Don't Abuse Dogs!

Most of the time I mind my own business. Especially where I live. I haven't made many friends and I like it that way. Today was a warm day and I decided to take the kids outside to play. Wyatt was wanting to play but a puppy was outside and making that impossible. It was likely a German Shepherd pup. I know he's going to grow way bigger than what our apartment complex allows. The limit here is 25 lbs. He kept nipping my son and Wyatt was having none of it. He cried and was scared of the dog.

So I took the dog back to the owner and asked could they please keep him in their area. The woman then turns around and starts smacking the poor dog in the mouth.

My dear readers, as much as I love to keep my nose out of other peoples business, I couldn't walk away. So I spoke up. I told her to stop hitting the dog.

Her excuse? She doesn't want the dog to bite her daughter so she's "teaching" him not to bite. That is about the dumbest statement ever. I feel sorry for this dog. So sorry that if it happens to wonder near my area again, it just might disappear.

I have owned and trained dogs my entire life. Dogs do not learn by physical punishment. Smacking the dog in the mouth is about the one thing you can do to ensure that eventually it's going to bite someone. I tried to keep my cool, but I was seeing red. There are a million other things I wish I had said to her. But all I said was, "Dogs don't learn by physical punishment. Please don't hit the dog."

Then I walked away. I knew if I didn't I'd start a fight. She wasn't willing to learn anyway, so it would have been pointless to try. But oh I feel sorry for that poor dog.

My Support to the Pagans of Pahokee

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Some of you may have already heard about a Summer Solstice festival in Pohakee, Florida that is being held by Indigo Crescent Metaphysical shop. It's brought a lot of attention by some residents who are trying to infringe upon the rights of these Pagans to hold a Summer Solstice Festival.

I wish I could say I was surprised at the reaction from the Christian population. However I am not. It seems like this is usually what happens when you try to have a festival in small town America. 

A friend of mine who had something similar happen. She held her first annual Beltane festival in Shelbyville, KY and some of the residents were not happy. Christians stayed outside the ritual area and prayed for the Pagans, while the Pagans did the same for the Christians.

Eventually Shelbyville residents tolerated, if not accepted, the Pagan presence in the town, but my friend did eventually move her store to another city because of the hate and bigotry she encountered in Shelbyville.

Freedom of Religion does not mean freedom for ONE religion. It's never acceptable to try to stop a festival just because you feel it is wrong. 

If anyone is in the Pohakee, Florida area, contact the Indigo Crescent to lend your support. You can also contact them on their Facebook page.

If you're like me and not in the area, you can still get the word out. Share or re-blog this so this festival gets a great turnout!

Honoring Ancestors Through Media

So in my last post I pondered the question of media on the Internet and our descendants.  Hopefully in the many years to come we will still have the Internet, and then there comes the point where we have media stored from generations past.

Today I'm honoring my ancestors.I would want my own descendants to know that I have worked to create a better future by improving myself, my surroundings, and instilling the morals I believe will carry us into a better future. I would want my children to know that I love them and will look over them. I'd have them know me, not just for the dates of major events in my life, but the small details that make up who I am. In generations past we did this through stories past down from father to son. Yet so often those stories are lost, changed, or simply forgotten. That is why the Internet is going to change the way the new generation will connect with their past. Never before have we been able to look back 200+ years and see a video of our ancestor alive and well.

How do you think our social media will change future generations? 

Will they trace their ancestry through social media? 

What would you say to the generations that follow?

In Honor of Memorial Day: Family Tree

Today I've spent a large portion of my day researching my family history. I use to do this all the time. I'd get info on one ancestor, that opened up more information on another ancestor and before I knew it I had 20+ new people on my family tree. I just love that!

Ancestry.com gives you the option to pay for their service, but there are plenty of free websites also. Find A Grave.com is a great service. I've been comparing Find A Grave's information to my info on Ancestry.

Since today is Memorial day, I think it's fitting that I found a lot of war veterans in my family tree.

        

The Smiley Family was awarded an armorial ensign, by the Crown of England, based upon the courage exhibited by Thomas in battle. The motto translates as "Valor in Arms" or "Virtue with Power".

          The first war vet I found today began with Thomas Smiley, my 9th Great Grandfather.

