Remember the 14th Amendment? I was recently reminded............;)

The US Constitution: 14th Amendment

US Constitution - Fourteenth Amendment - Rights Guaranteed Privileges and Immunities of Citizenship, Due Process and Equal Protection
AMENDMENT XIV of the UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
Passed by Congress June 13, 1866. Ratified July 9, 1868.

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

History and Ratification
The fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States was proposed to the legislatures of the several States by the Thirty-ninth Congress, on June 13, 1866. It was declared, in a certificate of the Secretary of State dated July 28, 1868 to have been ratified by the legislatures of 28 of the 37 States. The dates of ratification were: Connecticut, June 25, 1866; New Hampshire, July 6, 1866; Tennessee, July 19, 1866; New Jersey, September 11, 1866 (subsequently the legislature rescinded its ratification, and on March 24, 1868, readopted its resolution of rescission over the Governor's veto, and on Nov. 12, 1980, expressed support for the amendment); Oregon, September 19, 1866 (and rescinded its ratification on October 15, 1868); Vermont, October 30, 1866; Ohio, January 4, 1867 (and rescinded its ratification on January 15, 1868); New York, January 10, 1867; Kansas, January 11, 1867; Illinois, January 15, 1867; West Virginia, January 16, 1867; Michigan, January 16, 1867; Minnesota, January 16, 1867; Maine, January 19, 1867; Nevada, January 22, 1867; Indiana, January 23, 1867; Missouri, January 25, 1867; Rhode Island, February 7, 1867; Wisconsin, February 7, 1867; Pennsylvania, February 12, 1867; Massachusetts, March 20, 1867; Nebraska, June 15, 1867; Iowa, March 16, 1868; Arkansas, April 6, 1868; Florida, June 9, 1868; North Carolina, July 4, 1868 (after having rejected it on December 14, 1866); Louisiana, July 9, 1868 (after having rejected it on February 6, 1867); South Carolina, July 9, 1868 (after having rejected it on December 20, 1866).

Ratification was completed on July 9, 1868.

The amendment was subsequently ratified by Alabama, July 13, 1868; Georgia, July 21, 1868 (after having rejected it on November 9, 1866); Virginia, October 8, 1869 (after having rejected it on January 9, 1867); Mississippi, January 17, 1870; Texas, February 18, 1870 (after having rejected it on October 27, 1866); Delaware, February 12, 1901 (after having rejected it on February 8, 1867); Maryland, April 4, 1959 (after having rejected it on March 23, 1867); California, May 6, 1959; Kentucky, March 18, 1976 (after having rejected it on January 8, 1867).

What will you do?

I follow quite a few blog sites; many of which are cancer related. I watched, cried, and PRAYED while a 6 year old triplet fought hard against cancer. The day he was healed in Heaven was very difficult for even me and there is NO WAY that I can say that I comprehend the magnitude of pain that they endured.

BUT..........as I check back in with some of these families I have noticed something.
The way we speak of our "lost" loved ones is quite similar. Even though (THANKFULLY) my nephew is alive, he has still been TAKEN from his biological family.
I have endured a "battle" of my own in court (not the hospital) with an uncertainty and a fear of "loss".
Our family as a whole has had to mourn and HOPE at the same time for victory.
And now that the agencies involved have tried to position things in their favor (again), they have ignored any and all visitation requests. So he is physically absent from our lives too.
We speak of my nephew often, we purchase things he would enjoy, the kids draw him pictures and write him letters. He is deeply embedded into our family life.

Again, I don't mean to offend a survivor's family in any way. I am simply noticing a very parallel way of thinking about our "lost" nephew.
I am forever grateful for the fact that he is still alive. He sure is a miracle boy. But the fact is that he should have been here with his biological family since November 23, 2007 and NOWHERE near a foster home or a fost/adopt home. Simple as that. Both agencies involved are completely biased against family and have used their positions to keep my nephew there.

