I don't regret leaving either...

People leaving their McMansions and traveling West [2008-11-14]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'm leaving what little I have left in my 401K for now - sm [2008-10-13]
(what's left wouldn't do me any good, anyway), with the hope that someday it will gain back some of what it lost. THEN, even though I probably still won't have as much as was in it before, I'll most likely take it ALL out of the stock market forever, and invest in something concrete, such as land (which even if it can't be sold for a profit, can be lived-on). The stock market has become so volatile and flaky that it no longer makes any more sense to put your hard-earned retirement money into that than it does to blow it all on Lottery tickets or slot machines.

I had one 29 years ago and DO NOT REGRET IT AT ALL. SM [2008-09-16]
Never have had a second thought. Zero guilt. It was the right decision for my life and my family at the time. I am a good citizen now, good job, loving spouse and family. To those of you saying it is wrong under any circumstance - you have no right to judge me; that's between me and my God.

uhh...that should be "suggested leaving"...not counseling...nm [2008-05-27]

I have been single again as long as I was married and there is not a day I don't regret leaving s [2008-05-27]
BUT it was still the right thing to do. I have been happier since and I am fine on my own, but it was extremely tough as he didn Financially it was terrible, but the relief of his absence was enormous. He was critical. He was always rude. My friends would only come to visit when he was on the road. The kids would pick up their messes, but he made more than they ever did, never helped and constantly criticized me for not being a perfect housekeeper like his mom...who didn I had more kids than she did, worked always and ended up being too exhausted for him. He is a homophobic homosexual and going out on mommy and daddy dates was always humiliating because he spent the evening looking at other men I got out and suffice it to say, at quite a price financially and emotionally. I have not remarried, have only had one relationship in 15 years and feel too damaged to ever try again, but I am FREE from all of that. My kids were pleased when he left and were all too anxious to help him to leave the house!

I don't regret leaving either... [2008-05-22]
Been gone since last August and couldn I owe MQ a lot as they did hire me right after I graduated my MT course and I did learn a lot while I was there, but having said that, I haven

"I'm leaving my wife." I bought it once...never again. NM [2008-05-08]
x

I'm loving life since leaving MT. [2008-03-21]
.

I agree and leaving early not sore loser (sm) [2008-02-04]
I think that's just graceful, letting the winners have their day plus that had to really sting after the great season they had. But what a great game it was. Both teams should be proud they made it there.

My DH is leaving in just a little bit for Atlanta [2008-01-17]
He is going on business for the weekend (we are in VA and have about 2in of snow now and more on the way) and he is taking my DD along for a little Father/daughter bonding. We have been following the weather and saw that it is in the 30s today and up to in the 50s tomorrow then back to 30s on Sat. with snow expected. My daughter is going crazy trying to decide what to pack. LOL

you do the leaving [2007-12-31]
My ex was the same way. After 17-1/2 years, I did the leaving. I know it is hard, but YOU CAN DO IT!! You and your kids will be better off in the long run. My oldest child wishes I would have left when he and his brother were still little. Don't let him keep abusing you - you are just as valuable as he is - don't forget it. Hope your cold/flu doesn't last too long. Will be thinking of you.

If you are serious about leaving, you need a plan. SM [2007-12-30]
First, get some therapy for yourself to gain back some self confidence. Then make a plan. Find out how much a divorce attorney costs and start saving. If you are not being physically abused, try to stay in it as long as kids are young. Then make your escape. Believe me, you are not the only one going through this. Are there any women's groups in your town you can join? You really need to vent. I know what that's like.

Only regret was not doing it sooner [2007-11-01]
Thrilled with the results. I continue to have periods every month, but they are so much more manageable.

Not all regret their first encounter [2007-10-09]
I started early at 15 and I don’t regret it, only regretted probably not more with the same guy. I was in 10th and finished school without another encounter but I would disagree with a psychological impact- just does not apply to all.

sweats usually, unless I am not leaving the house and then PJs... [2007-10-01]
nm

Running over a dog and leaving the scene? [2007-09-05]
Going on her merry way, shopping or whatever...? Probably doesn I agree.

