tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72380372073926178592012-02-07T07:57:15.828-06:00Ojibwe was his first language. He didn't speak English at all until he started Kindergarten in the early 1950's. That was a hard time for him, but it wasn't the English that was the major problem. Going to school meant going home to live with his mother again, who drank heavily. And it meant leaving his grandpa, whom he had grown to love with all his heart...Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.comBlogger891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-48636160184182004592011-11-22T12:04:00.004-06:002011-11-22T12:10:13.131-06:00

Mino was a small hidden gorge within a bigger valley. A wide river bordered it on the north and hills all but encircled it, enabling it to remain more protected from the weather than some of the adjacent areas. The local Indians named it “the protected place.” There were only two entrances into the valley; one way was a county road that came in under the train trestle, the other a back way

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-49867296425100118432011-11-08T13:02:00.000-06:002011-11-08T13:02:37.169-06:00

Friends! We have 30 days to get 25,000 signatures in order for our petition to be reviewed by the White House. November is National Adoption Month - Let's do this Petition as our part in helping children this month. We need 6250 signatures a week to meet that goal. Let's pray for God's help and get started. On Nov 19, Nat'l Adoption Day, families, adoption advocates, policymakers, judges and

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-91735115310221787732011-10-22T02:44:00.007-05:002011-10-26T02:03:15.589-05:00

Are Children’s Lives Destroyed by ICWA?Attend the Indian Child Welfare Act “Teach-In” Friday, October 28, 2011, 9am - 1pmSenate Committee on Indian Affairs Hearing Room, Dirksen Bldg, Wash, DC Keynote speaker: Dr. William B. Allen Across America, children who had never been near a reservation nor involved in tribal customs - including multi-racial children with extremely minimal blood quantum -

Lisanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-54000087349554887752011-09-30T00:11:00.001-05:002011-09-30T00:11:00.478-05:00

Indian Children: Citizens, not Cultural Artifacts: Supporting the Best Interest of Children: ICWA “Teach-In” Friday, October 28, 2011, 9am - 1pm, Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Hearing Room, Wash, DCThe Indian Child Welfare Act was passed in 1978 in effort to help prevent Native-American tribes and families from losing children to non-Native homes through foster care and adoption. Though

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-4915878507842430302011-09-22T01:06:00.007-05:002011-09-22T01:06:00.718-05:00

Wilson loved powwows and never missed them if they were close, but I had never seen him dance. For two days we visited a powwow in the park. A circle dance began and because I had enjoyed it so much two years earlier, I begged Wilson to dance with me. He finally gave in. Together, we took Andrew and Joy and joined the circle. By the time we were done, we were all laughing and smiling. It was our

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-90064755461183261482011-09-16T00:56:00.004-05:002011-09-16T00:56:00.510-05:00

Wilson went to stay with Misty. Well, that would be that. Shirley, remarried, had recently left her husband and was homeless as well. Not only were she and Joy living there, but Cheri, her little girls and Junior too. Wilson would be under the same roof with his ex-wife and all their kids and grandkids. A remarkable situation; they were one big happy family again. He wouldn’t need my babies and

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-65873233731733524262011-09-13T00:36:00.002-05:002011-09-13T11:01:49.031-05:00

I liked the family atmosphere at this Nursing Home, but I learned that BetterLife Health Care, the facility I was working at when I met Wilson, was paying more. So I switched. The night after my last night at the nearby nursing home, I was supposed to show up with a pizza. Afterward, we were all going out. Stephanie had come home just as I was leaving. “Here,” she said, “I’ve got us some

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-9126258259945443792011-09-11T00:33:00.003-05:002011-09-14T22:39:23.133-05:00

....I stood for a minute. What did she do that for? I waited. What’s taking her so long? I felt stupid just standing there. How long am I supposed to stand here? ...Finally, after what felt like forever, I turned and slowly started walking to the car. If she came down, I didn’t want it to look like I was running off but I wasn’t going to just stand there either. I slowly crossed the street,

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-34079314842840061032011-08-22T13:00:00.004-05:002011-09-14T22:40:17.528-05:00

Thank you for your continued support and prayers!!    We received confirmation from Senator Hoeven’s office today:  The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will allow the ICWA "Teach-in" to be held FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28th, 9am to 1pm in the Senate Committee for Indian Affairs hearing room in Washington DC.  Dr. William B. Allen will be our main speaker and we expect the information and material

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-10614033451360785582011-08-15T13:50:00.001-05:002011-09-14T22:24:12.409-05:00

. Sorry for all the delays.  I had gone back to work as an RN, have been babysitting grandkids, and have been administrating the national org, Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare.  I haven't been able to tend to the blog very often. But I will be publishing the book this fall.  Having lost all my digital copies of the book, I am in the process of keying in the second half, which I do

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-37873707580768854772011-06-07T12:45:00.001-05:002011-06-07T12:45:32.175-05:00

Hey wonderful peoples – with school out, does anyone have extra time? We could really use your help – prayer wise as well as hands on. I am the administrator of CAICW – but only a volunteer in a one man office - and have to work as an RN to support my family. So I am doing the best I can, but it ends up being slow – much too slow. It breaks my heart that I can’t move any faster than I am.

