What I learned from Monday night

I didn't enjoy what happened Monday night even a little bit. I barely slept, the people around me were nice people, but have some real problems and are very lost...and made the atmosphere so depressing. And let me tell you something: handcuffs HURT! Not to mention sharing a small room with another person and having to pee in the same room they are sleeping in.

BUT I did learn some things.

1) I am SOOOOO glad I have never been involved in drugs. They mess your life up sooooo bad! 90% of the people in there were there for something involving drugs. Alcohol was a big one too. They got drunk or high and did something stupid. I DID drink at one point, but NEVER let it control me. I got lucky though, because I DID do a few stupid things when I had been drinking, and there are still consequences I am dealing with from that... but Thank HEAVEN, I never did anything that hurt anyone else!

2) I may only be 31, but I have quite a bit of life experience. There are things I understand that people in their late years don't get. I'm not perfect, but I do believe that I am wiser than a lot of people my age.... and even some who are older than I am. And because of my life experiences, I am able to empathize a lot better than a lot of people I know. I told David tonight that I should run for Public Office. The only thing I don't know anything about is being "A Rich Black Man." ;-) But seriously: I've been to jail, so I can empathize with the people who are dealing with that. Both the inmates AND the Families. I have seen first hand what things I believe need to be changed or kept about the way things are done. I have seen overcrowding of a jail for little/petty crimes, while the REAL criminals are free to roam the country. I think I could make a dent in how things are done. I've also been without an income, had children, been a Single Parent, dealt with the system when it comes to wanting to Homeschool vs have my child attend Public School, been a Soldier, been without Health Insurance, been married, felt like myself and my children were in danger and no one could or WOULD help us, chosen to NOT immunize my children, tried to eat healthy with a limited amount of $, and a few other things. I could TRULY represent a vast combination of peoples' interests. Because I've BEEN THERE. I know first hand what they are going through. (this is in NO way a sob story... just a list of different experiences I've had that I think would make a difference in how people are represented)

3) I LOVE MY LIFE!!!!!!! Just the ability to be with my WONDERFUL Children and Husband. I took Elizabeth to the Dr today. Our Pediatrician couldn't stop talking about how fortunate I am when it comes to my children. She has seen all of them at one time or another. And I really do have WONDERFUL, Healthy, BEAUTIFUL children with good genetics. And they are all with me. You can't IMAGINE how many of the Mothers I have met in jail do not have custody of their children even when they are NOT in jail. It's soooo sad. I was there one time, and one lady was pregnant. And she had already had to sign the baby over to someone else because after he/she was born, the mother had to stay in jail. She would get to hold her baby, and then sometime before the baby was more than a couple of days old, she would no longer be his/her mother until she was released. And THEN she would have to go through the State System to get him/her back.

4) I Truly am so blessed. And I truly believe in Spirit based Karma. Basically that through the Holy Spirit (for us Mormons, the Holy Ghost), we truly DO get back what we give away. If we are kind and thoughtful, generous, grateful... we are taken care of. Sometimes by people we wouldn't expect it from. But when we are mean, and spiteful, greedy, and ungrateful... well, who can blame those who roll their eyes rather than help us.

5) I am so happy that I have the morals I have. My Girls need to learn about life from Me and David.... Jacob too, of course. Not from school, tv, the radio, etc. I saw a few new music videos while killing time Tues morning. One was Brittney Spears, and it was VERY suggestive. And talked about things I COMPLETELY disagree with. Another was a 14 year old boy singing about love.... which I would bet he knows NOTHING about. I also heard from one of the women that there is a new form of meth out there that looks like Pop Rocks. And "it's going around the Middle Schools in Utah so it's only a matter of time before it's going around here." HOLY CRAP! My 10 year old doesn't need that stuff in her life! That is a HUGE reason why we are Home Schooling. We want our Children to learn the facts vs the allure, and I want to be able to get as much of that in them before they're faced with the garbage in the world daily.

6) Every time I've been to jail, they ask if I have any tattoos. If I were to say "yes" they would have to take a picture and document it. The 2nd time I was there I vowed that if I ever had to go back, I was going to have a tattoo to show them. I told one of the Officers that Monday night. She said I really had to do it now. So, what I want to get is Puckered lips on my butt cheek with the words "Kiss it!" ;-)