Expensive Passports...Payback Time!!

Americans who owe child support had better pay up! If they want to do any travelling outside the United States. These new rules mean that the deadbeat "Moms" or "Dads" who owe more than $2500.00 in back child support must pay their debt before being issued a passport. In some cases the cost is plenty. An American musician had to pay $46,000.00 to his ex-wife for the back child support before he could get a passport to go overseas on tour. But for some it's bitter sweet victory. A lady in Washington, Teresa Markley, received a $24,000.00 check in the mail for her back child support payments that had accumulated over two decades. Her children are grown now, but she says the money gives her validation for the hard times she lived through, which included going on welfare when her children were small.

So, in short....my ex-husband better not want to get a new passport anytime soon. This is a small victory for single parents who struggle or have struggled. Men or women think they can just bring children into the world and forget about them, or think sending you $50.00 here or $75.00 there will and is ok. This makes me laugh, I'd like to be a fly on the wall when some of these people get a call or a letter in the mail stating...(and I'm paraphrasing) "Sure, we'll give you a passport...the cost will be $8000.00..." If you have kids take care of them and don't send them a Wii as a lame excuse for not seeing them either.

The total amount collected so far since this new rule has been implemented just for 2007 is 22.5 Million Dollars!! That number however is a conservative total they say because some states report the amounts to the Federal Office of Child Support and some do not. This is just one of several tools that the government has to combat the child support issues we have in the US.

A lady ask this question to someone from the Los Angeles Times...

"Question: My husband is on a court-ordered plan to repay child support arrears of more than $10,000. Recently, he applied for a passport, and he was denied because of these arrears. If we continue to pay as agreed, it will be years before he can leave the country. Should he, and others like him, not be given the opportunity to see the world even though he’s paying as ordered?
Marisa Duke-Potter
Columbus, Ohio"

Her husband Jeffrey Potter said in an interview he got into the typical angry spouse mentality. One ex does this and the other retaliates by not paying their child support. I ask where it stops. Yes, you can get angry, but go to court if they are keeping the kids from you and this is why you are not paying. This was his excuse. So, the Potter family wants to go on a vacation. Well, why not take the money for the vacation and pay off what you owe. DUHHH!!! Yes, he should be held responsible and YES IT IS FAIR!!! He didn't do what he was supposed to, I get mad at a lot of things, but that doesn't mean I go out and blatantly break the law or do something that hurts my kids. See? They don't think, they just think they are giving money to "you" and especially for the parents I like to call part-time parents. They've no idea the money, patience and love it takes to raise kids on your own. All they can see is they are handing over money to their ex or punishing their ex for not doing what they are supposed to. This is why we have a court system to hold everyone accountable for their own actions. In the end, us "ADULTS" survive, it's the kids that suffer.

The author of the LA Times story ended it very well and it made me laugh. "In reality, paying for kids, whether through support or in person, means you get to go to at least one interesting place – the poorhouse. But not to worry. You’ll have plenty of great traveling companions."


On a side note-I still don't have my passport...(but I do KNOW I don't OWE any child support) Lol!

Adrian is gone...

I've been tracking the blog from a fellow in England, Adrian Sudbury, who was diagnosed with 2 different types of Leukemia. Which is very, very rare for something like that to happen. He is an amazing guy at the young age of 26 who has brought so much awareness, understanding, courage, happiness and hope to many people all over the world. I had been checking these last few days knowing that it was only time for him to go home. He died last night with his mother and father by his side. If you think your day is bad, like I do myself sometimes, just go and read about this truly phenomenal young guy, and all that he has done, it's very humbling.

For I am a person who lost my Papa (grandpa) last year to Cancer, an aunt with a very rare lung disease when she was only 42 and other people close to me. I know how important it is for all of us to understand how important having support is and being informed. My friends 18 year old son tragically died Aug. 4Th, the family was devastated. He was swimming and did a flip into the water and landed on his back and broke his neck. When the family saw he did not come up from the water 12 men jumped in the water and a stranger pulled him out. His father and two other men performed CPR on him and got a pulse but it was too late he was brain dead and there was nothing that anyone could do. Since he was 18, he was very healthy, his family gave the gift of life and saved 7, that I know of, other peoples lives with donated organs from "Papo" (Nelson Torres)

So, go donate some blood and get on the national registry, who knows...you could just save someones life!

Trip Trip Trip

I'm waiting on my passport. Which makes me worry when I sent off the paperwork for it the lady told me that they had been taking several months and well I plan to leave Oct. 15th I pray to god I have it before then. Actually, I need to have it before I buy my ticket. I hope it just shows up in the mail tomorrow that would make me much much happier. One less thing to worry about. I'd hate to have to POSTPONE a couple more weeks just because of something else that is stupid. Especially, since Ste is nice enough to let me invade his lovely home I REALLY don't want to have to change the date...again. Plus GF is tired of waiting I'm sure. I hope all our planning just goes smoothly and that there are no more hiccups.

