Unsinkable

I’ve really been conflicted lately with regards to the BLH FB page and blog. I use to enjoy blogging my life and thoughts. I knew not all would agree, but it would be just that.

Now it’s stalkers and attacks. Everything I say or do is criticized. If I blog I’m exploiting my family, if I don’t I’m hiding something. They kept telling me to get a job and support my kids (which I already had) and then turn around and day I don’t have a real job and then try to destroy my business by contacting clients off my business page and posting fake reviews. Those that bully my family like to contact every oversight organization they can to attempt to find something that sticks. Most of these agencies are aware of the harassment and take that into consideration. And most of those reporting are just throwing hot air. Since the children have been returned only 2-3 actually calls to CPS have been made (you can request your records from the state offices). But the threats seem more like blackmail. “Do this or else”

And it’s only a few people. Sally Davis, Lisa Luthi, are the most vocal “locals”. Barbara Harrison is also local. Bethany Long and Patricia Pandoff are local groomers. But then those like Bethannie Horn (Montana) and Peggy Billingsly (Alaska) are making calls and running pages. It’s not a lot of people. But that’s all it takes. It took one Sondra Johnston McEntee to make a false report to CPS that resulted in this mess. One report from a woman who had never met me or my children and had never been to my home. Just one phone call can rip everything apart. Because they don’t need have evidence, they need to find evidence. And when they don’t they keep digging, stringing you along till they do find something.

It’s hard not to get worn down. I have my ups and downs. Most days I feel strong enough, then there a days I just can’t. Rather I don’t want to deal with the weight on my shoulders. It’s the days when I see the effects of this in my children. The damage that was done is slowing being undone. But it’s still there. And my family won’t fully recover until the state and the trolls back off. Sadly I don’t think it will ever happen until someone with authority has a moment of moral clarity and stands up with us.

There are several groups here in Kentucky working towards the same goal we are. Many are parents just like us. They have had their children taken and are fighting to get them back. Speaking with these families I realize how truly blessed we have been. CPS has requested our case be closed. We have full physical and legal custody. There have not been any findings of abuse or neglect. CPS plan from the beginning was for reunification. But family court has the final say. So our court dates keep getting reset. No progress made, just being dragged out.

This isn’t the case with many tho. Kentucky is one of the top states for CPS and family court corruption. Governor Matt Bevin made CPS audit part of his campaign platform. In many states, CPS cases are public and taken to a jury. In Kentucky it’s closed door proceedings. Kentucky says its workers are overworked and understaffed. They need a bigger budget.

But where is that money going? I live in one of the poorest counties in the state. But the amount of tax payer funds spent on my family alone over the past 17 months is astronomical. 10 children spent 8 weeks in foster care, medical exams, (Mosiah even had a bone scan to check for broken bones) educational testing, court workers, cabinet workers, etc I’ve estimated over $150K thus far.

But because foster care costs add up and funds are tight, many cases are fast tracked to adoption. This generates more revenue and frees up workers. This has been known for years and is documented. These news investigations uncovered some, but it didn’t end.

I’ve spoken to so many families who are victims. But they are so scared to come forward. To speak up. Afraid of retaliation. I know exactly what they fear. I fear it too. But there is just something inside me that just can’t let it go. Call it stubbornness or ignorance but it over powers my fears.

I don’t know what the future holds for us. Our case is still open. They could decide my political and philosophical beliefs make me mentally unstable. Someone could try to set us up, (some have tried). They could try to break us down, or they could just decide it’s done. They could realize that my family is doing fine and we just need to be left alone. It’s a waiting game.

If you want to help families like mine please push your legislators to keep family court open. Push them to make sure due process is followed. Push to make sure reunification is encouraged. Push to fund more programs to help families build up, instead of tearing them down.

And me. Well, I’ve still got that fire. I’m fighting all the way. I may have a few dents and scratches but I feel I am unbreakable.