Sunday, August 22, 2010

Hiding


So where have I been and why have I been hiding from you? Well as always its not you I have been hiding from but myself. You see sitting here typing into this blank box is me facing myself and for the past few months I have not been able to do that. I wish I could blame it something like being so distracted by playing house with my boy that I haven't had time but that isn't true. Chris is my biggest fan and I know it has him pretty concerned that I have shut down this part of my life when it has meant so much to me the past few years.


The truth is I feel like I have failed myself, failed you all and I just couldn't face it. Those of you who saw me when I was back for Kim's wedding could see I have gained a fair chunk of weight back. I have justified it at every step telling myself "still, not as bad as it was" which is true and I keep telling myself gaining weight doesn't take away from the fact that I lost 200 so I should still be proud but.....it is killing me. It hurts me to look in the mirror and see the belly back. I worked so hard and it was all too easy to let it creep back. I know I can get back to where I was and Chris and I have talked about it a lot. He has a few lbs he'd like to shed as well but its hard to get back to that disciplined place I was last year.


So I get more upset with everyday because I did exactly what I said I wouldn't. I swore I would be one of those people who lost the weight an never looked back. Well my backside is the one looking at me now and its laughing, well.....you get it.


Anyways so that it the truth, the whole truth and I am sticking to it. Where do I go from here is the question.......


Stay tuned.

Family


Funny what it took to bring me back to my blog. It was my brothers death that first prompted me to post here and then after I had gone dark for months as soon as my niece was in danger it was the first thing I came back to as a means to connect.


The update is good- the bastard is caught. Here is the recap for those who did not get the whole story. My 17 year old niece Sierra was starting her first day of her senior year on Thursday morning. She drove to school, parked in the student parking lot then crossed the street in the crosswalk to go into the school. One of those first day of the rest of your life moments when BAM! Out of nowhere a black Nissan truck going approx 30-35 miles an hour hit Sierra head on. She flew 10-15 feet in the air and landed 30 feet away from where she was hit. As she lay there the driver of the truck stopped, got out, walked over and asked if she was OK and if she needed an ambulance. She replied she was NOT ok and did need an ambulance and he then asked one of the students in the quickly forming crowd to dial 911 as he got in his truck and took off.


Sierra was then taken by ambulance to the hospital (after she was put on a back board and had C collar put on the stabilize her neck). She had some road rash, a goose egg on the top of her head and her knee has probable ligament damage and is in a brace. We will have to wait until the swelling goes down to see what the story there will be. In other words....the kid is a walking miracle. She was texting me later in the day and asked me if I thought it was Troy or my Grandma who caught her while she was flying through the air. I originally said both but my sister Toni did make a good point that Troy was never up before 1st period so it must have been Grandma.


The manhunt began with the Boone PD releasing the description of the truck and driver. I did what I could to pass on the info via Facebook and used some connections I had to get local TV stations (in Iowa) to cover the accident. Thankfully my friends came through for me and I am so grateful and thankful to everyone who reposted and looked for the bastard. I had friends telling me they were peeking into garages to try and find this jerk. I did not recommend that but it was appreciated none the less. Big thanks to WHO, KCCI and ABC who all did on camera interviews with Sierra and posted the description. Not that I doubted the police were doing everything they could but I learned quickly that 60% of all hit and runs never get solved plus Sierra is going to be OK so there is less urgency. So to have that much attention might have helped motivate the authorities just a bit more.


So Saturday am a report came through that the vehicle was spotted in Des Moines and the DSM PD had arrested him. Well that turned out to be a hoax however during that same period the vehicle was spotted in Boone. There was a female driving and when pulled over she told the cops that he boyfriend often drove the truck. The police went to his house and in a few minutes he confessed. As it turns out there are also warrants for his arrest in 2 other states so it looks like he is going away for a good stretch.


So to say it was an emotionally crazy week is a bit of an understatement. And it had been a touch week before that so yesterday I melted down hard core. Then today I find out a good friend of mine lost his brother last week and somehow it all came together for me.


Family......its all about family.


Chris and I have been in our little new roommate honeymoon phase and that has been great. It has been pure bliss having him with me here. I wake up every morning so overwhelmed with love for this man and we are building our life together. We are also building our extended family of friends and contacts and fuzzy critters. And then there is the family I was born to that is embracing Chris as he gets to know them. I love them all and am so blessed to have them all in my life.


Love.....family.......that's all I need.








Friday, August 20, 2010

News piece(s) on Sierra's accident

See the news story that ran last night on WOI-TV in Iowa on my niece:

http://www.woi-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13016251


Boone Teen Hit by Truck, Walks Away with Minor Injuries

A Boone teen could have lost her life on the first day of school, but instead walked away with just minor injuries, after a truck plowed into her.
17-year old Sierra Owen doesn't remember the impact that sent her flying 30-feet backwards. She had started walking toward the entrance of Boone High School on one cross-walk, and then ended up in the middle of another.
As Sierra lay on the ground, the man who hit her, got out of the truck, and asked the teen if she was alright.

"I remember seeing him,"Owen said. "I didn't know it was him at the time, this guy just came up and I thought, I've never seen you before, and then he just disappeared, and then I was told that he was the driver and I was like, what a jerk."

Then as quickly as they had appeared, the driver and the truck, were gone. Leaving a bruised and battered Sierra behind.

"(I have) a big bump on my head...they think I may have torn a ligament in my knee...some cuts on my back, my back is pretty scrapped up...some road rash, but other than that, nothings broken, which I'm really surprised and thankful for."

Sierra and her family hope that the person responsible will be caught, and are disappointed that he didn't stick around the scene, after plowing into a student on the first day of senior year.

"It's all about taking accountability of your actions," Sierra said. "As my mom has told me, many, many times."


And here is the KCCI story (no interview- just story)

http://www.kcci.com/r/24698706/detail.html



BOONE, Iowa -- Boone police are asking for the public's help to find a black Nissan truck involved in a hit-and-run crash on Thursday.

Officers said the driver, a man in his early 30s, hit 17-year-old Sierra Owen Thursday morning as she was crossing the street to go to school.

Owen's mother told KCCI the driver stopped and asked if she was OK and then told another student to call 911 before driving off.

Owen has several bumps and bruises and a possible knee injury.

The driver is described as having dark hair and a goatee.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Sierra struck by Hit and Run Driver

Please repost and spread this description- my niece Sierra Owen was struck by a hit and run driver this am.

Click on this link for the news story or read it here:

Breaking: Police search for hit and run driver
by Greg Eckstrom
Published: Thursday, August 19, 2010 2:11 PM CDT
Police are searching for a vehicle that was involved in a hit and run accident in front of Boone High School at 7:44 a.m. Thursday morning.

According to emergency radio communication, the victim was a white female, 17 years of age, and was conscious, alert and breathing following the accident.

Police are asking the public to remain on the lookout for a black, early- to mid-90s Nissan pickup truck with a short bed box and a single cab. The vehicle is in very good condition, with the exception of damage to the front driver’s side bumper, which may be hanging down.

The vehicle was possibly driven by a white male in his early 30s with a muscular build, short, dark hair and a dark goatee.

Anyone who recognizes this vehicle or may know the driver is asked to call 911.

Thanks to my hometown friends and family who are spreading the word so we can catch this guy!