Waiting, waiting, waiting!! That's all I seem to be doing. I want definitive plans, NOW DAMNIT.

Im getting impatient aren't I?

SI, si, Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!

Happy 60th Wedding Anniversary Granny and Papa...

When you die, do you still celebrate your anniversary? I was wondering this today as it would be my granny and papa's 60th wedding anniversary. He died a year ago on July 22nd. This time last year was a truly horrific time for me. I've handled it better than I thought I would this month. They've been married twice as long as I've been alive. That's a long time. Will I have 60 years with the same person? Hmmm...I hope so. :)

This brings me to my thoughts on my trip to Chiaramonti. The wreck kind of put a wrench into things. I'm trying to CONTROL everything around me. I need to stop because, well, let's face it, sometimes we aren't in control of everything, sometimes others actions cause us to sit back and wait. I'm happy to say that I am planning on leaving October 1st. If nothing else happens. I'm very excited. VERY VERY excited. Mostly because I'm very happy that GF wants to let me see his life and the way he has lived for almost 30 years. (Even if it took a little nudging from his friends...GRAZIE!!! hehe) I'm taking it one day at a time and it will happen...it will all come into place I just have to be patient. Which sometimes, with all that is in my life, I run a little short of.

I try to make sense of this "situation" sometimes. Well, when I say situation that makes it sound kind of bad. It's in no way what I mean. I said something last night then I took it back. I say now, with certainty with all that has happened in my short life that I KNOW for a fact that something like this doesn't happen to people everyday. It surely doesn't happen to me. Though others have their opinions (people are very opinionated aren't they? especially when it doesn't concern them, no?) and their opinions are usually VERY negative lets face it. This doesn't take away from the fact that what we have is very special...a very special friendship, relationship, the happiness we share. I'm human and I've taken certain things personally sometimes when I obviously shouldn't have. One of these days very soon there will not be any uncertainty between us...then all we have to face at that point is....PAPERS...the bureaucratic bull shit we must deal with.

I'm not going to count days I suppose because I want to take one day at a time, that way if something happens I won't be so disappointed as I was when I was in the wreck. So, one day at a time, is another day closer to being with you.

I've a strong faith, and I do very much believe that everything happens for a reason. All the bad things that have happened to me for a reason. It makes me appreciate the good ones that much more. GF you're very important to me. You're the most important person to me (besides my boys, which is in a totally different manner of being important to me) you make me laugh and smile and you make me very happy. My life has really changed, and it continues to change, and I can't wait for those changes to come. So shoot me for saying all of this, but who really reads this anyhow besides maybe my friends or your friends and most everyone knows anyhow, even if they don't tell you they know. We're both like giddy little kids when it comes to the other. I like it this way. You know where my heart lies and how I feel, you know what I want and what I expect. I'm waiting to come and see you, and share a small portion of your life there. It's not long now, we've waited all this time a few more months won't kill me, or us...plus I can't wait to talk about house things with Ste or remodeling or anything to do with all of that....and to drink "something" sitting outside of the bar...it's the simple things in life, the stupid little things I think of that I want the most....that mean the most to me....like drinking something with you and your friends sitting outside a bar in a tiny little village over 7,000 miles from me. SO....save me a seat, I'll be there soon....

Only an Italian...(a friend sent me this joke)

ONLY AN ITALIAN MAN CAN MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A WOMAN!!!

....On a recent transatlantic flight, a plane passes through a severe storm. The turbulence is awful, and things go from bad to worse when one wing struck by lightning.

One woman in particular loses it.Screaming, she stands up in the front of the plane. 'I'm too young to die,' she wails. Then she yells,'Well, if I'm going to die, I want my last minutes alive to be memorable! Is there ANYONE on this plane who can make me feel like a WOMAN?'

For a moment there is silence.Everyone has forgotten their own peril. They all stare, riveted, at the desperate woman in the front of the plane. Then a Italian man stands up in the rear of the plane. He is gorgeous, tall, well built, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He starts to walk slowly up the aisle, unbuttoning his shirt.....

......One button at a time

........No one moves

........He removes his shirt

........Muscles ripple across his chest

........She gasps... .

......and He says.....

...."Iron this, and get me something to eat...."

LMAO....

I do feel as bad as I look....

as Caleb would say..."Mommy, it hoots(hurts)?

Gash in right thumb. Oddly enough it was done when the airbag hit me.

My left forearm and part of my bicep. My arms are very swollen.
I'm looking a little rough don't you think?

The cut on this arm is actually a burn from the powder of the airbag.

Cuts and scrapes from the airbag and the glass shattering in the driver's side window. Also you can see how swollen my forearm is in this picture.

My very swollen right bicep. It's also burned from the airbag powder as well. Yes, it is as painful as it appears to be. (see all my drugs in the background...haha!)

Long bruise on part of my abdomen, the rest I can't show you... :)

My left hip area, part of it.

This is my right calf and lower leg. It's about 4 times it's normal size. There is a huge knot on my leg that is of some concern to myself and the doctors because the swelling isn't going down. My mom swears that it's actually more swollen. I don't know, I just know it hurts like hell.