She knew she was visiting and would be leaving (sm) [2007-09-05]
She just wanted to do a few things with her granddaughter before she left. If you had my in-laws you would understand invasive. You have to share your daughter. She is your child, but she is that woman's grandchild and she has rights too. She is sooo not asking too much. She sounds very humble and non-demanding. Try to be sweet to her. She won't live forever. Let her enjoy her granchild while she can.

re: leaving pets [2007-08-30]
No I don't leave messages but we've done some camping this summer and my kitty gets very mad when we leave. When we walked in the door after being away for a few days she wouldn't stop meowing at me, like she was telling me off for leaving her..she wouldn't let me pick her up either! Anyone else's pets get mad when you leave?

I had a similar problem, had the surgery, and only regret [2007-08-24]
Abdominal surgery is no walk in the park, but it improved my life 1,000% to get rid of all that unnecessary 'equipment'. (Never wanted kids, anyway.) I was only 34 when I had the surgery - wish I could've had it at age 14!

Party in SF as a send-off for friends leaving for Burning Man. [2007-08-17]
I'd love go myself, but can't afford it.....

Any regrets leaving the Q? [2007-08-08]
They I hope not; I'm tired of having multiple different hospitals during each shift.

Spending a romantic weekend in Atlanta with hubby. Leaving at noon. Can't wait! nm [2007-08-03]
,

He refuses to do that. He says no way is he leaving (sm) [2007-07-30]
I have tried for so long to hold this marriage together for the sake of the children - but what am I teaching them if I continue to live in this situation? That it is okay for men to treat women badly? That you just let people treat you however they want? That spouses don't have to respect each other?

Leaving for New York tomorrow sm [2007-07-14]
with my family. Watch for us in the Today Show audience. I will be the one with the laptop so I won Just Kidding.

Do you have really hard water? Maybe leaving water spots from lime, calcium, etc.? Or are the spots [2007-07-01]
s

He is 60 years old...sm [2008-11-21]
And acts like he is 2. He doesnI am not his babysitter. He is a grown man and he needs to act like it. Social service doesn't need to help him. The man makes decent money. He just won't take responsibity to pay his bills and has too many at that. He needs to thin them out. For instance, he has 2 new model trucks. He does not need 2 trucks but he WANTS both of them. But a light bill is one of your most important bills. And I for a fact know he had the money to pay it and didn't. I even told him you better go pay that electric bill. He wouldn't. I have never seen anyone who was quite like him. I love my dad and don't want to hurt him but he is making things very hard for me right now. I can't babysit him anymore. He is more than welcome to come visit me as often as he wants. He can come by everyday if he wants. But then there is a time to leave and go home. I have a family and I know I wouldnt like it if my husbands dad did this. I would not be happy at all. I am not happy about my father doing it but what do you do? Tell him get out?

I have a friend who left her live-in ...sm [2008-11-21]
boyfriend of 11 years who she had a baby with because he was doing drugs and wasn't coming home at night, going to strip clubs after work and not coming home, etc. She lived in MS close to me and her parents and all of her family lived in Las Vegas, NV. She left and never looked back. She said it was the hardest thing she ever had to do but she doesn't regret it and is so much happier now.

