prison

I'll start with the bad news, so I can cheer you back up with some good news.

I've talked here recently about my brother, who has spent the last 16 years in prison. He and I have been communicating primarily via letter because the phone calls are so darn expensive (don't get me started on that!). I've been so hopeful because he's turned a corner and is truly trying to prepare for his second parole hearing this fall.

Because of my father's refusal to have any type of communication with my mother, all the following information traveled from him, to my sister, to my Mother, to me. *sigh* I've tried really hard to keep my frustrations about my dysfunctional family to myself, but at times like this---when we need to pull together for each other---it's really frustrating that my father acts like such a child. He hasn't even called me to tell me. I'll probably have to call him, to get any more information.

Apparently, Eddie was in a fight with another inmate on Monday. On Wednesday, when Dad saw him, he looked pretty bad. The other inmate was in the (prison?) hospital. The cause of the fight is still being investigated---and due to the third-hand nature of the information, I don't know what all my father knows. Apparently, the Highway Patrol (Ohio State Police, I guess? I've been gone long enough to forget these things!) have been called in and assault charges are possibly being filed. This could mean more criminal charges being brought and more time added to Eddie's sentence.

I'm frustrated. I'm angry. But, I can't---and won't---judge him. I know that life in prison is on the edge of a knife and choosing to defend yourself is the only way to stay alive sometimes. I desperately want to know the details and whether Eddie is in the right or not. He's been trying so hard to walk a straight line towards this next parole hearing.

For those of you who read and are inclined, please pray for him. I would ask that he not lose hope over this. That those in charge find he's not to blame and that any charges be pressed against the other inmate. But most of all, that the truth triumph--even if that means my brother faces more time.

::deep cleansing breath::

Now, for some good news: another friend is pregnant! I try to be cautious about revealing others' identities---I choose to blog about my life, but that doesn't give me the right to take away the privacy of my friends. *smile* So, pardon me for being a little circumspect in the identities. One friend is blogging her almost-complete pregnancy here. Two other friends don't have blogs, so I don't know how "open" they are with their procreative journeys.

But this is my heartfelt congratulations to them all: Yay! I get to knit baby things! You know who you are, so email and/or comment here on colors and what you want for your sweet little one to have from "Aunt Anne"! (And I'll promise to actually have them for the baby before the baby grows up!)

And.... bold hint here ....should any of these said babies live near enough to me, I'm offering baby-sitting! ::squeee:: Soft little babies to cuddle and smell.

My word of caution to the new mothers-to-be (and I think I've already told at least one of you this): You need to be ready to hear every other woman's horror stories about their pregnancies. If you don't want to hear these stories, you need to have a good "stop them in their tracks" comment ready to go. *smile* If you need an ear to listen and a shoulder to lean on, I'm here, even if not right near by.