Spring Break

Birds are chirping...Flowers are blooming...Trees are budding...My allergies are...well I don't even want to talk about them...Spring break is here!
Sunday Brendan and I went to Gilmer to visit Nathan, Kim and the girls...
Nathan cooked hamburgers on the grill and Kim made some delicious baked beans along with all the fixings...including strawberry cream cheese pie!
We all spent a lot of time outdoors in the beautiful sunshine.
Nathan and Brendan worked in Nathan's new garden...and Kim and I didn't...;)
Later we played pool on the Wii...I smoked em...which is hilarious considering I have never been able to play pool!
When I left, Kennedie came home with me and she and Kamberlyn spent the night at Mee Maw's house...(apt)
I am a sneaky MeeMaw... ;) I gave each of them a pen and let them make 'tattoos' all over my back and when they had that all 'tattooed' they drew on my feet! They had a blast and so did I! They I let them remove the 'tattoos' with tissue and alcohol...
I remember being a little girl and doing the same thing...It sure makes me feel old...er.
Monday Kayli and I took Kennedie and Kamberlyn to the park. Kennedie would humor me and pose for a picture here and there but Kamberlyn wasn't interested in picture taking at all..she wouldn't stand still long enough for many pictures.
Monday evening we all went over to their Paw Paw's for spaghetti...Nathan and Kim came to take Kennedie home in their new Toyota Camry!
The time went by too fast...
I always love spending time with my family. Nothing makes me happier... ;)
Now if I could just loose the allergies!

Daniel, My Brother
9 May 2006

I'm going to tell you a story...a true story.

When I was seven years old my mother was expecting a baby. I already had a sister and I had my heart set on a brother. In those days there was no such thing as sonograms. People had to wait until the baby was born to find out if it was a boy or girl.
I remember laying next to my mother in the bed looking at her big belly...and praying to God for a little brother. But that wasn't all I wanted. I wanted his name to be Daniel too!
My mother would read the Bible story about Daniel in the lions den and it was my favorite all time story. I would have her read it to me over and over.
So I prayed as I lay there next to her and asked God for a baby brother...named Daniel.
Of course I told my mother of this prayer and that may have had something to do with him being named Daniel. But he was a boy! and his name is Daniel.
My brother's life wasn't always easy. His/our father wasn't there for the most part and when he was there he was causing drama in our lives.
Daniel's hands were severely burned when he was barely one. He was in Parkland Hospital in Dallas for nearly three months. The doctor's didn't expect him to be able to ever use his hands again. But he did. They are scarred but they are strong. God brought him through.
Daniel always loved animals...turtles, frogs, snakes, dogs, horses, you name it and he loved them. He could teach dogs and even horses to do tricks in no time at all. He was a rambunctious boy who got into mischief quite often. But he was a loving boy who always loved his family.
When he got a little older, he made some wrong choices. He married too young and fathered children too young. He loved his children with all of his heart. However, he was too young and didn't have the wisdom or experience it takes to handle being married and to be a father.
He eventually fell into the world of drugs and alcohol. At 18 he was convicted of stealing a VCR. He had the choice of spending 6 months in a drug rehab facility or going to the penitentiary. He went for the drug rehab but wasn't able to stay there because he has a condition called sleep apnea and he also sleep-walks. It is something that he has suffered with since he was 9 or 10 years old. So Daniel was transferred to the state penitentiary at 18 years old for the crime of stealing a VCR.
His life spiraled out of control and he ended up battling a drug habit as well as a prison record.
Now you may be wondering why I'm referring to Daniel in the past tense because he is still alive.
You see Daniel is now on Texas Death Row. A beautiful, bright and loving son, brother, father and uncle is sitting in a cell that is smaller than most of our bathrooms. And if a miracle of some sort doesn't happen, he will die there.
Now I'm not making excuses for my brother. He has made some really bad choices and he is paying for them. What bothers me is the fact that had he been the son of a rich man, he wouldn't be where he is. He probably wouldn't even be locked up. His trial was a joke orchestrated by people who couldn't care less about the truth or sending an innocent man to death row. I realize that only God truly knows the truth about his case but, I truly believe with all my heart that Daniel isn't guilty of murder. And I truly believe that the American Justice System is a farce. I no longer have faith in the Judicial System but, I do have faith in God.
When Daniel was convicted I told him (through a glass window), that they may take his body but they can never take his soul.
I have trouble with the fact that my brother's life seems to be a wasted one. Especially knowing that he was the answer to my prayers as a little girl.
How can someone go from being the answer to a prayer to living on death row and then dying? Was my prayer in vain? The Bible says 'in all things, give thanks'. Am I supposed to be thankful that my brother is wasting away in a cell?
It is hard for me to write these things and it is a painful subject. I believe and know that God has a Divine plan...I can only hope and pray that my brother knows this also...Please pray for my brother Daniel.