Pitbull Hero [2008-11-17]
Stray Pit Bull Saves Woman, Child from AttackerPet Pulse Staff Reports Browse NewsFront Page BY CATEGORY:Alerts Notices Animal Attacks Care Safety Crime Law Cruelty Abuse Deaths Accidents Entertainment Health Science Heroes International Lost Found New Trends Petlanthropy Strange But True Survival BY PET:Dogs Cats Fish Birds Horses Reptiles Small Pets Other Pets November 5, 2008 A dog came out of nowhere and stopped a knife-wielding robber from accosting a mother and her young son on Monday afternoon. (Pet Pulse Illustration by Tim Mattson) PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The wandering 65-pound Pit Bull mix might have seemed menacing to some passerby, but one woman will always remember him as her guardian angel. The dog, which authorities think is lost and not a stray, successfully thwarted a robbery attack on a mother and her 2-year-old son, who were held at knifepoint Monday afternoon. The Florida woman, who has been identified by authorities simply as Angela, was leaving a playground with her toddler son in Port Charlotte when a man approached her in the parking lot with a knife and told her not to make any noise or sudden movements. Angela didn't have to do either to protect herself and her child -- a dog mysteriously ran to the scene and charged the man, who quickly fled. I don Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones told Pet Pulse. I don The exceptional part of the story, Jones said, is that the dog had never met or even seen the people it quickly jumped to defend. You hear about family dogs protecting their owners, but this dog had nothing to do with this woman or her kid, Jones said. He was like her guardian angel. After the alleged thief ran away, Angela quickly placed her son, Jordan, in the car and tried to drive off. Before she could, though, the dog jumped into her backseat, waiting with her for the police and animal control officers to arrive at the scene. The dog was transported to a local shelter and if his owners donAngel. Animal control officers and shelter workers believe Angel is lost, and not a stray, because of his good health, sturdy weight and mild temperament. It Jones said of Angel's possible owners. For Angela, it doesn't matter where the dog came from, just that he was there when she needed him most. I don Angela told NBC2 News. For a small town with a population of 46,452, animal control officers were kept busy Monday afternoon. Jones says they department also responded to a report about a boa constrictor in a church parking lot. The snake found its way into a car engine and was able to be removed without being harmed. It took three people to move the massive, seemingly random placed snake. It he said of the Gulf Coast town. And we can go for four or five months without the media contacting us about a story. It Officers from the responding county sheriff's office canvased the area and were unable to locate the suspect described as being in his 20s, tall and dark haired. Tell us what you think about Stray Dog Saves Woman, Child Held at Knifepoint below. Share your favorite videos by clicking on the ZootooTV tab. Send us your story ideas by e-mailing us at news@zootoo.com or by calling us at 877-777-4204. Pet Pulse reporter Amy Lieberman and NBC-2.com contributed to this article.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart! [2008-11-16]
We will be leaving the space between our pillows where Fred slept each night empty in his honor. I truly appreciate the love and support you all have shown. Only those who have walked in our shoes can understand the depth of the love and the enormous loss we feel.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart! [2008-11-16]
We will be leaving the space between our pillows where Fred slept each night empty in his honor. I truly appreciate the love and support you all have shown. Only those who have walked in our shoes can understand the depth of the love and the enormous loss we feel.

I am so fustrated I am in tears...sm [2008-11-15]
Ok here goes...My husband has hunting beagles. He has about 5 of them. I love dogs and I love beagles. Well he drives an 18-wheeler and is gone a majority of the time. I take care of the dogs daily, i.e. feed them, clean their kennels, and put fresh water. It is a chore, but I love the dogs so I do it. It is for my husband anyway, and we are supposed to help each other. When he is home it is his chore. Well he has a buddy down the road who lives about 10 minutes away. They take their beagles out together and let them run rabbits. Well his buddy is bad about leaving his beagles over here and not coming to get them in a timely manner, and I have to take care of 5 more dogs. Food isn Well you have to make him come get them. A couple of weeks ago his buddy went on a hunting trip in Tennessee and needed someone to care for his beagles. Well I didn I was fustrated to learn though he brought them and left them in the kennels and left no food for them. I had to feed these dogs of his out of our food and there was 5 of them. I mentioned to my husband that I thought that was rude. I was nice enough to care for his beagles while he went away. He should have brought food for them. I felt taken advantage of. Well he came over last weekend and I thought good he has come for his dogs. Well he leaves without them. I said oh here we go again. I had forgotten to mention anything to my husband because I got busy working among other things. Well today when I went to feed the beagles I got really fustrated because he STILL has not come and got his dogs. So got downrightticked and called my husband. I said you call your buddy and tell him I am not in the kennel business. He can come get his dogs. I said first of all he is back in town and has been a week. Why hasn I said you should have made him before now. I said I was not asked do you mind taking care of these dogs for weeks. I said you should not allow your friend to take advantage of my niceness. He said well I just figure that if you are taking care of our beagles then why can What difference does it make? You are already taking care of these so what is so hard about putting a little more food out. I said I will tell you. It is twice the dogs to feed. I said he did not bring any food. It is twice thesh** to clean out the kennels, which is done, by the way, by spraying it off the concrete floors with a hose with a spray nozel. I feel like I am being taken advantage of and I think my DH should stick up for me to his friend.

