10 days

10 days of fun. I have spent time with Trent's family and Sherise. And then Mitch's family. Trent and Mitch both have such GOOD kids. I had an awesome time. Trent and Mitch have raised their kids much the same. They aren't mormons who judge and I love that. The more I live my life, the more I hate mormons. Not because I've changed my view or my perspective on things but because I can't stand the way they treat people. I was walking with Taylor Lee (and I had much the same conversation with Olivia) and we were talking about our family. She mentioned that Shaylee used to be her favorite cousin on the Harris side but she just couldn't relate with her anymore. I told her I couldn't either. I mentioned that she doesn't like me cuz of my piercings and Taylor said, "but you are soo nice. Why would she not like you??" And I responded, "No way... I am mean to you all the time. I swear in front of you, and I teach you bad things!" She laughed and I laughed and even Mitch laughed. He said, "If my kids got their nose pierced (yes, my newest piercing..), I'd kill em. But if they chose to do that when they moved out...thats up to them.

I love these kids I have spent time with. I told Courtney that I grew up with Jody's kids the closest to me and I love them...But I am starting to enjoy the presence of the other kids much more. I love the kids who were taught not to look down on someone else. These kids have such good hearts. They'd do anything for anyone no matter what they looked like or believed. Good kids, I tell you!

All weekend I thought about the little letter I wrote to Shaylee saying that I hope she didn't push away those people who were not mormon cuz if she did, she'd end up losing out on some awesome friendships. Jody forwarded it to her own email and responded to me that she was 13 and to leave her alone. I then thought if she was old enough to make a decision to not be friends with me cuz I have piercings then she was old enough to read that. Well, I learned this weekend that it was Jody who deleted me from Shaylee's facebook. Shaylee is 13 and her mom is making the choices for her. Go mom! The good thing about that is... I feel sorry for Shaylee instead of despising her. It sucks that she can't make her own decisions.

It was interesting spending so much time with the people I don't usually see a whole lot. Erin and I had a lot of time to talk. Olivia and I talked a lot. Courtney and I had two two-hour drives to catch up, and I spent a lot of my time up here in LA with Taylor under my arm so I saw a lot of her perspective. And I also talked to Mitch a lot. He reminded me of when Autumn drowned as we were watching the kids in the pool. I had forgotten about that. He told me he really hated for his kids to swim. He always thought about the dog on the ditch bank going crazy and jumping through a barb wire fence to get to Autumn. She was blue and dead and he was hitting her back and she wouldn't start breathing. He hit her butt while turning her upside down and she spit up water and took a deep breath. I couldn't imagine that feeling. I wouldn't have known what to do and I just couldn't imagine the fear.

It was good for me and it was good for the kids this past 10 days. Mitch's kids all want to stay here with me. Caydence went from not really knowing who I was (she is young and I left Idaho before she was born) to not wanting to leave my side. Every ride I went on, I had Autumn and Caydence fighting over who got to ride with me.