BRANDI

It is cold. Very cold. Only a light sprinkling of snow dusts the ground, But if you are running through the backyard at 4:30 am, it seems even colder than it is. I found out this morning there are people who dumpster dive at 4:30 am. "I" was not at all thrilled with the sight. Groggy as I could be and still be moving , an afghan wrapped around my shoulders I ran for the back fence. She stood her ground, legs apart barking fast, loud, and furious. I was right on the fence before I saw the man standing across the alley, digging rapidly through the neighbors trash. I think they may be moving as there has been piles of junk stacked out all week. It has attracted many cars to stop. But this man was on a bicycle, he was digging, "I" was barking. I looked at him, he looked at me. We never spoke. I bent down scooped her up still barking and ran for the house. If I ever become a dumpster diver I will keep a little later hours.

if you remember I wrote a week or so ago on the meaning of a blog. It said a blog can be a soap box. I have dug mine out this morning. So be warned I am climbing upon it as I write. Now let me tell you about Brandi. And I probably should add I am very prejudiced in her favor. I have loved her since I first saw her, right after her birth. She is my granddaughter. I call her my grand girl.

Brandi is tall, slim, and has the most gorgeous red, curly hair you can imange. She is pretty, funny, and the single mother of three little boys. In recent days Brandi has made a big life change. Working on trying her best to do the right things for her boys. About three years ago she made another very big life change, which I know was hard for her because it consisted of eliminating from her life someone she cared a great deal for. But she did it. It was a struggle but once she started on the path, she stayed on it. This of course does not make Brandi a Saint but a young woman who is trying in her life to take responsibility and do the right things that in the long run are right for her kids.

Brandi works five, sometimes six days a week. She keeps her place clean, she cooks, she takes care of her kids. Brandi is lucky because she has parents who are there for her. Her Mother baby sits while she works. Not all young women have that kind of help. Now for the soap box part. You have been warned.

We here in the Untied States have rolls of names of people who are on assistance. Many people look down on them, make rude remarks about them. I am sure there are many who don't belong on assitance. But then you have scores of these young mothers who are working everyday, getting by on take home pay of maybe 175.00 dollars a week trying to support their children. we have these girls because we have these guys who start these families and then decide two years later they are tired and bounce off looking for a new girl and start a new family. The cycle goes on. The girls are left behind, the children left behind. Many of these girls do not have the educational back ground to pull in big bucks. Besides in this day and age of high prices it takes two paychecks to get by. Now think of these young mothers struggling to live on these small single paychecks and then go ahead and gripe about them for drawing a few food stamps to feed their children on and a medical card for their kids. Thank God Brandi's boys can go to the Doctor. Brandi cannot. She works for a small paycheck so she cannot qualify for that simple little card that would allow her to go to the Doctor when she is sick. She is penalized for working.Shame on America who does not help our young single mothers. Shame on the people who put labels on these young Mothers. Young girls who desperately fight to keep their families together. Shame on the guys who once they have planted the seed of their child, feels their responsibility is over.Oh yes while I am up here on my soap box there is one more subject I would like to touch on. there was a paper sent out in the mail last week. it told how some people that quailfied for food stamps might quailfy for a free phone. "Good," I thought. A phone is something everyone needs. People shouted big time, all sorts of ;ame jokes thrown around. Young , alone, hmmm, should I try to get a phone on these few extra bucks I have left after all the bills, or should I buy gas for the car. Or maybe a new tire since all of them are bald. So for many there is no phone. let the ones who need the help for a phone , get that help. And for once put yourself in another's shoes and see just how tight they can pinch.

Brandi's boys when they are grown .I guarantee will not think twice about the small apartment they are growing up in. Brandi is painting those memory pictures I wrote about the other day. Her and her boys are in the process of painting their apartment now. The boys share the bedroom. They both wanted a different color, so they both got to choose. Each boy having his own side. They will remember that room with their two favorite colors. They will also remember her bouncing up and down on the trampoline with them. And with each child on their bikes and her on the one in front as they go for bike rides. These are the pictures she is painting in the memories of their minds.

So Brandi though I know sometimes you get tired. Its a little hard to buy new jeans for yourself when you have three growing boys you are buying for. I know taking certain things from your life that you enjoyed is not always easy.

but I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you. You are taking each day and making it through. You have taken the cards life has dealt and you have not thrown them in, you have not folded. You have just kept staying in the game. You are a heck of a woman.I am very proud of you. My grandest girl.

You will be happy to know, I am now climbing down off my soap box.