Great dogs at shelters [2008-11-15]
There are so many wonderful dogs at shelters. I always say, the only bad thing about a shelter dog is its previous owner! There are lots of mixed breeds but plenty of purebred dogs, too. Shelters are overflowing these days (more than usual) because of the number of people who are losing their homes. I've heard stories of people moving out of their foreclosed house & just leaving the dogs behind...terrible. Especially for older dogs, who are so hard to find homes for.

I do pity you...sm [2008-11-13]
It sucks when you have a parent who has chosen to put other things/people before their children. I donjob and not coming home to see his family for long periods of time. So you kind of feel like why should I feel guilty when he didn't? It is up to you if you want to see him more than the holidays and b-days. My dad has chosen another family over his family. I am 31 years old and my parents divorced this year because my dad was running around. Well according to bank statements he is paying not only the woman's bills but is paying her daughter's car note and her son's electric bill, etc. Anything they want they got it. This woman's kids are in their 20s. I have to work to pay my car note and I am his own daughter. Which I realize it isn't his place anyways. But it is the principal. He has NEVER payed anything for me and I mean NOTHING. He has never given me money at all. My mom has helped me when I needed it but not him. But yet he can give them anything. He doesn't know I have seen those bank statements so he doesn't know what I know. It kind of makes it hard to want to be around him when I know what he does for them and has never done for me or my sister. I kind of know where you are coming from in that I don't specifically care to be around my dad either and sometimes I feel guilty about it. But then again does he feel guilty for what he is doing? Apparently not.

There are no jobs where I am sm [2008-11-13]
I had thought of working part-time in a mall to get the discount, do some Christmas shopping, get out to see people, only a few days here and there. Our newspaper used to have at least 3-4 full pages, 7-8 on the week-end, down to 1 column on weekdays, 2 on weekends. Most are heavy lifting jobs for men and/or must speak Spanish, especially if medical. So I buy extra at every sale, extra everything, use coupons, got 30% off from Kohlnice dress with atoy inside.The only thing is I am getting depressed from clutter, too much stuff all over but have to remind myself some have nothing. We do not go out to eat except perhaps soup in a sour bread bowl on special just every other week or at a Panera Bread just to say we went out, bought video movies for a dollar at church bazaars (all Disney) for grandkids, using our VCR which will be obsolete soon but can still watch movies on old TVCutting back in general, baking bread, baking cookies, really clipping and saving everything I can get my hands on. Walmart does not accept internet coupons, so check the newspaper. I do read labels on food from Walmart as some is from China.Joined a wholesale club but found it more expensive than most stores, so we can get our money back, refundin 3 months so they tell us. I really wish I had been more frugal when I made decent money at MT, I can now see I was wasteful and shame on me! I should know better, have been through recessions before. They do turn around and the only good thing is they give us a swift kick in the rear! Feel sorry for those who can barely make it, work is hard to come by in New England and a lot are losing their jobs, even teachers with over 20 years. No one knows when the next shoe will fall, even malls are failing. I am leaving all tags on gifts this year, usually cut them off, but with so many people returning things for the money, they said itand even though I get gift receipts, I want them to see where it came from so the store won't give them grief. Target is the worst for returns. So that's my story here in cold, sleeting today, NE.

