Uhg!

Today has been one odd day, let me tell you! First off, I went to the mall with a friend of mine just to get out with our kids. We meet there quite often just to walk and talk and today was no different. Though, once I got there I could tell the mood of the afternoon was not going to be a good one. Without going into details, she was pretty upset about something that made our visit not as enjoyable. But I was pleasantly surprised as I was walking out to my car to hear my voice being called. As I turned I saw Amy walking down the parking lot with Philip. What a pleasant surprise and let me tell you it could not have been better timing. Seeing a bright, happy face was just what I needed to brighten my mood. By the way Amy, lets do that again soon, ok? HAHA!!

Well, as if the tone of the mood at the mall earlier in the day was not enough, I get a phone call from my brother tonight. Again, there are just way to many details to go into now, but I haven't heard from my brother since the whole thing with him happened back in March. He has been making some very unwise choices in his life that are effecting his wife and kids and we have since found out about it. Well, word has gotten back to him that we know what he's been doing and he called me up to vent about it. He didn't like what I had to say and the conversation became very intense. I must say...I was very proud of myself because I kept my cool, but I told him like it is. I am so sick of people who choose to do things that are not healthy, that are effecting others in their lives without so much as caring, and then think they have the right to tell you off when you get sucked into all of it. Grrr!! Any way, I let the conversation go for as long as I could and he just became more upset and eventually (after he said more than a few words that I have never spoken before in my life) he hung up on me. I didn't care. I have known about all of this stuff in his life for longer than he thinks I've known. I have had to bite my tongue and deal with my own frustrations about all of this. He says he's basically disowning all of us because of our knowing and not coming to him about it. I think it is said that he feels that way because I told him I was not doing that to him, that actually I love him and that is why I had to be honest enough to tell him exactly what I thought. Even though he is angry, honestly...I have NO regrets. Actually, after we got off the phone and I was telling Mike about it, I began laughing. Not because I think this is at all funny, but because I was so proud of myself. I have never been in a situation such as this and stood my ground without backing down. I tend to be a peacemaker when it comes to my family and though there is nothing I want more among my family than peace, I'm not going to tolerate inappropriate behavior that will not only effect me but my family. It is a hard thing to do...to set boundaries. I believe it has to be done. Sometimes life calls for us to set boundaries that are tighter than others, even among family. It's unfortunate but it also doesn't mean it will always be that way. My prayer is that he sees that we love him and that we do not want to see him self destruct. Pray is all I can do now. I have a peace about it, as much of a peace as I can. As I said I have no regrets.

So, now I'm just relaxing and trying to get caught up on some computer stuff. I should go to bed. I got off the computer last night, just before midnight, but I ended up watching some show on TLC and it sucked me in and I didn't turn off the TV until 1:30. I love that channel. I seriously could just watch that channel and nothing else. I do not think there is one show on there that I have watched that I have not enjoyed. So here I am tonight, it's after midnight and I'm on the computer. Go figure. I should go. Really. I mean it, I should go. OK, can some just come pry my figures off of the keyboard and make me go to bed? OK, yeah, that's right you'll be reading this after I post it which means I could go on forever. Now, I'm getting a little crazy. The tiredness is going to my head. I really am not crazy, though I'm sure some would beg to differ. OK, I mean it. I really am going to go. So here I go...goodnight...