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-36375947892521329972011-04-06T10:11:00.007-05:002011-09-14T22:42:36.079-05:00

Some time later, Savannah killed her mother’s boyfriend. He had been verbally abusing Annie, and Savannah got angry, went into the kitchen, returned with a knife, and stuck it in his back. I didn’t hold Savannah to blame, though. I couldn’t. So many people had abused her. I blamed all the adults who could have – should have – helped her, including Roland and the social workers. I was disgusted

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-49058258210013972762011-03-24T01:41:00.007-05:002011-09-14T22:38:27.323-05:00

Haley was already three days old when I called a nephew up north to leave a message for Wilson. "Just wait," his nephew said, ''I'll go get him." "No, I mean, don't bother. I just called to tell you so you can tell him. I don't need to talk to him." "No, I'll go get him," he said, and hung up. Strange. All the times I wanted to talk to Wilson and no one would help me. Now, I don't want to speak

Lisanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-66174426400341508612011-02-18T15:40:00.004-06:002011-09-14T22:45:37.042-05:00

This is really terrible. The book is not on the 2008 disk. I thought I had many copies saved. In fact, I thought I had TOO many, because I was afraid of mixing up later and earlier versions, and ... I DID mix up a couple versions even in this blog... There WAS more than one copy! So...there was more than one copy on the crashed computer, there should have been more than one copy on the 2008

Lisanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-37814241011469085392011-02-16T19:42:00.001-06:002011-09-14T22:45:07.941-05:00

My hard drive crashed on my last day of meetings in Washington, DC, January 26.  Some great guys have been trying to retieve my data ever since.  I haven't lost the story, "Dying in Indian Country," because I had it backed up.  But I have had to spend quite a bit of time setting up a new computer and rebuilding various other things.   Unfortunately, some things on the other computer weren't

Lisanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-8534693731732136002010-12-30T00:15:00.010-06:002011-09-14T22:51:40.820-05:00

. My nursing boards were scheduled to take place at the Civic Center over a two-day period. I asked Marion if Andrew could stay with her over those two days; I'd do better if I didn't have to worry about him. The first day of the test, the staff ushered us into a large room. We weren't allowed to bring anything in with us and we weren't allowed to leave the room. It was a long and stressful day.

Lisanoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-61859305783094107022010-12-23T00:11:00.005-06:002011-09-14T22:53:21.580-05:00

. While we were visiting up north, Wally did something wrong and Dale got angry. Taking a stick, he smacked Wally on the butt and sent him to the bedroom. Tammy got up to go after her crying boy. "Don't you go baby him!" Dale hollered, "You're always going and babying him!" I felt for Tammy and Wally, but knew not to interfere. Back home, Wilson and I visited Nova and I noticed how harsh she,

Lisanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-53662142356516591942010-12-16T23:40:00.000-06:002010-12-16T23:40:09.956-06:00

. For three weeks we struggled to rid our house of lice. Everytime I had thought they were gone, I'd look on Andrew's head and there they were again. Fortunately, the Crisis Nursery was well stocked with lice shampoo and even an upholstery spray. I helped myself to the products, putting them into the car as my co-worker slept, and went through our home washing every head, stitch of clothing, and

Lisanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-33489548269931071972010-12-11T01:42:00.001-06:002010-12-11T01:44:42.178-06:00

Today, December 10, 2010, My daughter had ordered two movies from Netflix - "Madea's Family Reunion" and "Diary of a Mad Black Woman." I'm glad I watched  "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" all by myself, because when Helen's cousin entered the church, I began bawling like a big baby. I cried for the next half hour - not really watching the rest of the movie.  (Spoiler warning) - She reminded me so

Lisanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-15580569701464703012010-12-09T03:50:00.003-06:002011-09-14T23:00:49.276-05:00

. Carrie had been with us now for only about three or four months. It seemed like a much longer period of time had passed, but that was only because so much had happened in that short period of time. Child Protection informed us that although there was proof Carrie was abused, there was no proof as to who did it. Without proof, they couldn't hold anyone accountable.  We were told Carrie's father

Lisanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-81209437321666166712010-12-02T00:05:00.003-06:002011-09-13T11:19:46.678-05:00

. Up in Wanda's apartment, Annie sat. Her newborn, settled in the seat of the baby swing I'd lent her, swung quietly back and forth. "I knew she was dying. We even called an ambulance the other day. But when they got here, she wouldn't go. She said she was going to die anyway and didn't want to die in the hospital. They said there was nothing they could do if she didn't want to go." Later,

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-47786151919847924622010-11-25T00:05:00.009-06:002011-09-14T22:59:01.995-05:00