Birth 1660 in South Lanarkshire, Scotland

Death 1689 in Londonderry County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Thomas was a Williamite Defender during the Siege of Derry.  He died during battle and was awarded an armorial ensign by the Crown of England. Thomas had three sons - William, John (My 8th g-grandfather), and Francis - who sailed to America and served in the Revolutionary War.

Of course I found a lot of weird, funny, and sat facts as well. For one, couldn't they think of other names besides William, John, Francis, and Mary? When they did think of unique names, could they not think of something better - Archibald?! Really?

Then there are the infant deaths. So sad. :( Of course there's the large families. Two brothers had 9 children each.

And the discoveries that they were a bit naughty, such as a birth less than 9 months after the marriage. Hello hanky panky. ;)

I found a few who married their 1st cousins. That was pretty common really but the website always alerts you when that happens.


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Anyway, as I was going through this info and adding it in I began to wonder, in 100 years, is my descendants going to be adding facts about my life and death and wonder what kind of person I was? Because of this blog and other social media, will it be possible to actually get to know me through Youtube, Facebook and other media outlets? What will they think? Once digital information is out there it is rarely lost. Unless some mass deletion or apocalypses that crashes the entire Internet, I think what we put out there will (or at least could) last many lifetimes. Perhaps I'll make a video talking to my descendants and tell them a bit about me, and what I want to manifest that will change their way of life.

Have you created your family tree? 

Have a wonderful Memorial Day everyone! 

 

Donald K Smith. WW2 Veteran and my grandfather. Me pictured right.

 

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Robin's Cinnamon & Raisin Bread

My house smells yummy right now. I decided to make Cinnamon and Raisin Bread. So I'll share my recipe with you. I'm far from a Kitchen Witch, but a little baking with love always makes me happy; especially when I get yummy results!

I apologize for it being half eaten before the picture was taken! lol We could not wait.

Ingredients

• 2 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 packet Yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp oil. (Olive oil or Veg. oil.)
• 1/2 cup and 2 tbsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Cinnamon
• 2 tbsp Nutmeg
• 1 cup Raisins
• 1 cup Brown sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks Butter

Directions

1.  In a measuring cup, 1 cup warm (not hot and not cold) water. Add 2 tbsp sugar and the packet of yeast to the water. Wait 10 minutes or until the yeast proofs. You'll see little bubbles and a foamy action at the top. If your yeast does not proof, its no good. Start over with different yeast. 
2. In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp oil. I used olive oil for this, only because it is healthier. Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and the contents of the measuring cup. 
3. Mix together so the flour and yeast mix is all worked in. You can use a mixer with a dough hook if you want. 
4. Add 2 tbsp Cinnamon and Nutmeg. 
5. After the dough is formed in a ball, flour your counter surface and place dough on the counter. Put a little extra flour on top. You may wish to flour your hands too. Kneed dough for 10-15 minutes. Dough should be pliant but not sticky. Don't work too much extra flour in or your loaf will be dense. 
6. In a bread pan, oil the bottom with 1 tsp oil. Place loaf in pan and flip it once or twice to coat it with oil. Place in a warm area and allow to rise. If you have a gas oven or an oven with a warm setting, this is a perfect place to allow to rise. Should take 1-2 hours. 
7. After bread has risen, in a separate bowl, 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 stick of butter. I added more cinnamon as well. I didn't measure, but it was about 5 tbsp. I like a strong cinnamon taste, but you can change the amount if you wish. Microwave a few seconds to melt the butter. Mix well. 
8. On your floured surface, roll out the bread dough. Place raisins along the top and pour the sugar mixture over top of that. I had some left over that I reserved for later. 
9. Roll the bread up. You should have enough for two loaves. Cut in half and place in oiled bread pans. Pour a little more of the sugar mix on top. Allow to rise another 1-2 hours in a warm place. 
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. If you tap the top of the bread and it sounds hallow, it's done. 
11. Transfer your loaves to a serving dish. I stacked one on top of the other, but you don't need to do this. Arrange them as you wish. 
12. In a saucepan, 1 stick butter, and either the sugar mixture you have left, or make more. Heat on high until it reduces to a glaze. 
13. Pour glaze over top of the bread. Allow to cool to room temperature and enjoy!

