Day 7: he makes me better...

Day 7.. Someone who has made my life worth living..



Now I know you are all expecting me to say my fiance'... and you would be right.. but he isn't the only man in my life.. I have the greatest best friend in the world.. His name is Carlos.. I can't remember a time in my life (besides the death of my sister) that he wasn't right there.. And that was only because I haven't met him yet.

We have known each other since May of 1993... We were introduced by.. *well she isn't important*.. but we have been friends ever since. He has been he through, boyfriends, break ups, babies, marriages, divorce, my hardest times, deaths, lifes, sickness, surgeries.. and JUST because...

Believe it or not.. I was a SERIOUSSSSS F**k up back in the day. No ambition at all.. NOT NONE. I didn't want to do anything but do NOTHING. I believed everything that I was told back in the day (that I would never be anything) and I made it happen. I should have been in and out of school long ago. I honestly never believed I could suceed.. I have a few things working against me but he never gave up on me. He would let me do my woo is me routine.. and my life is sucks thing... and then he would ask me.. ARE YOU FINISHED?  You have to know my bestest... He is straight to the point.. no nonsense kinda guy..  He loves me.. and he loves me enough to tell me the truth.. He tells me when I'm doing good.. and he lets me know when I completely _____ up. 

For instance with school.. he would always ask me.. "so.. when you going back to school?" I would give him some lame excuse and he would say.. Okay.. I know you can do it.. and you will when you are ready.. After years of hearing this same story... we were talking on the phone.. and I told him I was ready for my life to change.. He hit me again.. Go to school.. you have to start somewhere.. .. then he said.. I will even pay for you to go back... *pump the brakes*... Someone believed in me enough to want to PAY for me to get my education.. * I didn't know what to do with that*... who does THAT?  But it was just the thing I needed to get myself together. I didn't go back to school right then.. because I was almost there but not 100% and if he believed in me THAT much..there was no way in the dayum world I was about to take his money and mess it up..  So a few months later..I got up the nerve..and I went back to school.. I told him that I would get him that degree.. and that's exactly what I did. 

Because he believed in me..I walked across the stage with a criminal justice degree. I loved my family for being there.. but the one person I looked for was my best Friend... I wanted him to know that it was because of HIM that I had that piece of paper.. I will never forget what he said to me one day I was really going through it.. about to give up because it didn't seem as if anyone else cared.. everyone was out for self.. and he said... Dee, you can't change people.. but you CAN change your surroundings.. and he was absolutely right.. I got out.. and started doing things with school and hanging with different people and my attitude changed because my surroundings changed.

I can honestly say that there are 3 men in this world that I would jump in front of a bullet for, my father made 4.. but now.. there is my son, my man, and my bFF.. he has saved my life on MANY occasions.. when noone else was there.. I knew HE was.. and that's why he makes my life worth living..


we even have matching injuries to our fingers.. just like peas and carrots hahahaa





Day 6... OH LAWD!

Day 6: something I hope I never have to do..

That's simple visit my children or any child I love in PRISON or in the CEMETERY.

When we visit Birmingham, I always try to go to my sister's grave. It's a hard thing to do and it never seems to get any easier. I never got to go with my dad but I know he went. Watching him go through the things that he went through.. blaming himself for my sister's death..even though.. there was NOTHING he could have done to stop it... he basically died inside.. every birthday, holiday, day of her death or week rather..

I KNOW I'm not strong enough to deal with that. If I were to ever loose a child.. they will HAVE to bury me with them. Losing my sister was hard as hell.. Losing my daddy was HELL... what's worse than HELL?

But if there was anything that ran a close 2nd to death would be seeing one of them behind bars. Anyone who knows me knows that no matter what *I* need.. everything stops for my children. I am hard on them because I don't want them to have to live the life I have so far. I don't want them to have to wait until they are in their 30's to GET IT. Don't steal, don't kill.. follow the rules and you won't have to know what it feels like to be behind bars... As much as I love my children.. the rule in my family has always been.. You get ONE CHANCE.. I will come get you ONCE if you do something stupid (within reason.. meaning nothing like murder).. I will come get you out one time.. After that.. I forward your mail...

I have tried to teach my children right from wrong and I did my best.. that's all I could do.. You have clothes, food, shelter and love.. if that wasn't enough there is nothing more I can do. I have to believe that I did a half way decent job and although my children may not be angels.. they will think back on the lessons we have tried to teach them. I want them to think twice about doing the right thing.

