I have no problem. Kaylie has started to play soccer and I decided to be nice and inform her father of all her practices so he could come if he was able. This past Monday, his girlfriend comes to watch Kaylie's practice. This is fine with me, I always want the people in Kaylie's life that are important to her to support her. Perhaps I should mention, Kaylie is playing soccer at a church. While at practice her team takes a water break and Kaylie comes over and says hi to daddy's girlfriend. Daddy's girlfriend precedes to, loudly, tell Kaylie she stinks (kiddingly of course) and then when Kaylie is going back onto the field, is loudly calling my child a booty head. This in front of 12 other impressionable young girls, plus all the other parents watching the practice. This happened each time Kaylie came for water break I might add. Finally when practice was over, Kaylie wanted to play on the church playground. I told her 5 minutes and then we had to go. It was late and Alyssa was getting restless and tired. While she's on the playground, daddy's girlfriend and her mother (she brought her with her) are standing right next to me talking. Girlfriend decides to tell her mother about how she and my ex were licking each other the night before. Ok, my daughter is well within earshot of this conversation and so are a couple of other kids. I don't know about you, but that is not something I want my child to be hearing. I could care less what she and my ex do, he is an ex for a reason, but there has got to be a better time and place for that conversation. Then she starts telling Kaylie that it's time to go. Look sweetie, I will decide when it is time for my child to leave, since she is leaving with me. I didn't say that or anything else. It was extremely difficult for me to keep my mouth shut. I don't have a problem with my ex having a girlfriend or her living with him, but I do wish that he would think about the potential impressions this person will leave on our daughter. I like to think that Chris's ex-wife sees me as a good stepmother to Haley. I don't know if she does, but I sincerely hope so, because in the long run, its will help us all to help raise Haley. As far am I am concerned Haley has a mother, a good one, and does not need another one. I am just there too help. I feel like I chose a wonderful stepfather for my daughter. He is respectful, sweet, caring, he loves me and Kaylie. Anyway, I just wanted to vent that I now have a very different opinion about my ex's new girlfriend.

Mini Vacation

I'm soooooo excited. Chris and I are gonna be going to watch the Titans play this weekend in Nashville. We've never been to an NFL game so we are so ready. Anyway, this is a mini-vacation for us, no kids, no jobs, hell...if we turn them off, no phones either! We need to get away from Memphis for, at least, a minute. We've got tooooooo much going on right now. What I need are some suggestions for things to do, places to go, drinks to drink, etc while we are in Nashville. Even though I have lived in Memphis all my life, I have only been to Nashvegas once and I was like 5, so I am pretty clueless and so is Chris. He was gonna ask a friend of his who goes up there about some places, but I'm not sure he has talked with him. He was also gonna ask his ex-wife, she goes up there for work occasionally, were a good place to stay was, but, once again, I don't think he has. Anyway, on to the point of this whole post. I need some suggestions!!! Help, help, help.

Oh, and, trust me, Chris already has the Bass Pro Shop in mind.

I need help!!!!

Ok, I've always been a tad unorganized when it comes to getting going in the mornings. It used to be lots easier when it was just me and Kaylie. Now it's me and Kaylie and Alyssa and I have to make sure Chris gets up, blah blah blah. I believe that my organization skills, or, lol, lack thereof, and my procrastination tendencies are catching up with me. It is getting harder and harder to remember all the shit I have to do and have ready and go to and get together everyday. I have know for 2 weeks that Kaylie's first soccer practice is tomorrow. I still keep forgetting. I think I am gonna have to get one of those day planners and seriously start writing this stuff down, my mom would say, I told you so. I feel like I'm getting old cuz I can't remember my own name most days. Does anyone want to come to my house and keep up with all this shit for me??? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

I think it's all the kids; they are sucking out my ability to think. Obviously, since I said I want another one!

Stupid ex-husband

I just really need to vent about my ex-husband. On August 30 we have to go back to court, again, because the asshole just will not pay his child support. This is the 3rd time I have had to file a contempt petition against him. I just don't understand how he can justify not taking care of his child. She is only with him 6 days out of a freakin month, but, I guess, since he buys her clothes (so he says, but somehow he keeps sending her home in clothes from last year that don't fit and keeping the ones we've bought her), and feeds her while she's there, that is plenty. I have even asked him not to give the money directly to me, just pay for childcare, soccer, school supplies, anything and he still won't do it. Let me give you a little background on this loser. He has 4 kids, by 3 different women (I know, I know, that should have been a huge red flag) and his oldest child he just met last year. He doesn't even see his other 2. Thankfully he, at least, still sees Kaylie. He lives in his mom's house, which is paid for so there is no mortgage to pay. He doesn't have any bills (these are his words) but he can't afford to pay his child support. Yet, he can afford to ask his girlfriend to move in with him. He can support her but not his own child, WTF.

Each time I have taken him to court, the judge (same one each time) has given him extra time to work the situation out and each time he pays the child support for a couple of months and then quits his job again or just tells them to stop taking the child support out (i'm not really sure which one). I am hoping like hell that he gets his stupid ass thrown in jail and hopefully someone will want to make him there wife while he's there and he won't want to go back and he'll start paying what he owes me. All in all he owes pretty close to $10,000. I guess he thinks I'm just gonna let that go, he's fuckin crazy!

Yaaaay!!!!!

Ok, I want everyone to cross their fingers and toes and whatever else you can cross. Chris and I are just this close to getting a new house. I can't tell you how excited we are about this. I cannot wait to be able to sit down and choose my carpets, my tile colors, wall colors and even my appliances. I'll keep ya posted on the outcome.

Safe Haven Laws

Ok, I am all for the Safe Haven laws that we have in this state. But, I guess, being a mom myself, I just don't understand how someone can walk away from their own child. Then again, I have never found myself an teenage, unwed mom either. What makes me angry about the law is not the law itself, but the fact you never hear about until some child winds up dead. Just yesterday, a woman dropped a newborn baby off at a fire station in midtown and she is one of the few that actually use the law. She had faith that she would not be in trouble and that that baby would be taken care of. The first thing I saw about it made it sound like the police were not sure if they were gonna press charges against her or not because a fire station is "not technically a safe have". That was the biggest bunch of bullshit! She could have done what that other young mother did last month, which was, give birth and bury her baby in the woods. Instead she at least cared enough to be sure the baby at least has a chance at life, whether she could or wanted to take care of it or not. Like I said, I have never been in a situation like that, but this is how I feel about it. I think there should be a larger effort to educate women about this law so that these innocent children have a chance. Ok, I feel a little better now. How bout you?

Finally

Ok, I finally did it, I have set up a blog. Now I can come on here and say what I want, when I want and you can't stop me, ha.

Right now, I have to actually do some work while I'm at work, so this is all you're getting. I do have one question though, when did blogging become so popular and what do you usually blog about?