Teens & Exploring Spirituality

I think that during your pre-teen and teen years it's natural to start deciding what you believe. It's a time of self-discovery and naturally spirituality is a part of that. However there is conflict when a parent doesn't agree with exploring alternative religions. I think every Pagan has been there. We are contacted by a young 14+ something teen who is hiding his or her beliefs from their parents. They beg us to help them.

I am a child of nature.  Image Source

I feel a bit sorry for the teen who has to hide just to practice his or her faith. I was never in a situation where exploring alternative religions was taboo. If I wanted to have an altar in my room that was fine. If I wanted to go to a Pagan gathering, as long as it was chaperoned, it was all good. I was one of the lucky ones. I had a mother who was more open to alternative thinking.

Not everyone is so lucky, and so I've been there when I had to decline teens the help they seek. It's not that I couldn't help or didn't want to. As long as they were being true and not just seeking attention or rebelling, I wanted to help them learn. However I can't go against a parents wishes. This is why I will always deny anyone under 18 religious counsel. It's also why I do not share many rituals (except for, A Year & A Day).


If you were exploring religion as an adolescent, were your parents supportive or did you have to hide?

What did your parents say when you finally told them about your Pagan beliefs?

PBP: Fate & Destiny

Prompt: Fate / Destiny

Posted by Shauna Lane

 

"Everything happens for a reason."
"What goes around comes around."
Karma
The Threefold Law

These are the things we hear about every day, in good times and bad.  But is everything pre-planned, and everything we experience for a greater lesson?  Or do we decide our own fate with our choices?  Take these questions into consideration while writing your blog entry this week.

I look forward to seeing what every one's views are on this one.

~Magickal Graphics~     Everything Happens For A Reason  

I say, "everything happens for a reason" often. I truly believe that it does. But this idea pisses a lot of people off. I get where they are coming from. It seems abhorrent that a child or loved one would die just to teach us a lesson. Take the recent tornado tragedy. Is there a reason the tornado targeted Oklahoma and not some other place? In my opinion, yes. Those that died were meant to die. Their deaths forever changed the people who cared and loved them. Now that change can be for good, or it can be for ill. That is THEIR choice. 

 

Take for instance a mom who loses her child from cancer. That mom can go on to help raise awareness about childhood cancer and change many lives. Or she could wallow in pain and never do anything with her life - her choice. We can either learn from our experiences or let those experiences batter our psyche so much that we lose ourselves to pain.  

 

Is everything pre-planned, and everything we experience for a greater lesson? Or do we decide our own fate with our choices?

 

I don't believe everything is pre-planned. I do believe we have the choice to avoid positive or negative situations. Take for instance an Oklahoma resident who happened to choose to go on vacation just before the storms. They would have chosen to avoid the tornado that ripped their house apart. Our choices are like ripples in water. Each choice sets off different ripples that creates an inevitable result.  

 

What Goes Around Comes Around 

 

Karma is something I very much believe in. I remember in second grade our teacher had a saying painted high up on the walls that read, "Do unto others as you would have do unto you." She preached every week about being nice to others and if you wasn't, to expect others to not be nice to you. This is sort of the same thing. What you put out returns to you. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, but eventually it will come back to you. As someone who understands how energy works, this is just one of those basic laws of energy you can't ignore. Energy is never-ending. It's a circuit and will come back to you. 

 

 

Blog Buttons: Yay or Nay?

A pic, just because I like it. :)

~Magickal Graphics~

When I first began blogging I looked up some advice on how to have a successful blog. One of the suggestions was to have blog buttons. I ended up making my own and figuring out the code required to make the little grab box thingy. It seems to work as far as bringing some traffic, so when I see a blog I really like I grab their button.

I was doing a little blog maintenance tonight because I noticed some broken links in the buttons. Then I went back and started to add a few blogs I've only started to follow recently. The problem is I see a lot of bloggers that don't have buttons at all.

So what is your opinion of blog buttons? Useful or useless?

Btw, if you wanted your blog button to be added just let me know in the comments below.

More Dreams...More Wierdness.

So the other day I talked about a weird dream I had. I didn't know the meaning of the dream and still don't. However last night I had another dream, but there is always a re-occurring theme. I dream about fish - carnivorous fish to be exact.

It's always my job to take care of the fish tank they are contained in. However they often escape the tank. In the past the fish were "swimming in air", or they'd grow legs and walk. This time the fish were just hopping on the floor.

