Shock factor dying

It is another sad, sad day in the US of A.

Another day that a precious child dies

to the hands of a man/woman who is

supposed to love and protect them.

When things like this begin to happen

so often that it does not even have the

impact of shocking us anymore, well

it's so darn sad. 

Police have confirmed that the 2-year-old son of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has died.

The boy, whose name was not released per the family's request, was believed to have suffered injuries from an alleged assault by a man the boy's mother was dating. The child was in critical care at a South Dakota hospital before his death.

Joseph Patterson, 27, who police say was taking care of the child, has been arrested in connection with the death. Patterson was charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery of an infant, and his bond was set for $750,000.

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Adrian Peterson (USA Today Sports)

Peterson returned to the team's facilities Friday from South Dakota after missing Thursday's practice. He issued a short statement prior to the announcement of the boy's death.

"I should start off by saying I really appreciate all the support that I've been receiving from fans, the Vikings organization," Peterson said. "This is a private matter and I would ask you all to please just respect my privacy and not ask at all about the situation at hand. Thanks."

Nelson Peterson, Peterson's father, confirmed to the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the child was Adrian Peterson's son.

A marriage, it is supposed to be forever, better or worse,

yet there are those circumstances where they must end.

As Dr. Phil often says,

"A child would rather be from a broken home than live in one."

Abuse, neglect, and addiction; whether it be drugs, alcohol,

sex, gambling, these are reasons for a marriage to end.

My opinion anyway.

If any of these things can be resolved between two,
then hard work should be given to the marriage.
However, there will be the ones that just cannot be fixed.
Two people have to be committed.
Not always the case.
So there it is, the marriage ends.
What responsibility still belongs?
Women need to be strong, independent,
putting their children first, They can have all the love
and relationships after the child is an adult.
Yes, it is a lonely life because we all crave adult companionship
but I don't think another adult should have the right
to rule anothers' child.
My opinion of course, My blog, my thoughts,
my rights.
There are two women who I admire much for
what they have done as single mothers.
One is my niece, Tiffany.
Her marriage had to end and she found herself 
as the primary parent. She may have dated a little,
yet never, not once did she allow a man to 
discipline her child. She waited and prayed for
this child for so long. She would not let any other man
come between her and her main job which is raising
this wonderful child. I know there are times where she must be 
lonely, especially now that Tedi-girl is a Jr. in high school
and has more of a life of her own.
Instead of allowing herself to get caught into a relationship
that may not have been good for TEdi, she challenged herself
to becoming better herself. To becoming an RN from
her LPN standing. She and TEdi should graduate about
the same time. She will still have plenty time to have
relationships after TEdi is on her own.
She also is making sure that if it comes, good
but she will never have to be in a relationship, being
able to support herself. A hero, she is, to me.
Then there is my godchild, Ricky's mom, Allie.
She too found herself a single parent.
Unlike Tiffany, she had no help from his Dad in raising
Rick. I know it was not easy. She would try and date,
find herself in a situation where the relationship began 
to interfere with what was best for Rick and she let it go.
She cried to me often about this.
I would tell her, one day there will be time for you,
time for love you deserve but right now, your job
has to be for Rick. She agreed, listened and
once Rick was grown, she found the love of her life,
the cheese to her macaroni, the ying to her yang.
Brian and she are so happy and Rick?
Well, with his mother always putting him first,
he now is a grown man, in the Navy protecting our
country.
Let's hope that women like these two become the norm.
That women can become independent feeling like
they do not need a man nor a relationship to be whole.
That a woman can always put the child first
and stop abuse and death by the hands of a person
who had no right to even be in their life.

ROCKING THE BEAN, A REASON TO SING

One of my very favorite things to do is

rock the Bean. This past weekend,

she didn't feel so great so we rocked quite a bit.

Her Mommy was working nights and sleeping here

during the day. I rocked her for her naps and once

she was asleep I put her to lay and cuddle with her Mommy.

Ever since she was first born, our rocking sessions also

came with singing. I am not a good singer, I am not a terrible singer.

Yet, I love, love, love to sing. Kd says I have a song

for everything. Bean thinks I sing pretty good,

it is why I guess I continue to sing to her.

She knows most my songs, sometimes sings along,

sometimes just watches my face as I sing.

The songs began with her birth being 

ITSY BITSY SPIDER 

and 

WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I ASKED MY MUMSIE,

WHAT SHALL I BE?

