Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Five arduous months without your presence...

Dear Justin;

Today you have been physically missing from our lives for five extremely long and emotionally charged months honey. Odd how just a short year ago we were on the phone constantly; remember babe your broken tooth our major conversation topic. I felt your pain and was so helpless then in my attempts to offer you solace. Then it was just your tooth and now in light of all that has occurred this was so insignificant but we could not see this at the time. With great certainty I can say had we a glimpse of what the future held we would have been more concerned with the time we had left. But life is strange like this....what we see or feel as inconceivable in one moment of our lives can quickly be surmounted by a more significantly devastating moment. Thank you for being such a wonderfully loving and caring son.

I WANT MY SON BACK.

Chaotic Birthday Fun!

Age 10. Choosing to explain the happenings of this birthday party with a mathematical equation will enable all to see the impending calamity for which Justin's 10th birthday party became known! Seven 10 year old boys + a large park + amusement rides + a lake with paddle boats + a small ocean aquarium with various aquatic species + a jelly fish + a petting zoo + a nerf gun which can be pre-loaded with 10 large nerf darts at one time + 4 janitorial employees of Dan Nicolas Park collecting trash on golf carts no less + me experiencing the inability to stop repeatedly calling Randy's name in a high shrill voice = a day of fun for the birthday goers & a slight nervous breakdown for me! I love all you guys...you remain Justin's brothers and had I medication this party may not have been so nerve wracking; especially for the employees who kept getting shot with the nerf gun! It's a miracle they allowed us back into the park...well leaving the nerf gun at home and disguises helped!! This day was too much fun! Do you remember driving to the park, we road in my trusty mommie van, and 'raised the roof' at every stop light to hip-hop blaring on the radio; well I do! Thanks for making my life an adventure and so much fun! I love & miss you Justin my wonderful, gregarious, precious son....I remain Justin's momma ♥

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The simplicity of childhood

Justin (age 4) believed spraying 'monster rid' before bed rid-died his room of any potential nightmares. Justin (age 4) ended up at the Disney Store at Southpark Mall in Charlotte. Knowing he could only spend $5.00 he surveyed the entire stores contents very carefully and after taking in every possible item Justin chose a bottle of Tinkerbell's pixie dust. He never opened it because he was certain the dust could enable one to FLY! Justin (age 5) arrived at the conclusion eating mushrooms contain properties which make one smart! Hhuumm? Maybe he was on to something!? Justin (age 7) was adamant that he be in his own home on Christmas eve; how else would Santa find you? Justin (age 8) after reading a letter he received from Santa he concluded Santa has a great signature!

Justin's take on my vanity years!


I don't know if you've ever had an enlarged pore I had one on my chin and I really disliked mine. To me it looked like the Grand Canyon; yes I am aware this sounds like a melodramatic statement but I am talking about my vanity years! One day while visiting the dermatologist she informed me she could fi...x it! WOW! Who knew? The way she fixed it was to punch out and remove the area then put a couple of stitches there. After the procedure I went home and Justin (age 8) took one look at my chin and in a horrified tone asked me what had happened. I told him what the doctor did; he looked at me rather puzzled then Justin finally made his assessment. He said, "Mommie, you had a little hole and the doctor made it a bigger hole and NOW you're happy? Out of the mouths of babes! Even at 8 years of age he thought I was off my rocker! He was probably right! lololol I love you honey...at work they teased me for a week asking if I had cut myself shaving!!



Next vanity stage; I had a broken capillary dead center of my nose; I looked like a target! haha Vanity!! I found out you could have the area lazered and the hideous capillary which I saw as a target would be gone! One minor side effect; after the lazer procedure the area would become red, purple and bluish for about two weeks. So upon returning home Justin (age 9) gasped when he saw this and asked what happened to my nose. I told him about the procedure; again in his matter of fact way he said, "Mommie you had a little red place and now it is a huge purple, red and blue place and NOW you're happy?" (I believe I told you to go to your room! lololol I was only joking and you knew it!)



The final episode involving my vanity years (Okay so I dealt with a long vanity stage!) was the removal of a 'beauty mark' well that's what we called them in the day; really it's a mole! Justin, my mother and I all had a beauty mark on our jawlines in the exact same place. Remember everyone I was going through my vanity stage; I watched as my mother's beauty mark slowly move down her neck as gravity took hold; I could not bear the thought so one afternoon I went to the dermatologist and had it removed. The doctor put a band-aid on my chin and I headed home. Of course Justin (age 10) immediately asked why there was a band-aid on my jaw and I told him I had the beauty mark removed to which he replied in a horrified tone, "The FAMILY MOLE?" This was one of those gut busting laughs you so often gave me! Thank you for loving me for me; even though you had a blast making fun of my silliness and vanity years...I miss you teasing me honey...a lot! I love you & miss you a lot, too! I remain Justin's momma

