SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BIRTHDAY GIRL

FUN FACT #1  Vanetta.  

33 years ago, while pregnant with Lindsey, I did weekend 'work' sitting with an elderly lady in Frostburg.  She was a lovely lady and I enjoyed going there early and getting her out of bed, helping her in and out of the bath, making her breakfast, and then sitting with her and chatting as we shared sections of the newspaper.  For Christmas, she gifted me with a silk gown to wear in the hospital when I had the baby.  About a week before Lindsey was born, I cried so hard I thought for sure it would send me into labor, as I visited Vanetta at the funeral home.  I would miss her terribly.

FUN FACT #2  It's a girl.

I already had 2 boys.  Of course, I wanted a girl.  We all wanted a girl.  So God gave us a girl.  Okay, so that's a fact you already are aware of ....  but still...  back then we did not have the convenience of knowing the sex of the baby before birth.

FUN FACT #3 Steak Dinner

The hospital provided a steak dinner for the lucky blessed parents.  I was puffy and exhausted, but that steak dinner was really good.  All in honor of our new baby.  I cannot begin to describe my joy.

FUN FACT #4 A Room in the Hall

Our little 2 bedroom house already had the boys in one bedroom and husband and me in the other.  So, we did what we had to do.  Baby's nursery was in a part of the hallway.  Note:  In order to embrace joy and contentment, do the best you can with what you have while working to improve.  A couple years later, Lindsey would have her own room.

FUN FACT #5 Happiness

They say that happiness comes and goes in ones life.  Well, when I brought this little bundle home with me, the happiness stayed for a very long time.  I did not have the means to buy nice outfits or costly bows.  But I had a girl!  And that meant girl bling!  So I cut some things up and wrote on some stuff and made me a little valentine.  Note:  Doing the best I could with what I had. I had very little.  But I had everything!

FUN FACT #6  A Friend

A girl in the house meant a friend for me.  She was then, she is now.

FUN FACT #7  Best Mom

My little bundle of joy grew up to be a far better mom than I ever was, and I am thankful for her!  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDSEY!

Birthday

Disclaimer.  I am about to bore you with lots of photos.

February 9, 1988.  I was so ready!  Our 4 room house had been turned into 5 rooms when my *then husband* petitioned off the boys room so we could make a little 'nursery' for our soon-to-be arrival.   There was no door on the room, basically it was like a part of the hall but we fixed that hall up to be a happy little place. 

.... shhhhh...  baby sleeping.

We did not know, boy or girl.  

Since we had 2 boys already...  we were elated!

I thought...  Life does not get any better than this!

Steak dinner was served to the proud parents.

And lots of gifts and flowers poured in. 

Unlike the constant attention the boys needed as infants, Lindsey was all about 'alone time'.  When she cried it was usually because she wanted to be put into her bed and not pressured into entertaining others with her smiles, coos and cuteness.  

"Just leave me alone"

The brothers took to her right away.  A little person they could control.

We didn't need to go on vacations.  

Our back yard served as some of the best moments life could offer.

This week of her 32nd birthday I reminisce about my little girl...

And stop to think about what a beautiful young lady she has become...

And I am 

*GRATEFUL*

Lindsey with her girls Rissi and Summer

Lindsey's Forever Birthday Present

Lindsey wanted to meet pop star Ryan Cabrera for her 'Forever Birthday Present'

And so...

When we found out that our good friend Blaise Delfino was opening for Ryan at the Main Gate in Bethlehem and later at the Sands Casino and Resort....  we thought...  hmmmm

Let's see if we can make this work. 

So we contacted Blaise, he got us tickets, and he promised to introduce Lindsey to Ryan for a photo and autograph.

Jessica (my daughter-in-law to be) and Lindsey drove separately and stayed just one night.  Gary and I stayed two nights.  

Ryan didn't show up at Main Gate.  His plane was delayed or something like that.  Lindsey was disappointed.