SHALL I BE PRETTY, SHALL I BE RICH,

HERE'S WHAT SHE SAID TO ME.

KAY SERA, SERA,

WHATEVER WILL BE, WILL BE.

THE FUTURES NOT OURS TO SEE

KAY SERA, SERA.

There is also the old Carpenter song,

SING, SING A SONG.

Now that her Mommy works nights and I have her

some nights, I began to sing her prayers.

OUR FATHER 

is her very favorite. She listens intently to the point that

she asks me if I am singing about snot.

Snot? yeah, she says,

"and lead usnot" 

that is my cajun accent, sound like snot.

She also picks up the word Heaven.

OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN...

"Muzie, God in heaven?"

"Yes, he is."

"With Mommee, muzie?"

'Yes Mommee is in Heaven with baby Jesus and God"

"Mommee can hear the song?"

I explain,

"Yes, sweet, when we sing our prayers, God hears them

and Mommee hears them."

She now allows me to finish the song as she listens intently.

As I finish, she said,

"Again"

" Again?" I ask.

"Yes, again for Mommee"

BE STILL MY HEART.

After we finish rocking, as she sleeps in my arms,

we go to bed. She barely awakens as I lay her in bed,

says, "I want sleep on Mommee's pillow"

I place her beautiful head on my Mommy's pillow

and I realize I love her even more, every day, every second,

I love this child even more.

They say children have a connection to those who have

gone on to Heaven, I think it is true when speaking of Bean.

Thanks dear Mona!

A friend of mine, Mona puts out a Friday email 

filled with wonderful things,

quotes, poems, points to ponder,

recipes. It is just wonderful.

The last few weeks I have missed her emails.

Like my blog, people may not look at it every day

but if a few days go by without a blog, someone

will contact me in one of many ways to ask what

is my problem.....lol

Friday this was in her newsletter and I fell in love

with all of its words and simplicity.

Simple but jam packed with so many words of wisdom.

40 Rules for Living

Give people more than they expect.
Memorize your favorite poem.
Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have, or sleep all you want.
When you say, "I love you," mean it.
When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.
Never laugh at anyone's dreams.
Love deeply and passionately.  You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
Don't judge people by their relatives.
Talk slow but think quick.
When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
Call your mom.
Say "Bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Smile when picking up the phone.  The caller will hear it in your voice.
Marry someone you love to talk to.  As you get older, conversational skills will be as important as any other.
Spend some time alone.
Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Read more books and watch less TV.
Live a good, honorable life.  Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time.
Trust in God but lock your car.
A loving atmosphere in your home is so important.  Do all you can to create a tranquil, harmonious home.
In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation.  Don't bring up the past.
Read between the lines.
Share your knowledge.  It's a way to achieve immortality.
Be gentle with the earth.
Pray -- there's immeasurable power in it.
Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
Mind your own business.
Don't trust a lover who doesn't close his/her eyes when you kiss them.
Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living.  That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.
Learn the rules then break some.
Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
Remember that your character is your destiny.

There is one sentence up there,

"If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living.  That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.

It stands out for me.

Not all agree nor live by this but nothing

makes me happier, makes me complete than

giving away money whether it is in a gift or 

buying, doing something special for others.

It may be taking that one special child for a day

of pampering and clothes shopping...

To see the joy giving to someone you love,

especially when they do not expect it is my joy.

HOBL sometimes asks, "where did your money go"

Usually I won't answer...

Does it matter? If it does, I assure him each time I use money

for the good of others, I most often add his name.

So to answer the question....

WEll, there were the nieces and nephews birthdays

and all the new babies born that I sent money to.

There was that family member of ours who would never

ask for money but is struggling and I send unexpected

money that way. There are the visits with little kiddies,

usually neices and nephews that I shower with my

time and money when they visit me.

There are the gatherings in our home that either you 

or I prepare for paying for all the things we need

to make the visit special like snacks, pretties....

There is that hundred dollars I sent to one child or two that

we love for something positive in their lives that their

parents may need a little help with.

Movies and eating out with dear ones who I treat.. being

able to pick up the tab...

Then there was that awesome painting or piece of furniture

that "spoke" to me where it was stored, told

me a story that made me have to take it home.

I am different from HOBL. Doesn't make me better or 

worse nor better than him, just makes me different in that

he likes to save, I like to "spread the wealth"

I often say, want to leave a legacy when I leaver this place.

