Saturday, February 12, 2011

Home Now & Off Parole!

Update! Brian has been home now since May 24th, a day I will never forget!! I cannot believe it's been almost 9 months since then, and I haven't posted anything on my blog either. Shame on me!!

The day he was released was awesome, but events since then have even turned out better than I had ever expected. I picked him him that morning and I was riddled with anticipation I think I received about 29 text messages congratulating us for his home coming. When he stepped out of the bus and wasn't wearing orange he finally looked like my husband again. We hugged and kissed and cried, and then got the hell out of there as quickly as we could, never looking back!! We went straight to the the parole office first to get that part out of the way, and then off to the court house for our marriage license. We stopped home because the kids were on their way home from school and right as we arrived they walked in the door. The kids were so happy to see him home and they quickly ushered him out the door to meet their friends at the bus stop out front. They were all ecstatic, and just over joyed beyond words. We then hopped in the car and drove to the church to make our re-marriage to each other official, and the kids witnessed along with our bishops daughter and very simple but sweet marriage covenant of a journey only he and I would comprehend. It was surreal, but yet it felt so right that this time was better, this time was going to be different.

I had taken a two week vacation so that we could spend some good quality time together but it really was just about him getting re-acclimated to his surroundings and getting transportation and a job. His biggest concern while in prison was not being able to provide for his family he hated watching me struggle. We only had a small budget of about $7000 and he wanted a truck, and because he sells cars he knew what he wanted, but finding it seemed to be a challenge. I kept telling him that when the time is right it will come, and if we are pushing or forcing this to happen it's not the right time. A few trucks that he wanted were in Tucson but we didn't want to drive that far. Then one day out of the blue he and his dad were on their way back to our house they took a detour to look at a house and there in the drive was the truck he wanted and it was for sale $6000! A 1997 Ford F250 black, super duty diesel 4x4 with the motor he wanted! And literally just a mile or two away from our house!

His intentions on getting a job were determined and I knew that he would be working soon. I assumed that he would go back to work for the same employer that he had prior to his incarceration but that is not where he went first. I'm not entirely sure why he didn't try there first but he didn't. He was turned down for the first job he applied for due to his felonies and it really hit hard for him, I think he even shed a tear but who can blame him, he wanted that job really bad. But again, it's timing and everything will work out if you just go with the flow. He applied at a few other places, when finally he decided to go and apply with the place he worked at before. And they hired him! I knew they would! This has turned out to be a very good place for him they promoted him to sales manager of the used cars and he loves his job.

Soon after he started work I quit work. I was tired and couldn't work at Lifelock any longer. I needed a much deserved break. I haven't been back to work since and I love it!! I did start school full time in my favorite field of interior design, I finish in May and I love it!! I can't wait to start doing more.

Our relationship has been better and we love each other more I think now than we ever have. I'm not saying that things are perfect, we have our moments of regret, resentment, and anger. Well, I should say "I" have those moments. He's never much of the instigator. I need to work on that! He's a good man and he's doing the best he ever has, and for that I'm proud of him and the respect for him is returning and the trust is almost all there again. I have forgiven him of his past wrongs to me and the kids and I see that he could have easily thrown it all away, but we both worked hard to make it work in spite of all that past ugliness.

He was released from parole a few weeks ago and took his final T.A.S.K random drug test yesterday so he's officially DONE with DOC! I feel a huge burden lifted off our shoulders and we are planning our first vacation out of state soon! I think I smell Disneyland!!

On a spiritual note I need to give glory where glory is due with out Jesus Christ we would be on a slow road to no where and there is NO WAY IN HELL that we would be where we both are today. I think that having the spirit of Christ (Holy Ghost) to guide you and to help you and comfort you is the only way that we can feel OK when we go though these huge trials in life. Even when we are doing good His guidance is needed to keep us on this path of righteousness. Brian was baptised a few weeks ago & he is staying on that path and he's a better husband and father due to his choice to be a Christian. I'm so proud of him.

So 13 years later here we are still together after all the ups and downs of life; love, marriage, kids, and drugs and prison, and divorce, arrests, fun, life, vacations, lots of money, broke, toys, repos, good credit, bad credit, beautiful home, homeless, broken hearts, mended hearts, marriage, and love but through out it all at least we still have each other and we never gave up.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

He's Coming Home in 12 Days!

I'm very happy to announce that Bri will be home in 12 days and a wake up! YAY!! I can't sleep, eat or concentrate! Sorry I have not been on here much been soooo busy! I will try and journal the next week or so and then give updates when he gets home!!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Reform Meeting Has Been Postponed

The Arizona House of Representatives Ad Hoc Sentencing Committee has been rescheduled to February 25, at 2:00 p.m. in House Hearing Room 5. Thank you for your patience in accommodating our ever-changing schedule, please save the date from 2:00p to approximately 4:30p MST.
When the revised agenda is released by the clerk's office I will be sending it to you by separate email.

Friday, January 29, 2010

AZ Sentencing Reform Meeting

Sentencing Reform Meeting
Feb. 4th @ 2PM

Now is Your Chance to Help Make a Change in the Sentencing Laws


Wear your ORANGE pin to show your support!!


We need to show the legislators that there ARE PEOPLE who CARE about INMATES and it’s time to stop spending our education TAX dollars on overcrowded PRISONS!