But he did show up later...  at The Sands.  We had rooms at The Sands Hotel so we were ready to party!  (NOT!)

It wasn't until around 12:45 AM that Ryan finally appeared.  He sang a few songs, then Blaise pulled him aside to get pictures with Lindsey (and Jessica).  Lindsey was elated!!

She later got Ryan to sign her ticket for Marissa who had asked her Mommy to get Ryan's autograph for her.  He asked if she had a picture of Marissa and she showed him her picture.  He said, "She's really cute!"  He then told Lindsey she should bring Rissi to the 'make-up' show whenever it was scheduled.  

We were up past 2AM!  The Casino was very much alive with gamblers and partier's as we made our way through the crowds and down the hall to the elevator and then to our hotel to quiet, peaceful rooms to call it a night.  

We had a fun couple of days!  

"Let's see...  what can we get into..."

CARDED!  

Jessica and Lindsey waiting to go into the Main Gate

Blaise put on quite a show at The Main Gate.
Who needs Ryan Cabrera anyway?!

Lindsey and Ryan Cabrera
HAPPY FOREVER BIRTHDAY LINDSEY

Jessica and Ryan Cabrera

Jessica, Blaise, and Lindsey

Both girls had me holding their purses while they got pictures...  Here is Gary and me with Blaise @ around 1:30 AM.  Are we too old to be out this late?  Yes, probably so.  

Dear Diary,

I was in jail.  I was sad.  I missed my pack.  But my pack came back.  Now all is well.  Gracie.

Wedding snippets

Some snippets from the wedding...  :-)

Simply beautiful...

Mondays Mug: She Loved Her Father So

Mondays Mug

This mug was given to Hubby

from his daughter Athena for Father's Day.

Athena, at age ten would cry 

because her mom wouldn't 

let her spend more time with her dad.  

She then would cry when it was time for

her to go home because 

she wanted to live with us. 

This is the other side of the mug.

  She loved her father so...

But the X found a psychologist who works out of the basement of his home, does not have a PHD, and oh, the things this man was allowed to do to this child!!!

There are many good memories.  

At age 13, we saw her for the last time.  
She was bribed, hypnotized,
put on some very strong drugs, and brainwashed. 
I have all the court papers and emails
that prove all these things.

 She now believes her father
 abused her from age 3 to 13. 

 She hates him. 

What happens is, along with good memories,
false memories are planted
 and the past gets distorted. 
 Before her father was targeted, 
his father and son were targeted. 
 When that wasn't enough to 
remove him from her life,
 they chose to target her father. 

 For those not involved in
 something like this,
they might not have a clue
 as to how this could happen. 
 Aren't the courts fair? 
Doesn't proof mean anything? 
Isn't the best interest of the child
 what matters most?

The answer is no to all of the above.

It is a money train, 
and all involved get a piece of the pie. 
I watched it happen.  
It was the worse form of child abuse I've ever seen...
 happening on the inside... pulling a heart of
love and admiration from a child 
and planting a heart of
resentment, hatred and anger in it's place. 

Hubby continues to send child support,
 but never sees her.  
He also pays for a Christian school.  
She just turned 18 last month, 
but has another year to go to school.

Tell me what you think of this video 
she just put on you tube a few days ago. 

 Be prepared though, it's foul... 

Keep in mind, hubby has no input in her life.  
He's been forced out of her life since age 13. 

I can still hear him praying with her
 at bedtime when she'd be with us. 

He continues to pray for her.  

Jealousy is an awful thing,
and for someone to do what was done to
this father and daughter
  is an abomination.   

Hubby met with Athena's Christian School principal when she was 13,
 and shared with them some of the stuff he was finding online...  
 He was reaching out for someone to help her.  

The X told Athena:  
"What kind of a father would do such a thing...
go to their daughter's school like that and do this?"  

A father who cares.  

God help this kid, who is now a disturbed adult
because of what has been done to her.