. Cheri and Gene split up and Cheri, with Carrie almost 18-months-old, moved in with us. I did like Cheri and never stopped wanting to help her, but we walked a fine line with each other. As long as I smiled and gave her everything she expected, we were fine. We spent time together watching TV and teasing Wilson. But again, I was the one that had to do the bending in order for us to get along. If

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-85253565439676989322010-11-21T22:58:00.001-06:002011-09-14T22:57:14.706-05:00

. NOT PART OF THE HISTORY LINE: - This Urgent Event Happened Two Days Ago - Friday, November 19, 2010. Some friends of a family that lost their 3-yr-old to the ICWA law Friday night are signing and sharing CAICW's online petition to rescind the Indian Child Welfare Act. CAICW has gotten dozens of new signatures in the last 24 hours. The adoptive mother made her first contact with CAICW on

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-6484170275778092062010-11-18T14:14:00.003-06:002011-09-14T23:19:06.499-05:00

. The next day Wilson went back up north, taking Dale, Tammy and Misty with him.   Mickey stayed with me.   I enrolled him in South High School and in a karate class on Lake Avenue.               The next Friday, I woke Mickey up for school.            “Do I have to go today?  Can’t I get to stay home today as a reward for having gone the other four days?”            “No,” I answered.  Despite

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-47176607664053155852010-11-11T20:20:00.002-06:002011-09-14T23:17:43.128-05:00

. Working with my sisters to ready the yellow canopy and set up the tables, my stomach was tied in knots. I wanted very badly to have my relatives believe my life was normal. I suppose I assumed that because I lived on the south side, they couldn't see my day to day life and had no idea what kinds of things were going on. I wanted to preserve this illusion that was probably much more mine then

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-73579739464761566612010-11-11T00:02:00.004-06:002011-09-14T23:15:38.856-05:00

. After consoling Mathew at the morgue, Wilson and I visited the brownstone apartment building. Death by hanging does not always happen quickly. In a situation where someone in a noose is dropped from sufficient height, the person may die quickly from a snapped neck, but without height, the person may strangle for several minutes, gagging and suffering before finally succumbing. As I stepped

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-75792782686774189312010-11-04T00:05:00.003-05:002011-09-14T23:03:11.736-05:00

. Wilson and I arrived in Reno, Nevada, in mid-August. We were almost out of money, so once there, I called work to have my check wired. That done, we found the "Heart of Reno" chapel in the yellow pages. It offered limousine service as part of the deal. I didn’t have with me the wedding dress I’d bought a couple years earlier, but before the limo arrived, I did get my hair done. The limo

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-68845453331131257582010-10-28T00:05:00.003-05:002011-09-14T23:20:26.438-05:00

. The summer of 1986, Wilson’s nephew Mickey came down to stay with us for a couple of weeks. I was tired of taking care of all of the teenagers who wanted to live with us, so I wasn't happy about it. I was working full time and going to school, and most of the kids really didn't want to listen to me; they just wanted me to spend money on them. Wilson and I were making plans for a California

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-62144039416858980292010-10-21T03:46:00.004-05:002011-09-14T22:55:46.998-05:00

. Cheri's second child, Leon, was born in April when Carrie was 11 months old. I had the privilege of cutting his cord. Then Cheri took the rest of the quarter off from college. We could understand needing to do that with two small children, but we were afraid she'd never go back. Unfortunately, we were right. In early June, Yvonne's son Bradley was placed with us as a foster child while she

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-54690249117701165382010-10-14T00:05:00.002-05:002011-09-14T23:11:04.343-05:00

. In February 1986, because Misty was angry with her mother and didn't want to live there, and because Cheri wouldn't let Misty live at her place anymore, Misty moved in with us. We made it clear this was only on condition she straighten up and go to school. We did our best to help her. We first tried enrolling her in the Catholic high school her best friend was attending. We took her for an

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-82035761835202894102010-10-07T00:05:00.016-05:002011-09-14T23:07:03.503-05:00

. About 6 am or so, I heard the man, Candis' Uncle, get up and leave the house. I waited a little while longer, just in case he came back in, and then rushed to the living room and woke up Arnold and Troy. Arnold listened to my story, but didn't react with the emotion I had imagined he would. He clenched and unclenched his fist and said the right words, but there seemed to be something missing.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-33086015859380586402010-10-02T00:05:00.005-05:002011-09-14T23:30:09.232-05:00

. Having watched the young dancers at the powwows for several years, I was impressed. I imagined Andrew as a fancy dancer. Wanting him to have a chance to learn, I called the Indian Center and was told about a child's drum and dance group meeting every week at the health center. Roland wasn't interested, so I took Andrew by myself. The room was lined with parents sitting on folding chairs

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-19804317522163696152010-09-28T02:25:00.002-05:002010-10-06T17:07:45.298-05:00

. I liked most of the staff, but one man was particularly interesting. A tribal member from Salmon Lake, he wasn't a drinker. When I asked him how he managed to stay straight up north, he told me that it's never been a problem. When he visits his family up there, he never encounters anyone drinking. That was hard to believe, but he didn't seem like one to make things up. However, I'm sure life

