the 22nd is my least favorite date.

i miss talking to my mom and hearing her voice.

she was so goofy and always had so much to say.

she was so good at encouraging me and loving me.

i miss her terribly.

::: pingg :::

i saw this cute website on daily candy. a fun new way to do invitations!

free stylish online invites

roommates, can we have a halloween party on that friday? i don't think my roommates even read the blog. except abby of course. :)

::: my love for doilies :::

noun. doi*lies

1. a small ornamental mat, usually of lace or linen.

2. a small table napkin

first of all, i just love the word doilie. 

mel and i just had lunch and i was so happy when she used the word doilie! 

doilies remind me of my mom. 

remember in the early 90's when doilies were cool to use on dessert platters or even to wear on the collar of your dress! doilie is one of the best words in the english dictionary.

if you would like to shop for doilies, click here!

sweet kelley lynn

my sweet friend, kelley lynn, whom my heart is so blessed to know, sent me a CD in the mail!

i just wanted to say thank you to her. thank you for loving me so well and thank you for knowing that music helps me see jesus better. so far (because of your recommendation on the card) i have only listened to number 1 and 4 over and over again. (i promise i will listen to them all  :)) this morning as i drove into work, i wept as the song told me to hold on, continue hoping and that heartache can make you stronger.

 

thank you for the sweet gift kel, i am so thankful for you!

abbys bedtime jamz.

you might think it odd, but i often sleep in abby's room. you might not know, but my room is the only one downstairs. sometimes i just get a little lonley down there, ya know? i also love the late night talk as we fall asleep. its priceless.

this is one of abby's many playlists....listening to this.....and Paul and Brittany giggling in the next room. the walls are paper thin. the end.

this makes my day better...

"Cease striving and know that I am God..."

"Be still and know that I am God...."

"Let be and be still. Recognize and understand that I am God...."

"Calm down, and know that I am God..."

"...I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Psalm 46:10

Thank you for reminding me of this, Scott.  :)

the great state fair of texas.

the great state fair of texas. the greatest state fair that exists. 

it only comes once a year. and what a joy it is!!

fun rides.

ferris wheel.

funnel cake.

friends.

what more could one want?

i spent all of my allowance on tickets :)

thank you ben, zoggy and mel for riding the ferris wheel with me!

i was a first timer...

what is your favorite part of the fair?

... your light will break forth like the dawn

In August of 2007, I was assigned to one of my first domestic violence cases. The father of the investigation beat his in-home girlfriend. They had a two month old baby. She was a cutie. Naturally, I went to check on the mother and baby since the father was arrested. Let's call the mother Lisa and the baby Ashley. The father will be called John.  I went to their apartment in far north Dallas. I knocked three times, no answer. I left a letter to call me and a Parent's Guide. This guide tells parents their rights and the role of the agency in the investigation. As I walked to my car, got in, wrote down my notes and time of attempted contact, I realized the letter and Parent's Guide was gone from the front door. I then called Law Enforcement to find out if John was still locked up. Nope. He's out. I asked dispatch to send an officer to check on Lisa and Ashley. They came and I remember it was blazing hot. The officers let me sit in the car while they attempted to get them to come out. I watched from my car. No response. The officers then came back to my car and asked me if I was SURE they were in there. I told them, I had no idea, but papers do not disappear. I knew that I didn't see anyone enter or leave the apartment, therefore someone was in there. This is when I pray. I prayed that my nerves would be calmed, that nothing too dangerous would happen, and that the mother and most importantly, baby Ashley were safe. For all I know, the mother and child could have been dead. Or severely beaten. They continued to knock with no answer. Since an emergency protective order was verified by the officers, they were able to enter the premises with the key, obtained from the office manager. I sat and waited while they got the key & realized 6 - 10 cops showed up for back up. It was awesome. It was a rush to see them there to HELP ME. They flirt and they make the situation less scary. It was great. Eventually, three cops went in and arrested the ignorant father, who returned to the place he was banned from. At this time, I went inside with the officers, checked on baby Ashley sleeping in her bassinet and rubbed Lisa's back while she sobbed. I told her where she was responsible for the wrong in this situation, the steps to make it right, and the hope of us walking through this together. . . but mama wasn't too happy. She cried, sobbed, so I drove her and baby Ashley up to my office. Due to her inability to protect herself or her daughter from a battering father, bail him out of jail, and bring him back into her home, she allowed her grandmother to care for baby Ashley. Great. The baby is safe. Now, the case was transferred to our on-going unit to rehabilitate the areas of Lisa's life that are weak. To strengthen the future of baby Ashley's life.

7 months pass. Lisa works her services, dots her i's and crosses her t's. The case is closed. I at this time, have forgotten about Lisa and Ashley. On a Friday morning in March at 7:45 AM, my favorite person to work with at the police station called me on my cell telling me John beat up Lisa again, and baby Ashley was there. She told me how Lisa was still communicating with John and they've had a secret relationship. The adrenaline kicked in again... See, somewhere within that time frame of working services, baby Ashley went home. Lisa showed the agency that she can chose her daughter over her unprotective, battering boyfriend and father to Ashley.

At that time, I called the police. They meet me at Lisa's. She let us in. I informed her of all this information of their secret relationship I knew about and informed her that her daughter has to go into foster care. I know, it's horrible. She had no relatives to care for her daughter and were not willing to help her because she chose her battering John over Ashley. In the previous case, we had a Family Team Meeting where all the relatives, community services representatives, and I determined who would care for this child if the parent's fail to take responsibility for her safety again. There was no one. At that time, Lisa sobbed so bad that the officer had to threaten to arrest her for failing to cooperate with a social services worker (me!). I packed her a bag and off I went to my office with the little cutie Ashley.

It's horrible. Turns out John is bipolar and has several hits on his criminal record. She was as addicted to HIM as he was to not taking medicine and battering her. He was on the wanted list and I got several calls from local police departments on locating information. At this time, he's locked up for three years minimum. Him behind bars, has allowed Lisa to work her services through the court, send baby Ashley with a relative out of the city, and get her life back together.

7 months later (TODAY), I got a voicemail on my cell phone from Lisa. She called to tell me that in November, Ashley will be returning home to her. She said that I helped her to make new beginnings for her and that she is excited to start over. She said that there are happy endings and wanted to me see how I helped save her family.

I praise the Lord for relief in oppression, delight in the agency's attempt to "loosen the chains of injustice and untie to cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke ... Then Your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will answer; you will cry HELP, and he will say: HERE I AM" Isaiah 58 - This is what I choose to see this experience as. I hope and pray that Ashley, Lisa and John see His Glory and promises revealed.

sweet mel.

When Mel and I lived together, last year, she would leave me little notes almost everyday taped to the front door, so I would get them on my way to work. Most of them, of course, were much cuter than these, but those are at home in a special place. These are just a couple I had at work in my old planner....

 

I was thinking about her little notes this morning as I was getting ready and realized how much I miss those sweet treats. Thanks for doing that Melly :) I loved it. 

little obsession.

i love this little blog. i look at it everyday...

i am thinking melanie would love the first image on the blog today...

images i have loved lately here...

 

i love the texture and organization of this invitation.  i love the little dots on the inside of the envelope!

 

i love this image. i want to take casual, everyday pictures in my wedding dress. 

especially on a brightly colored, vintage sofa! 

i love these stamps. and the calligraphy type used here. reminds me of Haley's lovely invitations!

trying to keep this in mind....

these are my efforts to have as cute of a blog as melanie :)