I'm not sure how many of you have read this book. I just started, but in the first chapter there were several paragraphs I want to share with you guys. They were pretty enlightening. I've really been praying a lot for a way to help ME deal with Andrea's bull shit games, and (I believe) the answer was given to me in this book, together with me starting to run again (this has always been my stress outlet).

We just sent this to Andrea. We are sure we'll never get a response, or that when something does go wrong, she'll throw it in our faces.

Andrea & Ian:

It is our hope that you will take time to read this letter, and take it to heart. It is written with the utmost sincerity. We have given this much heartfelt thought, and have taken great strides in its preparation.

I've been MIA again ... nothing's wrong just very busy with new real estate business (new lisitng, new clients, website, MySpace, training, etc.), and life in general (Jacob, camping, soccer, etc.). I've barely had time to get my work done, let alone sit down and "have fun" on the Internet. (This might be long.)

It’s been awhile since I posted. Thanks for all of the support, ladies. I took my hiatus because Erik and I fought so badly one night over Andrea’s behavior (or lack there of). I just wasn’t sure if loving Erik and Jacob was worth putting up with Andrea. I’m still not sure, but we are trying some new things, and hopefully they will work. This email will be a bit long, in order to catch everyone up on things.

Okay, so some background first ... during Sunday night's email bashing from Andrea she said to make sure we return Jacob's books. Okay, there were no books. I asked his teacher if she knew anything about it, but she didn't. I looked in Jacob's cubby to see if erik missed anything on Friday, he didn't. There was a shirt that Andrea obviously thought was ours, but it was actually a part of the new clothes we gave Jacob for summer.

Yee haw! Cause to celebrate ladies!!! We won on the Montessori issue … Andrea isn’t going to enroll Jacob. Whoopee!!! I think that was her intention all along, but … (this is kind of long, sorry!)

I don't know where else to turn you guys! I'm so frustrated I've almost been brought to tears twice.

First, I'm sorry I haven't posted the last couple of days ... Thursday is date night and today I was just busy working, but I will get to everyone's stuff tonight, I promise.

Well, we heard from Andrea tonight ... she said she's getting ready to enroll Jacob in Montessori ... gees, I don't know how that woman thinks she can afford it given she was 2.5 months behind on daycare now, and almost 4 months behind on the HELOC. This isn't the first time for either ... she was 2 months behind at the previous daycare, and just 4 months ago was almost 6 months behind on the HELOC.

I’m writing this here because I guess I don’t know where else to go. I’m tired of fighting with DH over BM and SS. I don’t know what to do anymore other than distance myself from the situation. I’m damned if I do, and I’m damned if I don’t. Certainly I will take care of and love SS the same as I always have, but … I can’t discuss situations with DH anymore, or SS’ care (unless it really is detrimental) … I can’t fight with DH anymore about things … I’m just going to let things happen and roll with the flow. If he has a concern he can come to me. I’m not going to have very much to do with anything about raising SS … I will love him and care for him as I always have, and he will not know that anything has changed. I will be there for all school functions, teacher meetings, etc., but when it comes to things I see or have issues with, I think I’m just going to start my own journal (I’ve tried that so many time) and keep track of things there, so it can’t be brought back on me that I didn’t do anything.

Sorry I’ve been absent lately. I’ve been slammed with trying to manage two jobs (GAL and Real Estate).

OMG everyone some things have happened over the last couple of days … last you heard was about the daycare situation. Well, BM paid the minimum to keep SS in until Friday, and will be responsible for the entire daycare amount next week, because we are current until August 10th. Hopefully this won’t happen again. But the crappy thing is that she didn’t bother to communicate with DH about what she was doing. Her deadline to pay was 11am, and the plan was I was going to head down to school and pay. She called at 11:23 to tell DH she was going to pay it … I could have been ¾ of the way there by the time she called. When DH tried to talk to her about anything, she “wasn’t available” or didn’t return his phone calls. All the communication was between DH and BF.

Okay ... here goes. You'll recall that we got the email from BM ... trying to make peace, giving DH extra day with SS. You'll recall the DH and BF talked when we took SS to the DDS. Okay, we drove to Wenatchee (about 3 hours away) this weekend, and SS was watching movies, so DH and I talked a bit. We talked about ways to keep the conflict between DH and BM to a minimum, how we were going to handle things, what I could do to make things better, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Okay, I posted quickly yesterday that an email was coming from BM ... it came, and without slanting you all with my opinionn, I'd like yours on what this email means. Most of you know the story, if others have questions, feel free to ask.

Sorry I've been absent ladies, it's been a long hectic week. I'll be online Thursday morning reading, responding, and then will give you an update ... but in the mean time ... I gotta say ... I am beside myself. Jacob called to talk to Erik tonight, and Andrea actually gave us an extra day with Jacob ... we get him on Thursday. That ... AND ... she has supposedly drafted an email to Erik that is an attempt to work together on things about Jacob. We are supposed to get this email tonight, but it has yet to arrive. We are really hoping that her effort is honest and that we are headed in the right direction.

Just thought I'd send a quick note to let those of you who knew and were keeping track ... that I passed my real estate exam this morning!!!

~ Katrina

Okay … Tuesday night BM called and left a message for DH, “I need to talk to you about SS’ dentist appointment tomorrow.” I laughed. Told DH after all this she needs you to take SS to the DDS. Sure enough … she had a work conflict and said, “I can either have BF take him or you can.” Of course DH said he’d take SS to the DDS.