The species of fish vary often. Tonight it was an Oscar fish. Now I've owned this type of fish in the past. I had a 200 gallon aquarium with an Oscar fish named Psycho. Psycho earned his name well. I'd give him feeder fish once or twice a week. The thing is, he didn't just eat the fish. He would hunt them. His favorite game was "scare the ever loving daylights out of them". He'd come up behind them, bump them on the belly and make the fish swim away as fast as they could. Then when they got too tired to run he'd chomp the heads off and leave the body for me to clean up. Again, I say he earned the name Psycho!

But back to the dream. This Oscar fish was in the tank at first and I had to clean it. I wasn't looking forward to sticking my arm in there. For some reason I felt he'd chomp it off. Then I noticed that the fish had jumped into another tank where he was eating all the docile fish. So I had to catch him and put him back in the other tank. He kept running away from my net though.

So then he jumps on the floor and starts going after my toes. I couldn't get a hold of him. I wake up then so I have no idea if he ate my toes or not.

The fish dreams are never the same, yet it's always fish in aquariums. The species of fish change, but the majority of them are carnivorous. Some species I've dreamt don't even exist in real life. If you hadn't guessed I suck at dream interpretation.

So what could fish dreams mean?

Two Years Ago Today

Two years ago today, I was allowing a stranger to cut me open. I remember that day very vividly. My nurse was an older lady and her expert manor had a calming affect on me. As I was positioned at the edge of the operating table, I focused on her beautiful eyes while they inserted a spinal. I was then laid out on the table. I remember feeling like I was about to be a pig bound for slaughter.

My husband came in and sat by my head while they cut me, and at exactly 9 AM my baby boy was born.

Happy 2nd Birthday Wyatt! 

Cake and ice cream equals a very happy little boy!

How do you like his cake I baked?



 

We've also successfully breastfed for 2 years now! Wow I didn't think we'd ever breastfeed for so long. When I first began I said my goal was 6 months. Then I changed it to 1 year. Then changed it to 2 years. I suppose that goal will be changed to 3 years next. :)

2 Years successfully breastfed! Yay. :)

Below is Wyatt on his 1st birthday. My how he has grown! 

Check out the post from his 1st birthday. Click HERE

PBP: "An it harm none..."

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Prompt: "An it harm none..." 

Posted by Ivy

 

Today's prompt is about the Wiccan Rede. What do you think of the rede? Do you follow it? There are about a billion ways to interpret that last line, "An it harm none, do as thou wilt". What does this personally mean to you? Does this mean as long as you aren't harming anyone...you're good to go? What constitutes harm? Does it carry over into animal rights? Does it cover even commonplace things like ear piercings or tattoos? YOU are included in the "harm none" clause, so does this mean you should hold yourself to a healthy lifestyle that doesn't harm your body?
What do you all think?

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What does this personally mean to you?

This is a very good question and one I gave a lot of thought about in the past. "An it harm none" is such an ambiguous statement that I don't believe there are any wrong answers here. For me it just means living a moral life in both mundane and magickal ways. Though at one point I did argue that it had more meaning when applied to magickal workings. I suppose at times I need more guidance during magickal workings. So I apply this moral code more when doing craft work rather than in my mundane life. 

Does this mean as long as you aren't harming anyone...you're good to go?

I think as long as you are leading a moral lifestyle that you are good to go. Just because you follow the rede doesn't mean you are a moral person. 

  

What constitutes harm?

Harm is negative energy or action directed at yourself or others; especially against some one's will.

Does it carry over into animal rights?

That depends. We certainly shouldn't go out of our way to hurt animals needlessly. However even our animal brethren kill when hungry or defending themselves. We can do no less. 

 

Does it cover even commonplace things like ear piercings or tattoos?

If it is done willingly, no. Now if you are holding someone down to give them a tattoo or ear piercing that they haven't consented to, yes. This is one of the reasons why I am against infant ear piercings. They cannot give consent. 

 

YOU are included in the "harm none" clause, so does this mean you should hold yourself to a healthy lifestyle that doesn't harm your body?

Ideally yes. I believe our energy is healthier when we are physically and mentally healthy. However I am very guilty of not being as healthy as I should be. That doesn't mean I'm racking up negative karma points. It just means I'm not the best that I can potentially be. 