my point... [2008-11-09]
And MY POINT IS that it doesn't matter what the breed of the dog is! Could've happened regardless of the breed of the dog. And just about ANY dog would growl, bark, nip, bite if it was abused.... wouldn't you if you were the dog being abused??? And who leaves an elderly frail person with 3 large dogs??? That's like leaving a toddler with 3 large dogs REGARLESS OF THE BREED! We have always had large dogs, but when my grandfather got elderly we had to watch the dogs around him cuz they would get caught up playing and trip him & he would fall to the ground and hurt himself, so leaving an elderly person by themselves is not a good idea with 3 large dogs, and that's my point also!

nursing home - hardest decision ever sm [2008-11-09]
I had also made those promises to my folks, Dad was kept home on hospice 14 months, he had suffered brain damage from not being found for hours and was awful to all of us but we managed with a hospital bed, hospice and nurses, however, my whole family fell apart, fighting, etc., until he fell so many times and was so sick, we called 911 one night for help and hospice literally threw us out of the program. You are supposed to call them (in my state anyway) and they will sit with you while you watch them take their last breaths. Could not go through with that. Then we had no choice but nursing home, they took every cent they could get their hands on without touching my momshow up to check on them. Sometimes theyassisted living scenario, and after they clean out the bank book, they put them in a nursing home anyway, so thatsandwich generation between what to do with the parent and if you have kids, what is best for them. Itshow up and if you don it's tough to walk that walk. Take care, hopefully you will make the right decision. In some states you can have her in a nursing home and if she qualifies, you can also have hospice go in there for special care such as you desire for her comfort. Good luck, know we are all thinking of you.

Yes, and it was a very hard decision... [2008-11-08]
I had moved my mom in with me after she had surgery/went through rehab.. And I took care of her for 19 months. It was so hard. She had to go back in the hospital and I was fighting with my family at the same time for help... It was really overwhelming. She is still living but unfortunately my family moved her closer to them where she did not get the best care and was eventually moved again, further away from me to a facility that I can appreciate. She looks really well and I know that she is being taken care of. I miss her. I can not visit her as often as I would like but I know that she is being taken care of... It is a very hard decision that I can not say that I don I also contemplate on a daily basis if I made the right decision. A day never passes that I don

I absolutely love it. We have to drive [2008-11-07]
to the next state to go. I think it is just the excitement of being there. Thank goodness I don't have a lot of extra money, or I could see myself there all the time. We go 1 or 2 times a year. I have met lots of interesting people, players and dealers. When we go we usually spend the night, so it is a little get-away. I don't win very often (Did hit for $150 on a slot once)--I only take an XX amount with me and leave the debit card at home. The only problem I have is not realizing the time--one time I was going back to the room, leaving the BF at the table, and looked at my watch and it was 4:30 a.m.

Root planing [2008-11-06]
I had that done last year. It was not bad and I am a chicken when it comes to the dentist. Dentist numbed the side the hygenist worked on and it is a diff kind of high-speed instrument especially for plaque removal. It isan ultrasonic tool for teeth.I do not remember seeing any blood, but of course they suction all of the time. This instrument uses water and it is like a mist. My plaque was not that bad. In fact they could have done all four quadrants at one time instead of staging it. They just numbedwhat certain quadrant in case your teeth are sensitive. It was worth it too. I go every 3 months to get cleaning and checkup and do the flossing thing and have a WaterPik to boot. That price is just about what I paid too, but my dental insurance covered most of it. Hope this helps out. It sounds worse than it actually is.You should be able to see a diff in the gums too. I know I have. I have a great dentist too. I dreaded it, but after it overI felt like I really worried too much about it. I do not think anyone likes the dentist. I do not think that you would regret it. Good Luck.