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-85665054139914377902010-09-27T10:46:00.005-05:002011-09-14T23:08:09.126-05:00

. I see that there have been several people checking back for recent updates. I appreciate that very much. I'm doing my best - the unfortunate part about this story is that it is true, and ongoing.  So things do get messed up time and again - as far as being able to be predictable.  I will try to post again tonight, and then again by every Thursday.  I'm also trying to figure out how to use the

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-80291280529280230272010-08-21T00:05:00.003-05:002011-09-13T12:23:27.637-05:00

, We helped Cheri and Gene get another apartment near us and stocked them up on necessities. Misty moved in with them again. "How come you're giving Carrie real milk instead of formula?" we asked. "Dalene says she don't need formula. We're feeding her already too. She eats real good," Cheri answered. Cheri and Gene constantly struggled with money. We helped out when we could, but we didn't

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-16376320220240105062010-08-14T11:02:00.003-05:002011-09-13T12:28:55.482-05:00

Cheri moved in with us in about her seventh month of pregnancy. Both she and Gene were looking forward to the baby. They planned to put their lives together and maybe even get married. Gene came over in the evenings and together they sanded and varnished a crib. He seemed like a sensitive kid, easily brought to emotion. I appreciated his tender heart. I drove 16-year-old Cheri most any place

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-23291474934188785232010-08-07T00:05:00.004-05:002011-09-14T23:24:38.550-05:00

. Wilson began working at an upholstery shop on the northeast side. It didn't pay much, but he was glad for the work. I was surprised how little trouble he had getting up with the alarm. We signed Joy up for ballet classes in the suburb near my Dad’s. Every Saturday that fall, I dropped her off at class and went to do laundry at my dad's. We also signed Junior up with a gym near his house and

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-55929705702570908742010-07-31T00:05:00.004-05:002011-09-13T12:38:54.727-05:00

. My daycare, which I had worried would never get going, suddenly filled up. I had eight school age children. I couldn't believe I was getting $400 a week to go play in the pool at the park. Every month I filled out a form for the welfare office reporting how many kids were in the daycare and how much I was paid. My financial worker then worked out some kind of formula and either issued a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-37533532094399186672010-07-24T00:05:00.006-05:002011-09-13T12:41:58.460-05:00

. I went to visit Wilson on the reservation in late July. I couldn't stay long; my daycare finally had a child so I had to be back home on Monday. Wilson was staying at Dale's apartment in town. I didn't tell him I was coming; I just showed up. When I arrived, a lot of people were drinking on the dirt lot that served as a yard. They told me Wilson was inside. The tiny apartment was dark and hot

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-52074847370969222782010-07-17T12:05:00.004-05:002011-09-14T23:26:24.764-05:00

. Wilson called once or twice from North Dakota. He told me where he was and how much he missed me. In the background I could hear music and commotion. "You're at a bar," I told him. "No, I'm not in the bar. I'm standing outside of it. I don't feel like going in. I miss you." They were running out of money and were staying in various missions. _____________________________________________ In

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-42807869020054178162010-07-10T00:05:00.004-05:002011-09-14T23:31:51.384-05:00

. They had gone to Texas, traveling through Arkansas. Wilson called Elmer from Fayetteville, and Elmer was to come to meet them. But Wilson's friend grew impatient, and they moved on before Elmer arrived. After a brief visit in Texas, they headed north again. _____________________________________ The elementary school called me to come and get eight-year-old Candis. Her mother had left my

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-35302639725831963592010-07-02T00:05:00.005-05:002011-09-14T23:36:27.093-05:00

. Andrew was a happy, outgoing kid. One of his favorite games was running and hiding behind the living room chair as soon as he heard his dad's car pull up outside. Wilson then came in and made a big deal about trying to find him. Andrew would squeal and laugh when his dad finally crept over and grabbed him. When Andrew played outside, I had to keep an eye on him. Turn your back for just a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-2234356671047266622010-07-01T00:05:00.001-05:002010-07-01T00:05:00.511-05:00

Roland John Morris, Sr. July 1, 1945 – June 9, 2004 Roland Morris, Sr., 58, ascended to heaven on Wednesday, June 9th after a four year fight with cancer. Roland, a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, was born July 1, 1945, in Cass Lake, MN. Ojibwe was his first language, and he grew up fishing, hunting, and gathering wild rice with family and friends. He also played intramural basketball,

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-70594705089683482702010-05-18T00:05:00.005-05:002011-09-14T23:39:07.255-05:00

. Cheri spent the spring at a detention center after having stolen a car. When we visited, she proudly bragged about her popularity among the other kids at the center. ________________________________________________ Shirley called to tell us Misty had been picked up for stealing at Butler Drug store. The police had taken her downtown. Would we go get her? We arrived at the courthouse. The

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-34587857634945334102010-05-14T23:08:00.003-05:002011-09-14T23:40:47.835-05:00