If I had not witnessed for myself their complete lack of ANY integrity, I would not have believed it. Seriously...........I would have chalked it up to an unfit family member who exaggerated and had some dark past of her own. Little did I know that our lovely State of California is NOT what I believed it to be. I was naive and ignorant of the horrific things done by CPS Workers and State Adoptions. Wow...........I was indeed wearing rose colored glasses, I thought we were better than that. That our government was better than that. AND when I alerted the upper management, I actually expected (eyes rolling here)them to STOP the offending workers and repair the damages. My belief was that once they were caught, their employers would take it seriously.

I sure was that little girl who believed in unicorns, wasn't I? We are no better than anyone else as far as corruption goes and boy do we ATTEMPT to cover everyone's bum instead of rectifying the wrongs. That saddens me beyond words. Is there anyone who has a moral bone in their body, who takes their job seriously enough to do the RIGHT thing?

I am a simple girl who believes in doing the right thing even when it isn't easy. My kids have been taught that. Why hasn't someone taught that to our County and State Agencies? Why doesn't someone hold them accountable? What about the courts?

Someone told me once not to take it "personally". I can't help it. That is MY blood nephew that they are messing with. Personally is the only way I can take it and shouldn't we ALL take it personally when agencies perjure themselves in court and more?

If we aren't part of the solution then we are part of the problem. I am unwilling to be part of the problem......so I chose to stand. What will you do?

Article on Relative Placements

Vulnerable Children Fare Well With Relatives, Study Finds

ScienceDaily (2009-01-21) -- Placing vulnerable children with relatives is a viable option, a new study by Cochrane Researchers suggests. In view of several recent high profile child abuse cases, the study may have important policy implications. ... > read full article

A blog that is inspiring to say the least for CHANGE!

OK once when I was in court, County Counsel asked "Have you ever seen anything like this before?", after pointing out that I had a blog about my nephew. I still don't know if she had the correct blog information but that isn't the point.

I HAVE seen something like my blog out there..........a whole LOT of somethings!!! There ARE courageous people out there exposing the corruption of CPS and State Adoptions.

I follow a blog that inspires me when I feel hopeless. She is AMAZING and SHE is a Senator too. IF only she were here in CA, but she is an asset for the country wherever she is.

http://pamroachreport.blogspot.com/

Take a look and see the wonderful things she is doing. I am in awe. We are NOT the only family (sad to say) fighting for our relatives. This is a widespread disease. One that WILL stop one day.

On 11-30-09 Appeal was won........decisions reversed from 12-19-08!!!!!!!!

The Court of Appeal Of The State Of California, First Appellate District, Division One, In re R.S. thankfully decided to REVERSE decisions made by the Superior Court of Del Norte county dated 12-19-08.

Parents do have the right to sign designated relinquishments as per 8700(f) and once acknowledged by State Adoptions, the child should have been placed with US!

What does this mean? Well it means that in the future things are SPELLED out VERY clearly for other parents wishing to do the same thing. It will be easier for other families now. Also a few codes were spelled out that were quite muddled in court.

Now a new hearing was set and we shall see what happens. I am quite concerned with the lack of integrity on behalf of the agencies involved. Well concerned doesn't cut it, but shall suffice for the purpose of this blog. After ALL of the stunts pulled by State Adoptions, Arcata Branch's two workers...remain (or rejoin in T.B.'s case) on my nephew's case!?

The complaints alone are enough to send chills down your spine, retalliation WOULD be a possiblity here. IF it were not their original intent anyhow to keep my nephew from his family. The evidence speaks for itself and there is plenty of it too. The longer that this goes on the higher up I realize things are VERY, VERY wrong.

Thankfully I see them for what they are.
I have not disappeared but let my blog rest while I worked on softening my heart. I rid myself of any and all vengeful feelings and let my LOVE for my nephew flood through me. I acted out of integrity and put HIM first and checked myself......this is NOT about winning, it never has been.
IF only others would or could do the same. My mantra has been, "I love him enough". Enough to fight for him and enough to swallow ANY pride that tried to swell up and fight to stay in his life as a positive influence and not an angry loser who would walk away before trying to compromise.

This I did with the right heart and it was NOT easy. This I shall continue to do because he deserves that. I won't give up. And I won't walk away.
I don't really believe in karma but "what goes around comes around" and I wouldn't want to be ANY of them. Their lies and deception will catch up with them, one day. I sure pray it isn't too late for justice for my nephew then.
I have kept careful notes and will catch up the blog soon.