My Son's 11th Birthday

Age 11. Justin's 11th Birthday plan was attending the Boweevils triple 'A' baseball game in Kannapolis, NC. It was a pretty cool deal; not only did Justin get to throw out the starting pitch (I might add he threw a beautiful pitch straight across the plate!! YEE-HA) but the package also offered hot dogs, chips, drinks, coupons for the...... gift shop and a great birthday cake for all the party goers to enjoy! As we lined up at the gate to enter Randy & I stood there with our mouths agape for this particular game night each child attending was given a miniature wooden bat! YIKES!! SIX ELEVEN YEAR OLD adolescences armed with miniature wooden bats!!! OMG!!! Talk about an intense feeling of defenselessness...sensing possible impending chaos I frantically searched my purse for band aids in case of any minor concussions and luckily I was good to go! Justin's 'home boys' all had a blast and it turned out to be a birthday party to remember; Randy & I were both thankful not even one party-goer received even a minor concussion on this night of fun so long ago! I am so happy ya'll had such a great time I still remember this night vividly! I miss you honey...I had so much fun planning your birthday parties...I know it was never anything extravagant and you were always so surprised and happy! I love you my beautiful son...Oh how much I wish we could all relive this day...

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Memorial Day 2010 Letter to President Obama

President Obama;

After two long years I finally secured two part time jobs; however, working feverishly seven days a week is not offering me the ability to pay all my monthly obligations. I will receive a pay check on the first of the month, these funds are already spoken for and I am left with figuring out how to fund my transportation source to and from both of these jobs until I am paid again on the fifteenth of the month. God forbid an emergency occur; which is exactly what did happen this past month. My college age son was involved in an accident and sustained an injury to his front tooth. With the nerve dangling from the remaining portion he drove himself to the dentist. This incident cost me a mere $665.00 which of course I had to borrow from family until I receive my paycheck on the first of June. The $665.00 is not the end; oh no far from it. Now he will need a root canal and a crown where I am to find these funds and also afford to live?! I have no insurance on son or myself this is a luxury which will not fit into my budget. Even the fancy plan your administration has for health insurance would not have paid for my son to have his tooth repaired. To be rather blunt preventative dental care is a far more important source of maintaining good health. Oh, and forget life insurance this was one of the first monthly expenditures which I had to stop paying; I am not even worth anything deceased. Sad state for my son wouldn't you agree and forget any funds for a funeral; but I digress.....
I continue to write your administration having no other options in seeking understanding our nation’s plight. I continue to hope for some peace of mind to ease my persistent state of anguish and confusion. The state of the economy is worsening and no amount of attempting to "see the glass as half full" will change this. I am trying to maintain a flexible attitude toward the constant changes. I naturally sense resistance will only make everyday life more difficult; therefore, I am attempting to embrace these fast paced changes to our nation. But...and as you know there is always a 'but'; how much more change is America to endure? Change can be good and 'shake up' the status quo; it can also frighten those with little experience in dealing with such swift uncontrollable changes for the worse. The average American is not accustomed to such swift and deflating changes to the economy and their lives. These are the people, the American Citizens, who begin to accusingly point fingers at the source they feel to be responsible. This source may not necessarily be the culprit but historically someone must 'stand up' and be accountable.
Why is no one in your administration 'standing up' and explaining to the American Citizens that we have huge issues that did not occur overnight (or in the past year) and will not be repaired for years, possibly decades? It is the truth, you all know, it will take years for Americas finances to recover. Has being a politician so blinded those participating to the fact that American Citizens are not gullible and can "take the truth"? It is the unspoken word which causes conflict and fear; fear breeds malcontent and chaos follows!

Our great nation needs to be led! Please, 'stand up'; be the one that makes the difference. We need a Leader; a Leader who is unafraid of polls and ratings.
I am certain of one thing President Obama does not personally read mine, or any other Citizens, letters. So for you, who ever is really reading my words, know I am waiting. Waiting for the Leaders of the American Government to lead our great Nation again; they have not led for so long the reins have slipped from their hands. I implore them to take up the reins to guide and lead our great Country; this is all we “The People” are asking for the chosen Leaders to perform their job description to the best of their ability.

Sincerely,

Karen DeSha
A VERY
Concerned American Citizen

Monday, May 10, 2010

President Obama I am confronted with a dilemma

President Obama;

I am confronted with yet another article where you remark a "high school diploma does not cut it any more"! You were delivering a speech at a graduation ceremony in VA. You have made this comment several times over the past year.

In my opinion, you are giving, employers the right to discriminate against highly qualified candidates by insisting we are undereducated American Citizens; undeserving of employment opportunities due to the lack of a 'piece of paper'.

Simply because one has a college degree does not mean (by any stretch of the imagination) one is intelligent, or even capable, of performing the duties of a job description correctly.

No offense intended but the American economy was destroyed by college graduates, some of which, [the list should have been longer] are now incarcerated. Waiting in the wings to take their places were other college graduates; who remain clueless how to repair or resolve the economic debacle laid upon America, and the American Citizens, by the former scholars of destruction.

No college courses offer integrity 101, compassion 101, tenacity 101, morals 101, ethics 101, pride in one's work 101, good old American "know how" 101, and last, but, not least common sense 101.

Regards,

A Frustrated American Citizen

P. S. The economy has been so maimed even college graduates can not find employment!