. When I see someone we helped with our monetary

contribution succeed in the goal they were trying to accomplish

I have this sense of pride knowing we helped them in a very 

small way. When I see one we love dancing on a stage or

cheering at a game knowing we helped in some small way,

well I smile, I love. When one of the kiddies I love 

share with me memories past from time spent with us,

I can burst with pride. When I walk into a room 

of our dream home and see something I purchased to 

make it even more beautiful or make it a home

rather than a house, I am happy for the monetary contribution

I have made. I often tell HOBL we can't take it with us

and yet I know when he says "yeah, but we may be here for 

a while" he is also right.

I am thankful for how he saves for our older age.

How he has always, always taken care of us never

wanting for much, how our needs have always been met,

even when he had two jobs so I could stay home with 

our young children, that does not go forgotten nor

unappreciated. Yet, our balance of him saving and I giving

to those who need it the most is part of what makes

us, us. A good blend I think. 

Happy Tuesday as I plan on having HOBL come home this

week and a weekend filled with family and friends that we love.

HOBL adding more ink, I spoiling a niece this weekend.

 (My 50th bday party given to me by these great nieces and nephews)

 ( my sweet Lillian, napping with me, scrapping with me)

( always full of art supplies, always well stocked for loads of fun)

(Visit this weekend at our home with some of

those nieces and great nieces and nephews

and of course, My bean)

not accepting should be unacceptable...

 (what is there not to love)

 (all my girls)

Since Gypsy baby came out to share with

us all that she is gay, I am shocked by the amount

of family and parents who are not accepting of

their childs' gender. 

It was only a few months ago that I have added

Gypsy's grown up life into my motivational testimonies

to teens. Since then, not one talk goes by that

a child does not ask to share with me that he/she is 

also gay. I also have come into contact with other teens

that say they are not accepted as being gay by their parents

and family.

I don't get it, I don't understand it,

it makes me sad, it makes me angry.

My gypsy baby being gay is compared here

to her brother being left handed. It was not 

a chosen thing, it is her.

To accept my children no matter what is my job as their Mother.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of

meeting the finest young man as he acted.

I shared with him after just how great he did

and he thanked me and explained that his parents

were not invited to this presentation as they would

not have understood his part he played, nor

are they acceptable of his being gay.

I could cry when I hear stories like this.

It's like I want to shake each of these adults

who "doesn't allow their child to be gay"

I wonder, if they knew they only had one day,

one 24 hour period, and then their child would

be gone, would that change their mind, their actions?

It has happened to a fine family I know of.

Refusing to be accepting

 of his lifestyle, they buried their child

without ever being able to accept who he was.

Today, while surfing the net, I find this

letter of a Daddy to his grown child

in reference to his grandson. Wish I could meet him,

wish I could hug him, I only hope that my gypsy baby

feels that I love her this much also and will forever

not only accept her but be willing to be an advocate

for her as a gay woman and to all those other gay people

in the world.

A LONG SHOT BECOMES a Long Baby

Not sure my words will give this story enough justice as

words are not enough to describe the miracle the

new Long life has shown us all.

About 20 years ago, when working for Dr. Pitre

she being anew physician, and I her nurse,

(calm down HIPPA, have permission from Andre and Dr. P.)

two sweet and beautiful little girls came into her office.

They were only a year apart, as close as siblings could be

and the youngest had grown so much compared to her

beautiful older sister.

Although big sis, Andre' was 5, she looked to be the younger

one compared to her 4 year old sister, Emily.

Dr. Pitre, being the wonderful doc she is right away

inquired about Andre's small stature and always having

a cough. Her Mom, Robbin shared that she had been seen

by many doctors in the past but all assured she was just petite.

Dr. Pitre disagreed and suggested a sweat test to be done

to rule out Cystic Fibrosis. I saw her Mothers face,

saw the worry in her eyes, I scheduled the appointment.

A few days later, the diagnosis came in,

our little pediatric patient had Cystic Fibrosis.

I remember the day she and her parents came

in for the results. Dr. Pitre's office was full of patients

and yet each time I opened the door to call another patient in,

it was the Pitre's I saw, Robbin I could not make eye contact with.

She and I have spoken of that day many times since.

I knew if I made eye contact with her,  I would break down.

Robbin shared, that my lack of being to make eye contact

assured her that her baby girl had CF.

Finally, it was time to call in the Pitre's.