. Wilson's release date finally arrived. Andrew seemed to take to Wilson just fine and within a few days, was learning to walk by crossing from Wilson to me and back again. Wilson stayed sober and did what he could to help me with Andrew and the house. He wanted to start doing upholstery in the basement, a skill he'd learned from Lila's ex-husband. I wanted to have a job that would let me stay

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-36539183516239762552010-04-23T06:00:00.004-05:002011-09-14T23:44:01.453-05:00

. The phone was ringing. "Vicki's dead!" Cheri cried when I answered, "Her boyfriend was drunk and they rolled over near Gavin!" I called Shirley’s cousin, Nova. "Vicki's dead." "No she's not." Nova responded. "I just saw her up at a funeral two days ago. You're thinking of that funeral." "No. Cheri just called. Vicki and her boyfriend were drinking after the funeral and his pickup rolled."

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-91241811203628627952010-04-17T06:00:00.004-05:002010-10-06T18:47:29.446-05:00

. A week later, Cheri, who had returned home to her mother, ran away again. Shirley called and warned, "Don't let her stay with you." But when Cheri arrived, I let her in. Her mother called and threatened. This time I wasn't going to let her intimidate me. "Come on then," I challenged. She never came. Cheri stayed, enrolled at South High school and rode with me to visit her dad. "I want

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-90525517904130303742010-04-10T06:00:00.003-05:002010-10-06T18:53:58.373-05:00

. I had originally planned to take only Andrew, Junior and Joy to the State Fair. I didn't like being around Misty anymore, and Cheri had left her mom and was living with her aunt. But as I picked Joy and Junior up at their mom's, I saw Misty walking past the bushes of her house, glancing my way, looking forlorn. "All right, come on." Misty ran to the car. "I guess if I'm taking you, I'd

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-72563661003451557862010-04-03T06:00:00.007-05:002011-09-13T12:59:08.584-05:00

. Children were common during visiting hours at the workhouse. Andrew spent so much time at the workhouse that summer, he learned to climb stairs on the workhouse steps. It was sometimes difficult holding wriggling, chubby Andrew while talking to Wilson through the glass. I brought his walker or stroller along, but he would get inpatient in them and start to fuss. Once I brought my playpen in the

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-71773365542169599142010-03-27T06:00:00.006-05:002011-09-13T16:49:49.504-05:00

, I took Junior and Joy with Andrew and me when we did things with my siblings. We took them to the fair, the fireworks, and even my aunt's farm. My brothers and sisters cared about Junior and Joy and enjoyed having them along. Now that I had a vehicle, I also began visiting Wilson about twice a week. Most days, in order to give all the women a chance to visit, the jailers limited the visiting

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-52430736503887002082010-03-20T06:00:00.003-05:002010-10-06T19:39:24.918-05:00

. Andrew was baptized in early June 1983, at the same church Grandma and Grandpa were married in. I called Shirley to see if I could pick up Junior and Joy for Andrew's baptism. She liked having her weekends free to party, so it was fine with her. Wanting both of Andrew's heritages to be represented in my choice of Godparents, I asked Bobby and Roland's niece, Pam, if they would serve. They

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-3969705692805812812010-03-13T06:00:00.007-06:002011-09-13T16:53:24.001-05:00

. With Wilson put away for six months, I considered moving out of state as soon as I finished school. But when it got right down to it, I was too scared to leave my family. So I stayed. I even installed a phone, which Wilson then began calling on. He only had a few minutes to talk; there were many other inmates waiting their turn. But he begged me to stay with him and to please be around during

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-58706924596307078742010-03-06T06:00:00.005-06:002011-09-13T16:56:46.761-05:00

. Andrew was crying all night and I was throwing up. As I lay in bed, sick to my stomach, I wondered how long it would take for someone to find Andrew if I died. My brothers and sisters rarely came to visit. Andrew could easily be alone for days before anyone would notice. We had no phone, so there was no way to call anyone. Finally I got up, wrapped Andrew against the icy night, and took the bus

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-3720224548577619542010-02-27T06:00:00.006-06:002011-09-14T23:38:01.487-05:00

. One day on returning from school, I found Dale and Tammy alone in the apartment. "Wilson took off drinking," Dale reported as I was taking off my coat. "He did not," I answered stubbornly. "Sure he did. Just ask Tammy." I looked at Tammy. "Yeah. He said he was tired of baby-sitting and took off," she answered. "D--- him!" I hollered and threw down my coat. "All I ask is that he stay

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-89758760731778083462010-02-20T06:00:00.005-06:002011-09-14T23:46:07.756-05:00

. For the rest of the week Wilson continued to go downtown during the day and sleep with us at night. I searched for an apartment on my own. Late one night, Wilson called me and asked for help. He'd lost his boots, he told me with slurred words, and wanted me to come get him. So I laid Andrew beside Chris on her bed and went to look for Wilson. I searched for a couple of hours in the middle of

