Belinda, I have to say this - ones sexual preference means nothing to me, whatsoever!

Those children born after several others appear to be learned from the day of conception! I swear they hear well, and their brains are recording everything! However, our 3rd had strep throat when our pool went in, and she had to sit on the decking until the doc cleared her to swim. Upon being told she could "go in with the kids" she jumped in …

and swam the entire length of the 36 gal. pool! We had it designed w/o a shallow end, because no amount of water is safe! Everyone near that pool always had to either swim well, or have on a vest and arm "swimmies." That child removed her vest, and JUMPED with gless!

I felt my skin shoot right off my bones! But her 5 and 6 yo sibs just treaded water in abject awe with hug smiles on their faces! KIDS.

All that time, she was watching them, daily. No amount of swimming lessons, or safety teaching would have changed that child, and she’s still the same way, too - ran as a top marathroner for the US Marine team, teaches Pilates, Yoga, and EXERCISE non-stop like she’s shot in the a — with a tack.

PS: One day, Miss Youngest was lost at NM Northpark in the coutour salon. Everyone was looking for her, as usual. Now about 4, her siblings were at a loss as to what to do with her.

I put up my finger, and suggested we listen after we call her name (she had become less adventuous and looked upon "my kids (as she called them)" as a pain in the neck. All of a sudden, we heard a loud belch! Lo and behold, sweet thing had gone into a circular rack of sale items to hide - "so I could berp, silly!" NM never forgot her!

Oh gracious! Yes! Our youngest was called an "enigma." One minute she would be with everyone, active, happy, audible, and the next minute she would, "POOF," disappear. One horrid time, she was with us at the dinner table, vacationing in Canada, on one of the Great Lakes. Everyone always watched for her because she was so independent, and elusive compared to her older siblings. In fact, she was that way from birth on. 

Because of her penchant for disappearing, we adults sat talking at the dinner table and she was on my lap. We included her in our discussion, and in our every move even, sqeezing, and touching her so we would know for sure she was "there," though she was just a llittle 30-month.

Suddenly someone said, "Where is she?" We all JUMPED up and headed for the front door, her daddy raced toward the bedrooms. As soon as we hit the great lawn that rolled down to the lake, our eldest let out a blood-curtling scream from out in the water! We were all running fast, panicked more by the scream. I can still see my 13 year old dive into the water and shoot up again with the baby in her arms; she swam then ran out of the water and we met them swooping them both up in many arms.

She kept yelling at us, "She was floating on her back looking up at me from under the water … " over and over again. I was ready to call the FBI on myself, but so were the other adults, and her older siblings, but as everyone kept saying, "We all watch her every minute …" But, for some reason, that child could do that over and over again.

She did "it" in Oklahoma at a state park, too. That time, we were camping at our favorite point on a huge lake about 4 hours from home. Her life-saving "swimmies" and a life vest was on, but she was in the tent sound asleep. I was sitting right at the door!

The others were all either swimming, or playing around the campsite. I peeked in the tent, and she was GONE! I can still hear myself screaming - "Baby’s gone - HELP!" and yelling out her description. The other campers tumbled out of tents, trailers, and appeared from trees, one man was still putting on his trousers - they were rushing down to the lakeside, or to me. The kids dashed everywhere calling her name. We called, and called … rangers came …

I just knew she was in the water but she also knew she would not drown with her jacket on and and the ‘swimmies.’ But, there were moments when I glimpsed grief, and felt totally unable to deal with whatever was going on.

Eventually, everyone had run into the water but knowing that I was the best swimmer for miles, I still looked up toward the rec area and peered into the trees like I used to do for our cat … all of a sudden, there she was . . . blithely walking toward me with her sweet smile on her face, then she waved… "Hi Mamaaaa!" sweetly. She was also nude!

(she still does that - takes off on trips, leaves the country, talks to one of us on the phone but fails to say she’s in Costa Rica or some other place than home. One day, one of my daughers was talking to me on her cell phone on the PA pike when I casually mentioned that I hadn’t heard from the youngest since she left for Bermuda. That stopped our call - "I’m calling her now - call you back!" We don’t trust her to this day! 

Belinda Joy! You certainly know more about RM that I do - and I have sought her out since she first came on the scenes - I find her a breeze from the ocean, and more so because she doesn’t bother with the telly! In fact, when would she have time to do so, there’s nothing of value on it, lately, save for BBC and PBS and a couple other sporadic shows - there is NO news other than RM, and BBC, and … PBS. IMO, that choice isn’t "elitist," it a personal option.

One thing amused me - I have heard that many viewers are writing the sponsors about the "appearance" of women on the telly, and the conduct/foul-mouths of men, so again, perhaps CNN backed off RM, and decided to "permit" her to be "real." I surely hope so.

It always interests me when the regions of the US who proclaim their religious-ness the most, also evidence the most abuse, and discrimation against others. The states that seem the most sprit-filled are not concerned with equity at all.

I have to say that I’m shocked everyone on this website isn’t planning on marching in OKC about this. Minimally, the stats on the men involved in each conception-terminated must be included, as well or it is discrimination! We have seen what happened to women in Guinea (tortured, raped, slaughter by the police there) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113966999 . Frankly, I’m surprised this wasn’t in the website’s heading!

This came on the heels of Lubbock announcing that it leads the nation in domestic violence; however, such is now a felony in Texas (I worked hard for that!), so anyone who suspects or knows a woman, man, or child is being abuse MUST report it - and if they don’t and something serious happens to the abused, I’m all for holding those also responsible.

A case in Denver City, Texas (an Amber Alert is out now) where the husband apparently murdered his wife, took their son, and headed for Mexico (you can bet he crossed that bridge with his son in hours!), and her family knew she was being abused by him - saw the bruises, and now they wail and mourn. Two lives now are gone and/or seriously harmed!

Violence against anyone, directly, or indirectly (even by not providing health care, or making is such a market commodity the ill are driven nuts) is ABUSE, and must be prosecuted, and stopped.

Violence against others can be stopped. And we must stop it, now!

Having known and seen "the military" well, I have to agree. I’d have been kicked out! Lila had to do something to survive.

If women want to feel, watch some of the movies from the early 70s, and think and watch (i.e: Up the Sandbox - 1972). Reality will hit you in the face if you’re "real."