Prevention of Infective (Bacterial) Endocarditis Wallet Card

Here is a link to the American Heart Association.
Just cut and paste to visit, if the link does not work for you.
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3003000

Anyone affected by a heart valve problem or murmur should look into carrying a card in their wallet warning medical professionals for you during emergency care.
Just think about it. Maybe you or someone you love is affected? In my case, quite a few of us have MVP (Mitral Valve Prolapse). So this is a great idea for me to carry.

Endocarditis is preventable but can be fatal if left untreated. And of course, there are all of the in-between scenarios.

I just printed my wallet card out and emailed both of my sisters the link to do the same;)

Happy Birthday Dad!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!



It is our father's birthday today! He died March 22, 1994, that was 15 years ago. I miss him daily, I grieve for the things we lost, I grieve for the only parent that loved us 4 children unconditionally.

Sometimes life isn't fair;( It is a sad day but also a great day to remind the kids of their Grandpa Jerry. We call it Grandpa Jerry Day and because of that they all know much about a man that they have never met;) We eat his favorite foods on this day and talk about the things that were important to him.

For example we would eat: fried bologna sandwiches, BBQ chips, Pepsi, Twinkies, deviled egg sandwiches, and orange hostess cupcakes! (not all at once!)

We talk about: how much he LOVED horses, cowboy ways, country music, working on cars, his devotion to his mother (my Grandma Agnes), his desire to be a Veterinarian, stories about guns and target practice are a MUST!!! I can go on and on. (AND because of this ritual so can my children and Lisa's girls.)

I am very happy to share the warm memories with my kids. It lessens the pain that they know him from pictures. They can recite the stories to me.
I LOVE my Dad and although he had his own flaws and problems (don't we all?), he was my ONLY Dad.

Us girls talk about what it would be like if he were still here. We can go into great detail of what we would want life to be like and how very different some things would be. I do however worry that by now he may have gone to prison for trying to protect us from a certain someone. He would be besides himself if he knew the hateful and evil things she has done and continues to do to us girls, HIS daughters. BUT thankfully he is saved from her doom and we will see him again one day in Heaven. (My kids talk about that often.)

One of the most wonderful things that both made my heart smile and hurt was from my Aunt Edna. She told me a few years ago that when she died, she hopes the first person she sees would be her "Momma". (Said in the most beautiful Oklahoma accent that my ears can't get enough of.) And then she continued, "then my sister Ag"! How the tears rolled down my cheeks to see her undying love for her momma and her sister (my Grandma Agnes). I love my Great Aunt Edna;) I too want to see my Grandma!

This day also is the 3 year anniversary for Melissa's accident when she was 29 weeks pregnant with my nephew, Baby R. Two died in that accident. Thankfully, Melissa and Baby R were spared on my father's birthday. I can't help but think that my Dad had something to do with that. Vince also had a LOT to do with that. He was one of the two that did not make it out of that car alive that night. He pushed my sister Melissa (who was not in a seat belt) onto the floor board of the car. He did that out of instinct. There was no time or room for error. The choice he made saved her and my nephew who was in utero. Melissa escaped with a broken leg and arm, multiple bruises, and survivor's guilt. BUT she survived and so did that little baby! Thank you Vince!! Words cannot express our gratitude and we won't forget. I personally, will make sure that Baby R knows what you did for him. You thought of his mother and him BEFORE yourself and used the split second you had to react to save them both and not yourself. Thank you is not enough.

Now it is time to go and celebrate the life of my father with my children. Today I wrap myself in his memory and while it hurts me, there is comfort too. My Dad was a good man and he lives on through me and my children. He is not forgotten.

I love you forever. Thanks for still cutting my meat up even though I was 18 years old;) Thank you for your (warped;) sense of humor that I now share with my children. Thank you for hitting me in the arm (lovingly), I don't hit like a girl Pat tells me often! ;) I miss you and I can't wait to see you again. Tell Grandma that I am TRYING very hard to keep our entire family together, as it should be.
Love,
Clem