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-6998470378129649902010-02-13T06:00:00.005-06:002011-09-13T17:08:06.206-05:00

. Verlin dropped by my room. "Hi!" I exclaimed, flattered he'd take the time to visit me. " Hi. Boy, I hurt my hand and had to come into the Emergency Room. You should have seen it; it was bad. I was...." I lost interest in his chatter when I realized he was there only to have someone hear his story. He never asked about the baby or me and left right after his story was told. Other than

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-86816880424674999552010-02-06T06:00:00.006-06:002011-09-14T23:52:32.694-05:00

. I was proud of myself for staying pretty stoic throughout most of the ordeal. Wilson had said his sisters would have been mad if I yelled or cried. But when I heard Andrew's first cry, I couldn't help myself. I burst into tears at the sound of my own baby needing comfort. I loved Andrew from the minute he was born. It was the best feeling, the best high I'd ever had. I couldn't believe I was

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-9929731421366641102010-01-30T06:00:00.006-06:002011-09-14T23:32:24.769-05:00

. A week later, Wilson took a group of kids out to the forest to get Christmas trees. While we trudged through the snow, six-year-old Paul peed his pants. "I-yie! You little girl!" he was mocked by both adults and children alike, "I-yie! You peed your pants!" A shamed look crossed Paul’s flushed face. _____________________________________________________ "Here," Annie offered me one

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-4604033147116976362010-01-23T06:00:00.007-06:002011-09-14T22:25:31.784-05:00

. In mid-October I finished my second quarter of school and took a leave of absence to have my baby up north with Wilson. Wilson came down two days prior to buy a car and help me move our things out of the apartment. Wanda was finally about to get her insurance settlement, so she rented a small house in a nicer neighborhood. We loaded much of Wilson's stuff up in the car to store at her house.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-79870406774121261522010-01-16T17:51:00.007-06:002011-09-13T17:17:50.169-05:00

. Wilson went up for the ricing season and I stayed in his apartment. But Walter had been right the year before. Wilson and he didn't rice together. Wilson drank the whole time. On a beautiful autumn afternoon, I borrowed Dad's car to run some errands. Enjoying the drive, I stopped by Yvonne's for a brief visit. Yvonne, Wanda and Reggie were sitting on the couch wondering how they would get to

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-49228456343205634672008-12-15T13:30:00.002-06:002011-09-14T23:48:18.533-05:00

During the summer I went on long, daily walks with Tonya, but other than that, I hung around the house missing Wilson and not wanting to miss any call. I slept in the basement bedroom and ached for him constantly. When I was given money from my school, I called Wilson and gave him half of it. I was lonely without him. I was so bent on getting back with Wilson; I bought airline tickets to Las

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-87060882463333569952008-12-10T14:05:00.001-06:002011-09-13T17:26:25.622-05:00

That spring I knew I was pregnant almost as soon as it happened. Wilson was thrilled. Working as a night janitor at a downtown hotel, he even began bringing sweet rolls home for me in the mornings. We sat together on the stairs in the doorway of our apartment, enjoying the morning sun. But now I knew I had to quit smoking marijuana and get a skill. There was no way I was going to raise my child

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-63078024437759626482008-12-08T00:42:00.002-06:002011-09-13T17:29:36.835-05:00

In November, Cheri, having run away from her mom, showed up on our doorstep. I was glad she came to us, but once that happened, the other kids weren't allowed to see or talk to their dad anymore. "Blame Cheri," their mom told them. And they did. I wish I could say Cheri and I got along well together, but we didn't. She wouldn't help with chores, she didn't care about school, and my jewelry and

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-46379178362963090222008-12-06T17:00:00.001-06:002011-09-13T17:34:44.934-05:00

I returned to his home after not too long. Later that October, Yvonne was in the hospital in labor with Bradley and needed someone to go to her house to take care of Wanda. I didn't mind helping and the county would pay me, so I offered to go. There would be no phone for me to keep in contact with Wilson, but he told me he'd come up and visit in a couple of days. The first night went all right.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-75353393885584348592008-12-01T08:34:00.001-06:002011-09-13T17:43:20.396-05:00

A man came to our door with a bike. Did Wilson want to buy it? For some reason, I didn't think of my own small thievery as a real crime, nor was buying food stamps at half price, which I was more than happy to do for people that would rather have drinking money then a good meal. But fencing bikes, in my mind, was a real crime. "Wilson," I begged, "we can't buy stolen bikes." Wilson turned the

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-37222749877957129802008-11-28T16:26:00.005-06:002011-09-14T23:42:25.214-05:00

I heard rumors that Savannah had been beaten and molested by Annie’s boyfriend out near Mission. It was a rumor said in passing; it was just part of a conversation. I’m not even sure who said it. Late one night during that ricing season some relatives drove up to Dorothy's house. Wilson and Dorothy went outside to talk to them. I stayed inside knowing it was none of my business. From the window

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-2487213950446973962008-11-25T17:18:00.002-06:002011-09-14T22:26:56.391-05:00

