Hi all,

I'm back. We got our internet back today no thanks to the Nazis at the phone company. Damn Sprint changed to Embarq and they blocked the 800 number Jobe uses, so had no net for like two weeks. Ugghh. We went back to WeBound today. So am back online. Now on to the updates:

I drove to Indiana on Tuesday. Stayed in a hotel cause Patrick's mother had a second heart attack and just wasn't in any shape for me and my kids to be in her house for too long of a period of time. Was at Delaware County Jail bright and early Wednesday morning with the kids. Patrick got out about 9:30 Indiana time. Should have seen Dayanera's face when she saw her Daddy. She was so excited, she was bouncing up and down. It was really cute. He lost weight and Goddess knows he can't afford to lose any. LOL. He had a beard too, apparently shaving is awfully hard to do in the clink. Anyway, we went back to his mom's and he got to take a real shower and shave. He was so different that day. LOL. I told him I could get used to it. Apparently he missed me.

We were like a couple of kids all day Wednesday, which was fun. Patrick wrote me the sweetest letter which I got his permission to brag about in here. He said it was ok for me to post it. LOL. I think he wants me to brag about it. So here goes:

My Dearest Natalie,

I count the days until I can yet see the sun shimmer off of your beautiful hair, the twinkle in your eyes when the stars catch them just right, the warmth of your smile when you daughter does something silly. To kiss your luscious lips and hold you tight. While being in here, I have been reminded how much you mean to me, I will never take you for granted. You have done for me in the past 4 years more than almost anybody I know (mom and dad). You have put our love first and created, as you put it, the perfect husband, and I thank you for that. Thanks to you I have seen the person in me that you have always seen. I love you with all of my heart and can't wait to grow old and grey with you. But you first, ok. (ha ha)

I love you and worship the ground you walk upon.

Your loving husband,

Patrick

Ok girls, could you just die? LOL. I melted. Patrick has never written me anything, much less anything that good. I told him that now that I know he has it in him, I'm not letting him off the hook anymore in the romance department. LOL. This letter was something straight out of a romance novel. Needless to say I had the proper reaction. Between Indiana and Mo there are a few places that I can think of and smile, especially this little town in Illinois that I will always think of fondly. *grin*. Pretty hot for an old married couple. LMAO. Just cross your fingers and your toes that I don't end up knocked up over this, we weren't exactly careful.

Anyway, I'm a happy camper this week, despite the fact that we are now in debt up to our ears. We've had to borrow, borrow, borrow, just to make it through. But it will be alright because we are all back together again. I'm pathetically devoted to my husband and despite how embarassing that can sometimes be, I'm happy because I know he's just as devoted to me. We are still trying to decide about the fourth of july, so dunno if we are going to have the party or not. We have enough money because we took out a loan, but we don't know what Patrick's work schedule is going to be like yet. I'll let everyone know what our plans are when we figure it out.

We got our grades and we both made the dean's list again, which was great. The letters came in just in time for Patrick's court date and I think it was a deciding factor. I'm so glad all of this is over and there's no more of his drinking past to come back and haunt him. Dunno about the Penni stitch. We haven't heard from her since the first time. I'm figuring we'll be hearing from her soon because the fourth of July is coming up and he'd told her the soonest he could get to Indiana was then. He's going to tell her he wants a DNA test or I'm going to skin him. But am not sure she'll call again. She didn't get what she wanted when she called the last time and that may have put her off for another six months or so. We'll see. I refuse to worry about her, I'm too happy right now.

Josh and Andrynne were here for a visit last week, which was great. They are getting so grown up and I'm getting so old. Andrynne will be 17 in October and Josh will be 16 in February. Is so hard only seeing them once a year. It's hard to reconcile their ages now with what they were when I was their mom. I got to spend some time with them anyway, which was nice. We went to the lake and went swimming one day and the other day I got to spend with them we hung out at my mom's house for a while talking. You know it won't be too many more years before Dayanera and Maverick will be their ages. It's not really that far off when you think about it. Sort of depressing. Maybe another baby isn't such a bad thing?

Oh hell, what am I thinking? Geez. I had a brain fart for a minute. The last thing I need at this point is to not be able to see my feet when I just so recently found them again. Then there's all that waking up in the middle of the night cause the kid is kicking me in the ribs. Oh god, trying to tie shoes, craving stuff in the middle of the night, heartburn from water of all things, another baby in diapers, getting up in the middle of the night for feeding, breast feeding, buying bunches of baby crap, a third damn car seat in my car, breast pumps, breast pads, no sex for 6 weeks after the baby is born, all that bleeding, ugghhhhh.... I definitely don't want another one right now. For one thing I'd like to be alot thinner when I have another one. I'd like to plan it for a change. I'd like to be ready for it. I should have taken the 72 hour pill. Damn. Cause it would just be my luck. Ok, I'm going to be Scarlett O'Hara and think about it tomorrow. My grandma says not to borrow trouble. So I'm not going to.

Anyway, the pic on this one is of Patrick, Maverick, Dayanera, and Patrick's mom, Zandra the day he got out of jail. I'll talk to you all later.

Blessings,

Natalie/Em