 

Dreamtime Weirdness

These past few days I've had some weird dreams, but they usually don't involve rituals. I woke up to remembering I was chanting in a circle while riding a horse to "expel" a bad spirit within children.

Freeway. My childhood horse. (Medicine Hat Gelding)

Maybe my kids were just getting on my nerves more than usual yesterday? lol I do remember we were in the same place I grew up. I was a child myself in the dream.

I rode a medicine hat (all white with brown or black "hood" on his ears) pony. We were playing in a field when some threat started to come toward us. I remember other riders in my group jumping on their pony's and running away. I started to go with them.

Other kids that had no horse of their own were left and were being attacked by this entity. So I went back to help them. I started riding in a circle around the kids, who had been possessed by this entity, while chanting. Some of the other riders came back and soon we were all riding in a circle and chanting. We had a double circle going so some riders were on the inside circle, I was in the outer ring. I don't remember what we were chanting.

I have no idea what this dream could mean. Perhaps my brain was just bored. lol


Do you believe dreams have meanings? 

If yes, do you believe all dreams have meanings or just some?

What distinguishes between a meaningful dream, and one that has no meaning?

A Little Mama Pampering

I don't often wear makeup. However when I do I always hate that in pictures my eyes look really small. So I decided to ask some ladies on Cafemom's private group, Alternative Moms, for some help. They had a few suggestions such as reducing the black eyeliner, adding some white around my eyes and brow, etc...

Here is the result.

P.S. It doesn't help that I squint in every picture! I can't stop myself. 

Before

After

Happy Mothers Day!

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I just want to wish all you mothers out there a great day. Baby dust to all those women who want to be mothers too. 

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.

Inspirational Quotes on Mothers Day by: Tenneva Jordan

My daughter and son. From the way she watches over Wyatt, I know she'll be a wonderful mom someday.

Me and my son Wyatt. May 11, 2012

Pagan Blog Prompts: Prompt: Pagan Children

Prompt: Pagan Children

Posted by Shauna Lane

This prompt is primarily for parents, and can be used as a blog topic, or simply as a share for your family activities.

- Share with us some of the things you teach your children about Paganism and your beliefs.
- At what age did you start including your children in on ritual and/or activities?
- What are some activities you have used to teach your children about Pagan spirituality throughout their different ages and stages?


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Well lets take this one at a time.

1. I let my children ask questions. I answer them in age appropriate terms but always stress that this is what I believe. When they are old enough I want them to do their own research and make up their own mind. 
2. I include my children in ritual whenever they ask. Wyatt is almost 2 and participated in his own way. He wanted to ring the bell and blow out candles. Sierra didn't participate in ritual till she was 9. Again, it's their choice. 
3. I remember one time I took Sierra to a nature park. We were having a mother/daughter day and she really wanted to see the animals. Unfortunately it started to rain when we got there. It was only a drizzle so we endured it. Then the rain started to come down heavier and we had to go inside. So we sat at this big window looking out on the animals and we sang "rain, rain, go away." I told her about how I do spells and if we sing with all our heart maybe the rain would stop. It did. :)  I use different moments throughout our day to teach them about my beliefs. 

The Ethical Responsibility Of Psychics

So I've been following the Amanda Berry case since our local news broke the story. Now there's another story about Miss Berry's mother, who had visited The Montel Williams show and spoke with Sylvia Brown. The mother was devastated when Sylvia told her that Amanda was dead.

Psychics working with police to solve crimes has always been controversial. Rarely do they actually help. I've wrote before my dislike for popular TV psychics. That's because most of them I believe are frauds. Or at the very least charge exorbitant fees, which I think is unethical.

I'm not against Psychic readings. Let me make that very clear. If a family member is seeking help from a psychic to solve their family's problems, more power to them. A small fee or donation isn't wrong to charge. However psychics have an ethical responsibility to insure their reading does no emotional harm to the client.

To sit there as Mrs Brown did and callously say, "She's dead", well that broke Mrs. Berry's spirit. As a psychic and medium, I find it really appalling this woman was told a lie and died believing it. It makes me question Sylvia Browns "ability" all the more. I've always felt she was a fraud.