Sentencing Committee hearing is going to take place on:
February 4, in House Hearing Room 5, at 2:00 p.m
Arizona State SenateCapitol Complex1700 West Washington
Info Desk (602) 926-3559
.
At this point in time, there is not an agenda formally set. The agenda will be posted online before February 2 at this location: http://www.azleg.gov/InterimCommittees.asp

TO FIND OUT MORE INFO OR HOW YOU CAN HELP VISIT THE ARIZONA PRISON WIVES CLUB BLOG
http://azprisonwivesclub.blogspot.com

Saturday, November 7, 2009

~Food Visit~

Well, it's my son's 11th birthday today and he had a slumber party of 12 rowdy boys up til 1 am and up at 6 am! After grocery shopping from 8-11 (I was out of everything) I started with the food prep. I still had about 5 boys at my house all day playing The Beatles Rock Band. Yes, I have "We all live in a yellow submarine" permanently stuck in my head so I can't sleep right now. I've organized the entire house like a nesting, pregnant mother for no reason what-so-ever today on top of cooking and cleaning up...I even washed my car and had the 70K mile maintenance done on it after grocery shopping. My Uncle came into town on Friday and I hadn't seen him in 10 years (it was a very nice surprise) Tomorrow my brother-in-law and my Uncle is taking our son quail hunting and I'm baby sitting my niece tonight. I have a new roomie she's a high schooler and I LOVE IT. She's a built in babysitter so tomorrow my daughter and my niece will be in good hands while I get the day with my hubby. It's been a VERY busy day today and I can't believe I still have the energy to update my blog!!

My hubby is getting some pretty scrumptious food, I made homemade spaghetti with baby bello mushrooms, zuchinni and spicy sausage meatballs. A coyboy burger with jalapeno and cheese in the meat with pepper jack cheese thick sliced bacon with a jalapeno and cheese bun, and all the ususal burger fixin's. He's getting some carne asada and yummy pico de gallo that chopped up. A fresh salad, german chocolate cake, twice baked potatoes, and a GIANT T-Bone steak and some sushi. I'm sure he's gonna be stuffed!

My diet will not allow me to eat any of that so I get 2 hard boiled eggs and the salad. yay for me.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Just Venting

Here is my new definition of AZDOC:

Underhanded, shady, extortionists that steal our money, warehouse people, expect inmates to follow policy to the book while they just continue to do what ever the hell they damn well please, because who's gonna find out or care about an inmate or let alone believe one.

I guess I need to gear up to start coming down hard on DOC again. I am so irritated with how they treat inmates in PC different than those who are in GP. Especially those who are at Sunrise. I get that it's prison, and it's not suppose to be a cake walk...but seriously, issuing clothing, pillows, blankets, sheets and jackets should be something they get on a regular basis and not have to go months and months without, only to finally break down and buy your own. Sunrise inmates can't work off complex, so they have too much idol time. They have to share only a few TV's and they are not allowed to have any POWER appliance that THEY paid for. So this causes undue issues between inmates because no one can agree on what they are going to watch, fights occur and they are bored. Idol hands are the devils workshop! No jobs, money is scarce prices are climbing in both commissary and visitation vending machines along with phone costs it's out of control.

My husband cannot have his appliances (he is not charged the $3 utility fee) but he has purchased over $400 worth of appliances that he CANNOT use. A CO attempted to give him a ticket for shaving with his electric shaver and told him he's going to have to BUY razors. He BOUGHT that electric shaver so he didn't HAVE to buy razors. Insane! He didn't end up with a ticket.

Now, their microwave breaks down so they start to use their stingers, and they are getting in trouble for it. WHAT??

He WILL not get issued new clothing because he has purchased his own. But it's CRAP the only reason he had to purchase clothing was because THEY didn't issue him new clothing in the first place. It's re-issue clothing. So he buys clothing and it takes them WEEKS to get it to him but can he KEEP it when he comes home...NOPE! He's renting it only for DOC to re-issue what HE purchased! It's EXTORTION!

He has been there for months and still has NO PILLOW, they have NO heaters there and he only has ONE blanket that has holes in it. ONE sheet and NO JACKET.

HE cannot afford to purchase all this stuff and frankly it's not HIS responsibility to do it that's what WE PAY TAXES FOR!!!!!

Sunrise does have the freedom of movement but that's what any 1/2 yard would have it's not like that's something they don't have coming to them he's in a MINIMUM yard! But they treat these guys like CRAP because they are PC. Burger the beeeoch even told one visitor to her face that she doesn't like them and if anyone grieves ANYTHING they will go to the HOLE!!

They have no checks and balances it's CRAZY!!

Today, there wasn't ANYTHING in the vending machines they were new and completely empty. The vendor showed up at 15 till 4 and said that Burger told them the unit was on lockdown so they could not come up there. It's that kinda crap that just irks me. They may have been on lock down yesterday (not all day), but vendors can still come up to the visitation area. She did this crap on purpose!

So for 7 hours we sat there with NO FOOD!

Friday the guards shook down their cells and were so disrespectful throwing their stuff all over the place....all purposely!! Did the damn dogs find anything...NOPE! But you know as well as I do they don't "want" to find anything or their reports they have to send to central will be askew and someone might get in trouble.

Now a lot of these guys LOVE it there, but most have never been on a min yard, so they don't have anything to compare it to. They are all afraid that if they complain or grieve about the appliance issues that they will get moved so they don't want anyone to complain...

Well...I'm saying fine, you don't want to give these guys appliances then give them their money back. Or give them jobs or programs make them be productive with their time so they can at least be half way accustom to the real world when they get released.

UGH....I feel like DOC is a Goliath of an enemy that unless we have more people that see the corruptness of our prison system nothing is going to change.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Morey Unit

I am a link....who would have thought that I would have a link from the http://new.moreyunit.com/blog website under links. Maybe, I can actually get some attention to the prison employees on the perspectives we see as family members.... hey just a thought!