I made the mistake of taking my sister Tonya up to the reservation for ricing that year. She was about twelve-years-old. I thought I was showing her another side of life and that it would be good for her. She didn't like it. I don't know what about it I had expected her to like. People weren't friendly to her and there's nothing glamorous about poverty. After a few days, I walked her and little

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-65892994401326707792008-11-22T22:14:00.002-06:002011-09-14T22:27:29.360-05:00

When I turned twenty-one, I received an inheritance of about $2,000. We decided to blow it on travel. I paid some bills, two months rent, and gave Wilson the rest to hang on to. It made me feel "taken care of" to have Wilson in charge of handling the money. In the back of my mind, I felt that if he knows I trust and will give to him, he will love and not leave me. We first stopped at Shirley’

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-9006854603159999752008-11-17T12:55:00.002-06:002011-09-14T23:33:06.010-05:00

One afternoon a few days later, staring at the snow packed ground as I walked, I saw Wilson's coat out of the corner of my eye. Looking up quickly, I was sure it was Wilson standing against the wall. But on closer look, no, it was a man who looked just like him. Funny they'd chosen coats so similar. Farther down Lincoln, I ran into Wilson’s sister and brother, Lila and Glenn. I stopped and spent

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-66476928378460994852008-11-11T08:32:00.001-06:002011-09-13T18:21:53.069-05:00

We fought and Wilson kicked me out. I spent the night at my cousin Marion's and thought about suicide. Not knowing where to go after I left Marion's the next day, I went to the medical center's Crisis Unit. I wasn't serious about killing myself; I just didn't know what else to do. I could have gone to back to stay with my dad or with my brother Erik in his south side apartment, but I didn't want

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-31938020465633746042008-11-10T11:46:00.003-06:002011-09-13T18:25:30.122-05:00

Wilson began using marijuana again after about two years. I joined him. He always knew where to go to get it. Sometimes he got it from Shirley. Most of the time he went to the tribal housing project. I usually waited in the car, watching him as he disappeared between the white buildings for fifteen minutes or so while he went into one apartment or another. I never followed him into the projects,

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-45277447268762811122008-11-05T13:41:00.001-06:002011-09-13T18:31:59.552-05:00

Shirley’s younger brother Alvin was rapping on our bedroom window one morning. It was just around dawn. "Whaddya want?" Wilson hollered groggily. "I gotta talk to you 'bout somethin'." Wilson got up, pulled on his robe and went to open the door. Still tired, Wilson came back into the bedroom and lay back down. Alvin followed. Kneeling near Wilson, he pulled something from his pocket. "I found

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-25992447348112243122008-10-31T22:00:00.002-05:002011-09-13T18:35:59.207-05:00

When we returned home, I stayed with Wilson. Eventually we moved into a cheaper apartment in the basement of our building. The apartment wasn't much to look at and, with only one exit, was probably illegal. Coming in a door on the side of the building, there were about six steps down into the apartment. The apartment felt perpetually moist and carried a musty smell. This provided for coolness

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-62494456055605915512008-10-28T15:45:00.003-05:002011-09-14T23:33:31.838-05:00

In April, Wilson's divorce was final. Shirley told him he didn't have to show up for court, but he did anyway and sat in the back of the room and watched. When the judge asked why she wanted a divorce, she answered, "Because he doesn't want to be married anymore." I knew what her words were saying; she didn't want the divorce. But I brushed my feelings of guilt aside. The divorce was done now

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-74365925924962691662008-10-25T17:32:00.002-05:002011-09-13T18:44:50.974-05:00

Every weekend, Wilson's four children came over. In the beginning it didn't bother me, I made it my job to find fun things for us to do. But as time went on I began to feel more and more used. Whether or not they came over was always a decision between Wilson and his ex-wife, Shirley. They never considered it any of my business although I was the one who ended up doing most of the childcare. In

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-7520735125345836542008-10-19T09:15:00.002-05:002011-09-13T18:51:42.489-05:00

I met the Whitebird girls - Sonya, Marci, and Julia - that fall. Yvonne Whitebird, who was Wilson's sister and also Mathew and Wanda's mother, called and asked him to come after her and her young girls. She and her boyfriend Reggie were fighting and she needed a place to stay. We drove up to a housing project called River Courts on the north side of town between the freeway and the river. The

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-79205976596548456302008-10-13T21:09:00.004-05:002011-09-14T22:37:31.753-05:00

Wilson enrolled in the Human Services Program at the community college that fall and we got an apartment together. Every weekend after he got out of school, Wilson went after his four kids - Cheri, 13; Misty, 10; Junior, 8; and Joy, who was almost two years old now and just beginning potty training. Cheri, Junior and Joy were dark like their father. Misty was fairer, more like her mother. Cheri,

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-56604687555883425382008-09-17T22:43:00.005-05:002011-09-13T19:06:39.570-05:00