The back part of my right leg and calf. It looks like I got into a fight with a purple paint can and lost, no?

Left leg knee and calf, very swollen just not as bad as the right.

Right hip area, what I can show you anyhow.




















Outside area of right leg and knee.







So, you can see most of my boo boo's! Very gross if you ask me. Buckle up!!!! it really does save your life!!!

84 DAYS!!!

Am I really counting? Yes! of course I am...I downloaded my new passport application and I found out I can take it to the court clerk here in Claremore to send for it again. So, the US government website says it's faster to do it that way. We'll see. GF along with the accompaniment of Stephan took care of some of his school documents. BRAVO!! I think all the papers will be in order for him to hop the pond with me and come back to the US. He said that the equivalent of the hours for his schooling was 1280. I knew it was much more but...WOW!! I don't think I'd survive school internationally. Can you imagine going into your academic advisers office and them tell you...Yes, you need 1280 credit hours to finish this degree. I think all of us in the US take for granted how easy we have it a lot of the time.

I spoke to GF this morning on the phone. It's good to hear his voice on the other end of my phone. We don't talk on the phone that often. It's a nice change to hear him and to speak to me and well...I can't wait to see him. I keep wanting to pinch myself. I just want to hug his neck as we say down here in the south. GIAN....you're very IMPORTANT to me!! Ignore what I say sometimes my family makes me crazy!! (doubtful he'll read any of this, his connection is awful)

I'm going to buy a new camera, I'm not sure what kind I want. There are fantastic places and buildings I want to take pictures of. The architecture...it's my passion. Old and beautiful things and I've seen some of the views. I may not even want to come home....but I will. (that was for Melissa) These next many weeks and couple of months are going to be hectic. At the end of it all is the light at the end of my tunnel.....GF!! I really can't wait to see him and the "englishes" as they are commonly lovingly thought of this way and Danilo...what to say about Danilo?...he's a lovely chap!!

I'm looking forward to seeing Chiaramonti and want my dear GF does in his everyday life. Plus, I get to walk down the street and have a lot of people wonder who I am...well, I don't think it is as exaggerated as GF puts it, I think naturally people are just curious and he is so private he doesn't want anyone knowing anything and wants me for himself....yes, I think that sums it up. I laugh to wait until the entire town knows how long it will take...we could play a game. How long before everyone knows?? We could lay down bets. lol. Ok, he'd be mad if he knew I was laughing about this...but I'm not laughing at you baby just the idea makes me laugh. So, I take the first bet...I say 36 HOURS!!!

I've added some pictures of the town. Obviously I didn't take them, I actually saved them from http://www.patatu.it/ GF's Uncle Carlo and cousin Vladimiro's website. So, if you can read Italian or Sardo it's a great site, but they do have great pictures of Chiaramonti and things that happen there such as the festivals or carnivals. So, as you requested a couple more pics...and you can always see more from Stephan's pics on FLICKR the link to his pictures are to the left under the links.

(isn't the sea amazing? there aren't words to describe it, but I get to SEE IT!! are ya'll jealous yet? lol)

In the beginning...

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth......ok, wait! This isn't the beginning I was talking about. This is the beginning of something wonderful. This story starts sometime ago...and I won't say ends in about 3 months...I'll say it EVOLVES in about 3 months. Definitively, August 20th I will fly from the Tulsa International Airport to ROME!!

(this image is taken by a friend...MAO...you can see more of his pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/askolizzato71)

If this wasn't cool enough, my journey doesn't end there. I'll stay one night in Rome and the morning of the 21st I will fly on Ryanair (thanks to Ste, which he told me to check out and it's much cheaper...grazie amico!!) across the sea to the beautiful island of Sardinia into the Alghero Airport. From there I have to travel about 60 KM I'm told to the little but seemingly wonderful village of Chiaramonti.

If you stumbled across this site or whether you are a friend you might be wondering of all the places to go in Italy why and where is Chiaramonti? It is a small quaint village described this way by a friend who lives there in the province of Sassari on the island of Sardinia which sits off the coast near Rome. (google it) This is the "where"...the "why" is kind of a long story. There is this guy...(don't all good stories start with this line...lol) We will call him GF because most everybody refers to him as such. He has become the light of my life, the butter to my bread, in other words instead of using all these cheesy sayings...."sei molto importante per me Gian"....that's something we say, roughly meaning he is important to me. I would normally add a picture here, but I think he'd kick me arse...:) Maybe later....(ok so I came back and added this picture. I figure I'm safe because this is the one he uses for his MSN) we shall see....ahahaha

I'm very smitten with GF, and I think everyone knows it. Though GF tells me I'm exaggerate, which maybe I am a little but between us....I think he likes it! He's a wonderful person, beautiful inside and out and his voice...boy...can he sing! His music moves me, he is amazing! The purpose of my visit? Well, hoping all the papers are done, he will come back with me to the US!!

This is what I like to call an International Love Story...our love story... :)