That's what family is for!?!?!
2004-01-01 8:11 p.m.

Man, is my diary one long, boring, day log! I never get to vent about things the way I should. A good friend of mine gave me a journal to write in for Christmas as a gift. It's helped out so much. I bet you couldn't guess how much! Anyways, I'm going to try to vent here, and if anyone has a big problem with the way I write, what I write, or whatever, then please leave without saying anything.

Lately it seems like Mike and I are on totally different levels. We've been arguing off and on about everything going on. I'm a very sensitive person. (those that know me, know that.) I'm even more sensitive to comments and things like that if it's coming from someone I dearly love.

Anyways, lately I feel like I'm walking on eggshells. Like anything I say is said the wrong way, or just plain wrong. All I want is for everyone here to get along and be happy. I know that the boys are terrors sometimes. But they're kids. Kids do things. The parent isn't supposed to hold a grudge when using discipline, in my humble opinion. That's just wrong, especially if the child is only 3 or 4 years old! You just tell them it's wrong, punish them, and go about whatever! You don't stand there and lecture them for 30 straight minutes while screaming at the top of your lungs the whole stinking time!!!

Most 3 or 4 years olds would either forget the whole point, or get horribly terrified, and I don't want either happening here in this household, in this family.

Yes...I know what you're thinking. I've talked and talked and talked with Mike about certain issues. You know how he feels? It's not a Mike issue, it's MY problem. No. I don't even think so. It is NOT my problem if you can't get a grip!

Anyways, all the talking isn't doing any good. I was stressed out, and everything else, so after I cooked supper, I walked outside to talk on the phone with my neice.

I dialed her number. 3 times it was busy. So I figured she was on the phone with Chris (her boyfriend). So, I call her dad and step-moms line. Aundrea (her step-sister) answered the phone, and I heard Debbie (my neice's step-mother) screaming in the background going "WHO IS THAT!?!?!" and Aundrea says "Aunt Leslie, she called for Melanie." Then Debbie pops off with "Well you tell HER to call Melanies line, and NOT mine then!". So I told Aundrea, to tell Debbie if she has a problem to get on the phone. She wouldn't get on the phone. Aundrea had a beep, so when she clicked over, it hung up on me. So I called Melanie's line, and lo-and-behold it was ringing! I got on the phone, and Melanie was like "What's going on!!??!?" I told her, and asked her to tell Debbie that it was completely fine, and if she wanted to act that way to family, then I wouldn't call her line anymore at all. Melanie said that. Then Debbie goes "I didn't mean it like THAT, and what the F*** is her problem?!?!" (Note: She's screaming like a banchee by now.)

Melanie then screamed back at her "Maybe it's because you scream everytime you open your mouth, and that was rude and disrespectful!!!!" Then George (Melanie's dad) jumps in with "Well, if Leslie wants to be like that, she doesn't need to call here at all!" And I got on the phone and told that asshole where he could stick it! I can call my neices and nephews any damn time I please. I have done 100 times as much for those kids as their other Aunt *who by the way, ignores all of us*, and their mother put together! I have been there for Melanie since she was 6 years old, for Josh and Michael since they were BORN. I have been there when my sister was drunk on the couch, and I had to skip school just to take care of a newborn baby and a toddler.

I was the one who did all of those things. Not to mention, every stinking time George has a stupid teenage problem, he's directly dialing my number like I'm 1-800-teen-help or some shit!

So, I told George, if he wanted to gain respect from me, then he'd have to respect me as well. I told him also, that I am an adult, with my own life now, and that I should be able to call their stupid phone line. I mentioned that also, I wasn't one of Melanie's little friends calling every 10 minutes, that I was something called family. He said "Well, since you're acting like this, I don't see a difference in the two." And I then closed the conversation with "Oh how elementary of you. That's too bad. Maybe it's because that loud-mouthed bitch can't shut up long enough for anyone to even understand a damn word that anyone else has to say around there."

And he hung up.

That's that. If they don't want to treat me like family, and they want to make a huge stink out of something so small as me simply calling to talk to my neice, then by God, they are no longer going to be respected by me. I will do anything and everything I can for those children, because I love them like my own. But I won't step down to being disrespected.

Sorry this vent is so long. I hope all of you had a great new years eve.

Tommorow is my wedding anniversary. Blah...whatever.

Love

Leslie

P.S. To a great friend, you're most welcome, anytime. :o)

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