If you do something stupid.. it's because you CHOSE to not because you didn't know better. When I do something that I know isn't right..*and I have* it is not because my father didn't teach me better.. it was because I made the adult decision to do it.. And that is the same thought process I will have with my children.

I have never been a prison girlfriend.. I sucked sooo bad at that. so I KNOW I will not be a good prison Mom. *kayneshrug*

Why are you getting married?

The perfect ring..

So, I've been sitting here thinking to myself .. why in the ____ am I getting married? You are loosing sleep, you've been with him all this time UNMARRIED, you're becoming a bit of a butthole ( not intentionally) and something tells me that these migraines may be a direct result of the stress you're putting on yourself..  So.. why the hell are you going through all this.. Is it really worth it..

.. and no matter how much I try to talk myself out of it..I come back to the same answer
..Yes!

I was watching THE BLIND SIDE the other day and the lady was interrogating Michael about all that OLE MISS stuff.. why all the people in his life want him to go.. what THEY have invested in it..blah blah blah.. and he got MAD and stormed out.. He started to second guess the people that he loves and why they loved him and he ran.. He ran right back to the life that he had before.. and ended up having to fight his way out, literally.. and all he wanted was the one person that loved him the most..

So I'm sure you are saying .. Eb.. seriously.. what does this have to do with you getting married.. Well.. when he got his head right.. He went back where he should be, got his mind right.. He went back to the lady that was interrogating him..  Everyone had calmed down.. and he said.. With all the questions you were asking me.. you never once asked why I wanted to go to OLE MISS.. and she said ok why.. and he said .. because My Family goes there..

And that's why this is important to me.. My family..

After my daddy passed away.. all the tension with my family began to heal itself.. I started to learn alot about my family history. And with everything I've heard.. I've never heard about a wedding. Yes, people are married in my family.. but there has never been a real wedding. There are no family pictures to refer back to, there are no family reunions.. My family is pretty separated.. what little we have. I think that needs to Change.

I want my children and my cousins and my niece and godchildren to know that marriage is a GOOD thing. The family is suppose to celebrate your happiness. We shouldn't just get together when someone dies. We need to make memories that are HAPPY... period. I am a very nostalgic person. I believe in traditions to a point. My sister always talks about things we don't have to pass down like *normal* families. We don't have wills, our family heirlooms..  I want to one day pass down a pair of diamond earrings to my daughters that my husband gave me. I want my son to think that just shacking up with a woman is ok. It's not ok. If you love that woman enough .. give her your last name. I want my niece to know that her aunt is not just her father's sister.. But that she can call on me for anything.. and if I have to get my butt in the car and drive all night just to be there in the waiting room when she gives birth to her first child.. That's EXACTLY what I'm going to do..

My family has really been divided for far too long and although there are members of my family that AREN'T blood related.. they are still family.. and that's what it's all about. I've been sitting here worrying my ass off about if the church will be JUST RIGHT for pictures, if the reception food will be right.. Will my centerpieces be perfect..Do I have enough music.. money.. the perfect wedding set..  And although I have the PERFECT wedding coordinator Patty Ann, the Best Dj Mark Patton and a fabulous Designer Ebony Cromartie, The Baddest Lady ever touch a pair of Flat Irons Latarsha Love Strong.. and the woman who will make me beautiful.. Tanya Clark.. and the BEST FRIENDS ever.. whatever happens.. it will be a GOOD memory for a change. It will be the start of a tradition.. it will be a Family event where we are all happy and beautiful and TOGETHER..

Now.. with all that said.. none of this could be possible without one person. The one who has been by my side from day one...the one who has forgiven me for soo many of my faults.. the one who has nursed me back to health and healed my broken heart .. the one who has shown my son how to be a man.. how to take care of his family.. the one who has been a father .. showing my girls that the one you love may not look like a model but will love and protect you like no other.. the love of my life.. my protector, my God given gift.. my Husband, my friend, and soon to be.. my forever.. Teddy.. where would I be without him.. In a world of hurt ... that's where..


So.. today.. I'm going to put all the stress behind me.. My wedding will be the first of many beautiful memories that my family will share together..  TOGETHER.. *hmm*.. that word simply makes it all worth it..

What I'm looking forward to the most.. the first OFFICIAL complete family picture.. My husband.. my children.. brother and sister..my aunt, my uncles, cousins..grandma.. my familia.. 


yes..