I escorted Jed and Robbin into DR. P. office

and I took sweet Andre' with me.

She sat on my lap, I showed her how to draw a few things.

I smelled her hair, smelling like baby shampoo and tried

not to cry, I said silent prayers while she sat with me.

Surprisingly, aside from that very day, her parents

took her home, did all they had to do to keep her healthy 

and refused to think nor dwell on all that may become 

of their little daughters life.

Throughout her childhood, she and I were close as

she would let no one else give her shots, draw her blood.

I was honored in that position. Such a brave little girl,

such a trooper, such a sweetie.

A few years later, we became their back yard neighbors.

Gypsy was a little younger but every once in 

a while there were play dates.

to pretend that her little life, her parents lives, her sisters lives

were perfect would be wrong.

There were many many times that they feared for Andre's life.

There were many times she was hospitalized, some of those times

on a ventilator and not sure if she would pull through.

I always admired them because only positive thoughts lived

in their lives. Whether her parents held each other and cried

themselves to sleep will be known by none but themselves.

They were determined to bring both their girls believing

that all things were within their reach.

Where many Cystic Fibrosis children would be overprotected

and coddled, Pitre Parents left nothing out of their grasp.

Andre' danced when they said she would not.

she excelled at everything she touched with her family always

cheering her on. She continued to add years to her life,

to do all that others said she never would.

Was on dance team at her high school, 

went and worked hard for a degree at her family's most

prized college, LSU.

As would follow most young women, she fell in love 

with a most special young man, Brian Long.

I have not met this young man but if Andre' loves him, then 

he is a special man. She and her sister, Em continued to 

live their lives very similar. When Em fell in love and became 

engaged, so did Andre'. Their weddings were so close together

but their daddy would give them each what their heart desired,

it is the kind of daddy he is.

Then, after both weddings, came the next part in most newly married

couples experience. Pregnancy, pregnancy for her baby sister, Emily.

This was the one thing that many said Andre' would never experience,

the thought that she would get pregnant would be almost impossible,

carrying a baby to term would be a detriment to Andre's health,

to carry to term very hard to do.

I know I was not the only one who was silently sad that this would

be the one aspect her sister would experience that Andre' would not.

However, I should have learned this over the many years,

don't tell Andre' she can't do something as not only will she do

it but will do it perfect ally. Not long after Emily, Andre' announced she

too was pregnant. It was hard to be ecstatic about it as if you know

anything about CF, you know what complications can come with 

pregnancy, the worst being the loss of the Mommy who suffers with CF.

I followed Andre' closely throughout the pregnancy, began sending her

private messages just letting her know how I was praying and wishing all

to be well. Emilee gave birth to her beautiful baby daughter, Haylee and

they anxiously hoped for a full term baby for Andre', a

new cousin for Haylee.

The Long's decided on not knowing the gender of their baby.

When all were saying it would be better for Andre' to have a section,

she wanted to go into labor on her own, have her baby 

as most others do. I was just so excited and praying

when I got a PM from Andre' herself that she was not only in 

active labor but 8 cm. dilated. I mean how many Mommies

are in labor and private messaging at 8 cm???

Finally, the wait was over for all, a beautiful

baby boy born, Brayson Long.

A perfect and beautiful little baby.

My hero today?

His very own Mommy, Andre'

As I ask, this morning, for permission to post a beautiful 

miracle, her words to me were,

"OF COURSE! I AM STILL IN AWEOF THE WHOLE SITUATION

ALSO. I COULD JUST STARE AT HIM ALL DAY AND CRY

TEARS OF JOY"

I am so very proud to have known this child, this family since

the day their whole lives changed back on the day they 

first heard the words "Cystic Fibrosis"

Andre' had never strayed from her belief of living a most 

beautiful life.

Forever, this little boy must know how special he is,

that many thought he never would be. How much

his Daddy loves his Mommy and probably had to keep

his worries of possibly loosing his wife and child yet

standing by his beautiful bride, supporting her in any decisions she

chose This morning, he has not only a wonderful wife, 

but a little boy to add to his list of miracles.

Happy Mothers Day, sweet Andre'

and not to make light her sisters sweet pregnancy and baby girl,

Happy Mommy's day to you also, Emily.

As Andre' said to me when discussing how close the babies

will be in age, she shared,

"It's going to be like Em and I all over again"

Well almost, as a boy in this story....

Love to you all, Pitre's!