The court case finished in the middle of the month. I was granted full custody of Julia and our dad was arrested for neglect. I have to testify against him, but I'm not letting Julia get involved in it.

The custody battle was hard on Julia, even though in the end she didn't have to decide me and Dad. I've taken some time off work to be with her. I know that she knows that being with me is better for her, but she can't help loving her parents. I don't blame her, at least they were there for her sometimes.

I only hope I'm doing the right thing by her. In trying to do that, though, I'm abandoning the internet. I don't know when I'll be online next, but it will probably be only to check my e-mail and see what's going on with court dates.

Thank you all for being there when I needed a shoulder.

It's time for an update. I'm sorry I've been gone so long, life has just caught me up.

My boss dropped his charges when he realized I had the receipts. My dad is still trying though.

The courts heard our story and after about two weeks the judge decided that I was right to take Julia from my dad's place. Now we've moved to family court where another judge is deciding whether or not I get custody of Julia for the next four years until she's 18 and can decide for herself.

Julia's really upset with all this, and I'm not suprised. This is really hard on her. I know that she still loves our dad, even after all he's done to the two of us. I also know that she knows that I won't go back to South Dakota, even if she does. I hate that she has to go through this, but I know that neither of us can live until this is all over. I just wish I knew a way to make this easier on her, to make her happy while we deal with all this.

I came home today, after picking Julia up from school, and I checked the mail. I only had one letter, nothing else. After doing a few double-takes, it sank in that it was from the Federal courts of the US. I opened the envelope by the mailboxes, rather than up with Julia there to ask questions. I read the letter three times before it sank in.

My dad is charging me with "Kidnapping" my sister. The term used in the letter was "abduction of a minor."

I didn't think anything would come from our dad. He never cared before, and it's not like he really ever provided for either of us. I shouldn't have been so stupid.

I think I can avoid the charges. I called my boss and he seems to think that there is enough against my dad to charge him with neglect and for me to be granted custody of my sister.

I thought we'd left the nightmare behind. I guess not.

I got another letter today. My old boss decided to charge me with stealing. I bought a lot of stuff for the pinto when I worked for him up in SD. I know I bought it all legitamately from him, I even have all the receipts still. I don't know where the charges came from, all I know is that they are rediculous and I will have to find some way to force him to drop them.

I made it to Denver a while back, I just never got the time write a new journal. I am living in a small one room apartment downtown. It's better than nothing, but is in bad shape. I just got some dial up Internet hooked up, along with the phone. Julia's back at school, she is working hard to catch up with her studies. She is trying very hard to pass the year without falling behind and having to take it over. I found a job at a Penn Garage. My boss is a nice guy, and we hang out a lot. Life is a bit rough, however better than living with my dad.

I have had enough of the shit that goes on in my life at home and at work. I don't want Julia to live like this any more. I hate it here and I know that so does she. I am taking my car and we are driving, the two of us, west, until we find a place where we can live a better life than we have here in Morbidge.

I don't know when I'll be online next. So, in the meantime, thank-you and good-bye.


As for my screen name, my kid sister (she's 8 years younger than me, half sister) "borrowed" my msn account and put in this screen name a few years back, it became a kind of joke and just stuck. I use it for all my sn's now, I don't mind that people think I'm a young girl, I just politely correct them and move on.