Jan. 25, 2012

Hi all,
First let me introduce myself and my family.  I'm Sue.  I'm a Tennessee transplant to Iowa.  Why you ask?  Marriage, work, craziness.  The marriage didn't work out, the job was great and I'm still crazy.  I worked as a behavior specialist for many many years.  I loved my work and my clients.  I had 4 children, all grown now.  Then I remarried.  The internet messed up that marriage and now I find myself single.  But, I'm not alone.  You see my oldest daughter has some mental problems.  She gave birth to a beautiful daughter 14 years ago.  12 years ago, that beautiful girl, after much prayer and thought, became my beautiful daughter.  After many discussions with our pastor and attorney, we realized that the only way she would remain safe would be for us to adopt her.  It was the best thing I have ever done.  Within 2 years of her birth, DHS called me the day before Thanksgiving and said that they were going to take her half sister away from my daughter and did I want to take her?  What could I say?  It was the day before Thanksgiving and the thought that she might be with strangers over the holidays just broke my heart.  She lived with us for 6 months and on her first birthday was returned to her mom.  Unfortunately 6 months after that, we got a call again from DHS and this time they terminated her parental rights.  What could we do?  We adopted her to.  So now, even though I am a single mom of 4 grown children, I am not alone.  I am now, once again, a single mom of 2 teenage daughters.  Oh the trama!!!!!  Ok, that's kind of my history.  I'll fill you in more tomorrow.