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I wrote this blog a good while back on another site that I have...When I originally wrote it, I didn't feel that I wanted to post it because it is a very private issue with me and I don't always share some of my more private thoughts. The other site consists of people that I know personally and they all know me as well as my brother. However after some thought..I decided to share with you guys.
In a college speech class that I once took...my classmates and I had to give speeches on different subjects. One of the subjects was Death Row. At the time that I wrote my speech, my brother was not on death row. I gave a speech supporting Death Row and I would still give that same speech now. I do believe in the death penalty. I do however believe that it should not be passed out so casually. There are no rich men on Death Row. I learned that the justice system is for people with money to pay for decent lawyers.
My brother's case in in appeals and the lawyer that he was assigned has been banned from ever representing anyone on Death Row again. I hope and pray that by some miracle Daniel will get the representation that he deserves now...Here are a few sites to go to in regards to Daniel.
Shoddy Legal Work Matter Of Life, Death
Who Is On Death Row
Convict's Odds Today May Rest On Gibberish

Judgemental People

I enjoy Facebook because it helps me stay in touch with friends and family that I otherwise wouldn't be as likely to see or hear from. I'm not close friends with every person on my friend's list and there are some that I haven't seen in 30 years. Some of them (to be honest) I'm not even sure who they are! ;)
There are a couple of old boyfriends and several distant cousins.
Some are casual aquantances that I have met over the years or that I have worked with and befriended. Others I have known over the years from church.
I have always said that you can know someone for 10 years and never 'really' know them.
I got a post on my homepage yesterday from a woman that I used to go to church with and have seen occasionaly over ther years. I have never had more than a short conversation with her. I have never been to her home and she has never been to mine. I've never had a cross word to her or about her. She really doesn't know me at all.
Now let me back up a little...Facebook has a game where you answer questions about people that are on your friend list. They are usually goofy questions like Do you think Jane is cute or would you bail Bob out of jail...dumb stuff. You have to answer questions about other people in order to unlock the answers of people who have answered questions about you...
Evidently this lady doesn't know that it is just for fun. And instead of answering the question and leaving it private...She typed out the questions and posted them on each individual profile...
And wouldn't you know it, the question about me was "Is Dorcas Vittatoe a nice person?" Her answer was "Dorcas is not always nice but neither am I. But she does need to repent"
The stupidity and audasity of judgemental religous people (who don't know me and have never even tried to know me) never ceases to amaze me.
No I don't go to church regularly. I have my reasons and they are between me and God. Am I perfect? No. Do I love and praise God for everything every day? Yes! Do I repent when I feel that I have done wrong? Yes! Everyday!
Why do people think they know me? I think maybe if they tried to know God in all his power, might, glory and compassion....they might be a little less inclined to judge me!
I stopped trying to please people along time ago. My relationship with Jesus is MINE. I don't feel the need to justify myself to people. I learned long ago that people will let you down every time. And there is none good except HIM.
Maybe I do have my issues...I don't deny this. But one thing I do know...I went to church faithfuly for years everytime the doors wore open...and when my marriage fell apart and I stopped going...Not one (1) person came to see me or called me to see how I was doing or when I was coming back. And now differnt ones think they have the right to judge me...Go figure...