Thanks [2008-10-28]
I know everyone has differences of opinions. My mom and I sure had ours but we were never disrespectful. And all over what, politics???? Your going to insult your own family and tell them they are stup!d right to their faces because they don't share the same viewpoints you do? It's sickening beyond words. This brother has caused so many upsets in the past. Always was a little sh!!-disturber. One mothers day we all went out to eat a a mexican restaurant and there were two guys having lunch there (could have been brother, friends, or whatever), but my BIL actually turned his chair around and kept stairing at them and then commenting to everyone at the table that there were f@gs. I was utterly and truly disgusted and repulsed beyond all belief (and he was 18 years old so he knew better. He kept saying it loud enough because he wanted them to hear. Finally they got up and came over and asked if there was a problem. This was about the same time I was leaving to call a cab (my husband said heGee, my supervisor and I go out to lunch, are you going to call us derogatory names! I was fuming fumning fuming beyond words (that was the start of a difficult relationship with his family). Oh yes, when those two guys came over to our table to ask what the problem was, he went and hid behind his mother. We do feel good about the decision not to talk to them for a long time. Never would be fine by me.

I am glad things are going well for you but sm [2008-10-26]
The debt is not my main issue. My marriage is. All of the other problems are a result of the marriage being bad, and working at home in isolation. The problem is I feel I have no choice but to work at home because of my husbandnight fishing one night a week, leaving straight from work and getting home about 1 a.m., on a work night! He is very rude to me all the time and acts like he doesnI wonder what my life would be like if something ever happened to you mom. It wouldn My daughter I worry about too though not as much. I donhis and daughter is mine even though I regularly remind him that we are both parents to both children. So yes, the debt is there and it does worry me but just showing my husband my debt is not going to solve my problem. If anything it would put me more under his control and anger than I already am.

Help. I have made my own prison. Please make suggestions sm [2008-10-24]
I will try to make this brief. I have marital problems, husband is gone all the time. I came to work at home again because I have no help with our children. I need to be here if they are sick and be here when they get home from school. But I have become once again socially isolated (I did this type of work for years and had a job outside of the home and enjoyed it, except for the fact that my children did not get enough attention, so I quit). I do have friends but I don I used to walk several miles a day but never do that anymore, have gained weight, eat junk food, stay on the computer too long. I am constantly busy. I still do volunteer work with my children - Scouts, church, etc., but I am so overwhelmed. My husband is almost never here. It almost feels more like he comes to visit us sometimes than actually lives here, but I need his help financially and my son is very afraid for me to get a divorce (long story, but he is afraid he would have to live part-time with his dad, and they are not close). I have debt that my husband doesn But he won When I tell him I need more money he tells me things like, turn off the cable TV or don The thing is he spends lots and lots of money on entertaining himself. He makes 3 x as much as I do (or maybe 4 by now). I have not been allowed to open his mail for years and we pretty much never talk. I have started to allow things to pile up, mail around my desk, weight around my middle, clutter here and there. I just feel like a big slug. I am tired much of the time. In reading this I sound depressed but I am already taking an antidepressant which I started a few years ago because of my marriage.I love my children so dearly but I am afraid of leaving and disrupting their lives. If I left I would at least get my part of the equity in ourhome, etc., and maybe have a chance at having a life again. Anyway, I know this is long and rambling and jumbled, but I just woke up, from another night of poor sleep. Please suggest what you would do. Thanks

I have a feeling there are lots of us out here - sm [2008-10-24]
I have to say I think I may have it better than most. I've been working home almost twenty years and now both kids, 17 and 19, are on the brink of leaving, probably next year. My husband started his own business working at home four years ago, and we're literally (almost) joined at the hip. We share a 10 x 10 office. Yet, we almost never talk. When we do it's business or kid related. Right now I'm making more money than he is, and his business hasn't grown as fast as he had hoped, and now with the economy . . We started bickering about everything and about once a month have a big blow-up. I went to see a marriage counselor starting a year ago - he absolutely, positively will not go! So I'm going, mostly to find a way to survive another year or two until the kids are gone. I believe it will go one way or the other after that. I hope we stay together. We've both been divorced before and I wouldn't wish that on anybody. And I know the man I married is still in there somewhere. I'm going to do all I can to find him again so we can share the good stuff that we've worked so hard for - not to mention grandchildren when the time comes! Good luck to you. I've got no advice for you, but you are definitely NOT alone!

