Monday and all of its Madness!

I have a dear girlfriend that I have known since my freshman year in high school. First day of ninth grade, I noticed she was on her own. It was pretty hard not to notice it when there's only about 110+ teenagers in your class. I walked up to her and said,"Hi. My name's Missy. What's yours?" We've been friends ever since. We've been through highschool, college, singleness, marriage, divorce, severe illness, having kids... we've waked through life together. Even when we haven't been with each other on a daily basis, we've still walked together. Have friends like that? They're a treasure.

My friend recently adopted a child. She and her husband found the birth mother and they were present for the delivery and the relationship between everyone has been wonderful. So wonderful, in fact, I've been wondering when it was going to hit. Not that I'm a cynic, but it seemed to be going so smoothly that it worried me. They bring the baby home. Life is wonderful for about two weeks. Everyone is loving the baby, my friend and her husband are over the moon in love with the baby and wouldn't you know it, the birth father, who now happens to be in prison, is deciding whether or not he wants to sue for the right to have his mother raise the child.

You're kidding me, right? Seriously? This guy is in prison and gets the right to a free trial while my friends have to fork over another 10K+ to defend the adoption? Something is not right here. I would understand if he was in for a petty crime with circumstantial evidence. Let's suffice to say this guy has a track record which would make any parent think twice about him having influence over a child's life. And he gets to wreak havoc for free. Actually, not for free... OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE PAYING FOR THIS.

Someone help me understand this... I'm trying to stay fair and balanced, but I'm just not seeing it. I think if he REALLY wants custody, he should have to fork over the money like everyone else. It's not like he is having an attorney to defend his freedom. That I would get. He's been convicted. Feels like he should have to give up this right too. But then again, that's probably my bias toward my friend talking.

Yours, hoping he drops his suit,

Melissa

Friday...

Dear Readers,

I know it's Friday, and usually I do TRY to tell something funny. Believe me, my life lends itself to humor easily. If you don't think God has a sense of humor, I would say take a look at life and I would beg to differ with you. However, today, if you are near to St. Louis, particularly within the West County and Fenton areas, you might be waking up today thinking something along the lines of,"Finally. Justice has been served."

I'm sure you could google this name, Chris Coleman, and find out more than you want to know about the murder trial. He has been convicted of killing his wife and two sons. Even typing that sentence is incomprehensible to me. I just don't understand how anyone could conceive of killing their own children, even their spouse. It's not that I knew them or have intimate knowledge of their relationship. And I realize there are two sides to every story (sometimes three or four), but for murder to be your chosen option for ending your marriage because you are cheating on your wife (not because you are being abused or feel physically threatened or have a need for self defense)? Wow. I can't even begin to wrap my brain around that. All over my neighborhood, and I know because my friends and I have talked about it, husbands and wives are having the following conversation. I think it's a sad commentary when the wife turns to the husband and says," Really, if it ever gets THAT bad and you want out, just pack my stuff and put it on the curb. No need to draw it out or wrestle with it, just give me the kids and we'll make it okay." Who would ever conceive of having to have that kind of conversation?

Yesterday Chris Coleman was convicted on all counts. Today, friends and people all over the bi-state area are given closure. For me, today, it starts with taking a look at my kids and hugging them a little longer, soaking in and savoring the moments.

May we all savor our moments this weekend,

Melissa