When we returned from the reservation in August, I resigned from BetterLife. I wanted to be free to go with Wilson at the end of the month for ricing season. Without a job, I spent my days doing nothing but be with him. One afternoon we hopped on a bus to go see Bruce. We hadn't seen him at all that summer. Arriving at his apartment house, we saw a panel of buzzers for the different apartments,

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-12168018357164983832008-09-14T14:39:00.006-05:002011-09-13T19:08:06.017-05:00

I watched Annie pack things for Savannah and Candis to take with them to the foster home, including a few jars of blueberries she had canned. Apparently, Annie had crossed the line with the social workers, a line no one was telling me about. The girls weren't going far; they were going just to the other side of town. Wilson and I drove Annie and the girls over. Little emotion was expressed. It

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-77023602097769497202008-09-13T06:05:00.005-05:002011-09-13T19:12:00.425-05:00

Days were never structured; things got done when people did them. Most of people's time seemed to be spent visiting, not because there was anything special to say nor because they hadn't seen each other just the other day, but just for something to do. Wilson would just up and decide to get in the car to go visit someone or someone would up and decide to come visit him. Wilson didn't even need

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-37940858078788106112008-09-12T13:01:00.007-05:002011-09-14T22:33:46.948-05:00

That summer we drove up north to Salmon Lake. Main Street, just a few blocks long, looked shriveled and lifeless. Although there were some tired businesses such as a grocery, liquor store, laundromat, mercantile, bars, and a Dairy Queen, most of the street appeared worn out and empty. The Five and Dime, its window display of trinkets dusty and sun bleached, had a "for sale" sign in the door.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-19356563066011801522008-09-04T12:43:00.001-05:002011-09-13T19:20:46.625-05:00

When I returned to work a few days later, my supervisor took me aside to confront me on the quality of my work. My obsession with Wilson was getting in the way of my assignments and she was concerned. Was I sure that I had taken all possibilities into consideration? Did I know what I was getting into? Together we decided I should take a leave of absence for the remainder of the time that

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-6375192303094300312008-09-02T10:26:00.002-05:002011-09-13T19:27:19.405-05:00

It had just turned daylight when we pulled the yellow Chevy station wagon into Salmon Lake. The morning was dawning warm and sunny. Wilson was driving. I had been sleeping in the front seat next to him; his nephew Mathew and Mathew's girlfriend were sleeping in the back seat. Wilson drove through the treeless streets of the tribal tract housing and pulled into the dirt driveway of a yellow house.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-52091217120492520022008-08-26T10:09:00.008-05:002011-09-14T22:31:59.109-05:00

Wilson went home to visit his wife and kids on Easter. I missed him that day at work, but he had children and it was good for him to be with them. When Wilson returned, he said he hadn't had a good time. "My wife and her relatives were drinking," he told me. "I felt out of place." He said he'd ended up just taking a walk around the block with the kids and then returning to BetterLife. "My baby

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-65044767441940625842008-08-05T14:16:00.007-05:002011-09-13T19:42:42.582-05:00

I hurried down the long hallway of the treatment center toward a patient's room. As I quickly walked, two men ambled up the hall toward me. One was a staff member, the other a new patient on crutches. The new patient was a Native American with classic features. He eyed me closely as he walked by, making me feel extremely uncomfortable. I didn't like being stared at. That Indian better stay away

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-85542724000982376432008-07-17T09:59:00.001-05:002008-09-22T23:27:09.357-05:00

It's now nearing the end of the '70's. Mom was sick all fall. The doctor had said she was depressed because we hadn't heard from Craig for awhile. One of my brothers said she was depressed because of the way her political friends were treating her. She was a Pro-lifer among Democrats and they’d stopped inviting her to the get-togethers. “She can’t compromise about abortion, so she doesn’t want to

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-43483277633106291012008-07-16T12:28:00.000-05:002008-07-16T12:28:00.548-05:00

...I was so drunk. My mind was swimming. I was sick. I could see my friend sitting on her bedroom floor with her back against the door. Her boyfriend and others were banging on the door trying to get in. They wanted to throw me in the shower, but she wasn't letting them. I don't remember anything else. The next morning, they told me they'd run out of Coca-Cola so I first started

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-33999798270372133482008-07-15T16:08:00.001-05:002011-09-14T23:51:19.233-05:00

I have a lot to reflect on. I've had years to do it. I've written it all down before. And I have to go back through the time line of my life, because the story has so many turning points, it's hard to keep it all straight. These are the cobblestones that make up my traveled road. As a child, emotionally neglected, I became a teenager looking elsewhere for affection. Harv, a man in his thirties,

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-18830846754486607742008-07-15T11:42:00.000-05:002008-07-15T13:58:31.335-05:00

I've heard it said that poverty breeds social misbehavior. That was hardly the cause in my case.As I relate this story, I am not trying to bring blame on one person or a group of people. I am simply relating events as they happened and, right or wrong, my reactions to them. Nor am I pretending to be innocent of all wrongdoing. I am telling the truth of how I came to Indian Country and what I saw

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0