This may be your last chance, your only chance... [2008-10-18]
This may be the only chance--it may be the last chance for you to save your son. My son started in with smoking pot and drinking alcohol at about the same age. I, unfortunately, was too soft, was a push over, and I, too, didn't want to go overboard. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret my decision. Every time I hear the wail of a siren in the distance and it is coming toward this part of time, I cringe, and I wonder if theythe knock, associated with the police coming to tell me my son is dead. My son is 28 years old now, and he is not only an alcoholic (and a nasty, obnoxious drunk at that), he is addicted to meth. He will take anything just to get high. He stole the phenobarbital that I give to my dog to control his epileptic fits. He drank 2 whole bottles of cough syrup with DMX just to get high and hallucinate. It doesn't matter what the drug is, he'll take it. His primary jones is with meth. I saw my son the other day for the first time in about a year, walking down the street. If he hadn't had the particular one-of-a-kind jacket on, I would not have recognized him. He looks like a walking corpse. His face has morphed, looking like the faces of meth you can google. He's 28, but he looks older than I am (55). He was, at one time, brilliant, with an IQ in the 160s. Now, he is what I'd describe as dull-witted, unable to reason his way out of a paper bag. Even his voice has changed. He walks the fine line between severe psychotic episodes and sanity--and he is toppling toward permanent psychotic behavior more and more. In short, my son is dying, and he lives every day to get more and more of the poison that is killing him. Don't go into doormat mode. Tell your husband. Get mad. Do what ever you have to do--including having your son committed to a rehab facility against his will until he is of legal age. If you stay in doormat mode, you enable your son's habit--and it is a habit...one so well established that he thinks nothing of posting pictures of the crimes (and they are crimes, and YOU are responsible for what goes on in your home) on the Internet. If you don't act aggressively and act NOW, you will be responsible for its outcome. My son is dying because of my inability to act. Do whatever you need to do, including taking him to the police department--anything and everything. Once he tries meth, he'll be a goner. I'll be saying some prayers for you and your family. If you think Itoo harsh and don't do something, any refusal or inability to act right now may very well end up killing your son. I, unfortunately, am speaking from experience.

Some advice from experience [2008-10-15]
If you dongood daughter, all my other siblings quit speaking to my father years ago, I should have joined them! Good luck.

A sad story...sm [2008-10-13]
I have a sad story to tell. My husband She was coming from a night out and was drinking and wrecked. She was ejected from the vehicle and suffered severe head trauma. She was put on life support and was found to be brain dead. Her parents had to make the decision to pull the plug. The doctor assured them she had no brain activity and could not breath on her own or anything. So they unplugged her yesterday. This young woman was I think if not mistaken 29 years old. She had 3 children ages 8, 4, and 2. They have no mother now. She was so disfigured from the accident that her boyfriend went in ICU to see her and hit the floor as he passed out from the shock of seeing her face. She never dreamed when she left to go out last Friday night that she wouldn I had the pleasure of knowing this woman for her brief time here on Earth. She will be so missed by her children and the rest of her family. The 8 year old boy is taking it by far the worst because he comprehends what death means and that he won The 4-year-old just knows mommy is in heaven but can The 2-year-old just doesn She just misses her mommy. Brief story about what the 4-year-old said to her mawmaw yesterday: They were going down the road and she had learned earlier that day her mama was gone to heaven. She was staring out the window at the sky because she was told that was where mommy was. She was just desperately hoping for a glimpse of mom I guess. Then she said mawmaw that And she pointed to the sun. It was shining really bright inside the car on them. It was a really sunny day. Her mawmaw says where baby? She said do you see the sun mawmaw? She said yes baby I see it. She said that She is watching me mawmaw. This is from a 4-year-old. Now if that don Pray for these children who have suffered probably the greatest loss they will know. And please don