Now of course not every psychic is going to be accurate 100% of the time. I get it, sometimes psychics have an off day. That's why they shouldn't be helping solve crimes. These readings have real consequences. If you give a reading and it leads investigators in a totally different direction, the criminal has every chance he/she needs to get away with their crime.

Bottom line is that crimes are solved with facts. Victims are rescued with facts. And parents of victims should not have their hope taken from them. 


Do you believe popular TV psychics such as Sylvia brown have true psychic ability? 

The Webs We Weave. Silk style

Yesterday I was introduced to a very peaceful, creative website called Weavesilk.com. I've been having fun with it ever since. Not only is it creative but if you have your sound on they have music playing that is very soothing. It's sort of like a fun little meditation. :)

Sierra says bats? lol I don't know. But it's pretty!

Very nice pentacle. :)

Pretty flower. :)

I think this one looks like a face in a jack o lantern. :)

Try it out and share with me your creation! 

The Difficulty of Speaking

Image Source

Today I want to step away from the Pagan topics to talk about something near and dear to my heart - the ability to verbalize what we are thinking. 

Most people don't think about how verbal they are during the day. If you can speak without any thought to how others perceive you, what their thinking, or if you sound like an idiot, I envy you.

When I was a child there was no medical term for what I felt when I was forced to speak. Most people did, and still would, call it shyness.

Selective Mutism (SM)

What I really had/have is a social anxiety disorder called Selective Mutism (SM). SM is an anxiety disorder that affects children and adolescents mostly, though adults may suffer from it as well. Despite being capable of speaking with people close to them (family, friends, etc...), it makes speaking with strangers such as doctors, teachers, cashiers, or anyone outside of the family unit very stressful. SM patients might experience feelings of inadequacy, difficulty maintaining eye contact, blank expressions, reluctance to smile, dislike change in routine, difficulty expressing feelings or needs, shyness, loner or withdrawn, sensitivity to noise, and moodiness.

They may also be mistaken for being rude or snobbish when someone tries to talk with them and the SM patient does not respond.

There are some positive traits of an SM person. They are usually very intelligent (not bragging on myself here), sensitive/empathetic, and creative.

It is also hereditary. My daughter has inherited SM. As a younger child she was very withdrawn with strangers. Even as a baby she did not want others touching her. She has always been quiet and reserved. It took three years of pre-school to prepare her for kindergarten. During that first year she did not speak to her teacher at all. I remember her first day she came home, hit her grandma, and told her she would hate us all for the rest of our lives if we made her go back to school. She got over that of course.

So what treatment can you do? 

Have patience. The most important thing to know is that forcing a SM child to talk only sets them further backward. Neither should you be speaking for them. Where we use to live in Kentucky we liked to go to one particular Chinese restaurant once or twice a month. We'd usually have the same waiter. He would talk, touch, and cajole my daughter to try to get her to talk with him. This is something you should not do with a SM child. Invasion of space will often make the child turn within themselves. Remember this isn't just a simple case of shyness. It is an anxiety disorder. So forcing a child will make them withdraw further.

What you can do is give them every opportunity to socialize without the expectation. Pre-school was a good start for Sierra. However that wasn't enough. She was becoming more social at school but not in the general public. So we enrolled her in after school activities. That first year she did soccer. Then we moved on to dance where she excelled. Again, it took her some time before she opened up enough to really participate. Patience and time solves this as she grew more comfortable.

Just like myself, she is not and never will be a social butterfly. Making friends is always difficult. However with patience and perseverance she can now function in social settings. 


If you think you or your child may have Selective Mutism, visit http://www.selectivemutism.org/

The Love of My Life

I have been lucky in love. I found my man young. He was always a part of my life, having grown up with him around me. His family and my family were close. Lance is 10 years older than I am. Love never comes without its challenges however.

When my mother found out I was with Lance she freaked a bit. Talk of calling police for statutory rape and sending me to live with my grandparents happened. After convincing my mother that I wasn't in some teenage puppy love, nor was I being taken advantage of, she allowed me to date him; with stipulations. I was allowed us to go on dates, but we were given less freedom.

Of course, we broke a few rules. Shhh.. Mama doesn't need to know that :)

3 years after that, I married him. That was nearly 16 years ago and I've never regretted it.

Today is May day so we are celebrating the Lord and Lady's love.

So tell me your love story.