A sad story...sm [2008-10-13]
I have a sad story to tell. My husband She was coming from a night out and was drinking and wrecked. She was ejected from the vehicle and suffered severe head trauma. She was put on life support and was found to be brain dead. Her parents had to make the decision to pull the plug. The doctor assured them she had no brain activity and could not breath on her own or anything. So they unplugged her yesterday. This young woman was I think if not mistaken 29 years old. She had 3 children ages 8, 4, and 2. They have no mother now. She was so disfigured from the accident that her boyfriend went in ICU to see her and hit the floor as he passed out from the shock of seeing her face. She never dreamed when she left to go out last Friday night that she wouldn I had the pleasure of knowing this woman for her brief time here on Earth. She will be so missed by her children and the rest of her family. The 8 year old boy is taking it by far the worst because he comprehends what death means and that he won The 4-year-old just knows mommy is in heaven but can The 2-year-old just doesn She just misses her mommy. Brief story about what the 4-year-old said to her mawmaw yesterday: They were going down the road and she had learned earlier that day her mama was gone to heaven. She was staring out the window at the sky because she was told that was where mommy was. She was just desperately hoping for a glimpse of mom I guess. Then she said mawmaw that And she pointed to the sun. It was shining really bright inside the car on them. It was a really sunny day. Her mawmaw says where baby? She said do you see the sun mawmaw? She said yes baby I see it. She said that She is watching me mawmaw. This is from a 4-year-old. Now if that don Pray for these children who have suffered probably the greatest loss they will know. And please don

I use checks, but have streamlined the process - sm [2008-10-11]
by filling out everything but the amount (date, signature, phone number) on the check, & entering all info. into my check register except the amount, before even leaving for the store. Check is torn out, and in my wallet where I can just pull it out, write in the total, hand it to the cashier, and take off as soon as she gives me the receipt. Nowadays their computer/cash machine setup takes only seconds to verify the check. I usually wait to fill in the amount in the check register until I get home. It's weird, but often I find it takes longer to pay with money than it does with a check. (Especially if I have a bunch of change and I'm trying to pay with the exact amount.) That seems to freak people out in line even more than using a check. Also, nowadays the checker ends up doing the bagging, too (seems the stores have cut WAY back on hiring baggers.) So as he or she finishes each bag, I put it in the cart from where I'm standing, so he or she doesn't have to walk around the counter to do it. And I grab things like milk jugs, big 12-pack soft-drink cartons, cat litter, and other big things that don't really need a bag. Anyway, I find doing just those few things seems to get me through the line pretty fast.

I'm sorry you are going through this. [2008-10-10]
I understand completely how you can feel that you are just done. I hope he had a chance to cool off and think about things, but probably not. I can understand when you say that everyone sees it but him. Friends of ours still say things to me to do this day, one person will say things directly to him, which helps because then HE also knows that its not just me, which can be so difficult. If you decide to stick this out I have some great books that really helped me get through our difficult times. I re-read them from time to time too. There is also a good support website online for stepmoms. Google smoms and you'll find it. I wish you all the best in whatever decision you make. Just make the decision for yourself and not them. Oh, and not sure if it will help at this point or not but another piece of advice - When I felt like the 3rd wheel or not included I woudl do as another poster suggested and leave the situation. It really sucked to feel like I was leaving my own house some times but it felt really good to not tell anyone where I was going, not answer cell phones, and just go get a pedicure, go shopping, or go to a family members house for the weekend (and no my family didn't know anything because I often visited them at other times). just remember, its not YOU, even if he says it. *hugs* and good luck.

I'm sorry you are sad. (sm) [2008-10-10]
I'm a little jealous, actually. I get exhausted just reading about what it takes to get divorced, but sometimes I wonder what it would be like. I sort of wish to be able to sign a paper, pay a small fee and be done, but I suppose I'd regret it.