Hi Guys,
        Wow, I feel guilty writing this post and interfering with the mad
interpretations of Phil's dream and all, especially since we all recognize
that it may foretell serious consequences for our fearless
leader.  "GROAN!"  Phil, are there any places of refuge out in Denver, just
in case you need to get away for a few days?  It sounds like some of the
women in your life are cooking up something that may make you wish that
you'd never seen that freezer in the first place!  Ah well, Just be careful
what you eat for a while until this blows, or maybe freezes over; in
keeping with the situation.
        I would have kept you guys updated about our situation with Chris all
along, but, as you know, I've been trying to learn Eudora and that has
really put a damper in my communication with the outside world.  The deal
there is that Juno stopped pulling in e-mail to an inbox.  If I wanted to
view my mail I had to go on the web and at that, my box was severely
limited.  Also, Jaws and Juno never did work well together and when I went
on the web, it was next to impossible so I have switched over to my cable
account and am learning Eudora and life goes on.  I am liking Eudora better
than Juno, by the way.  It works well with JAWS.  Also, I like the fact
that editing is very similar to Microsoft Word so I will be happy with this
change.  It's just that I keep my handy little cheat sheet next to me at
all times while I am learning all the new commands and, as you know, some
stuff just isn't covered and that's when I panic and start asking questions
again.  Thanks so much for all your patience!!

        Anyway, on to more serious matters.  The situation with Chris, well, I
don't know how I feel right now.  Yesterday, I was crying, Wednesday, I was
mad and humiliated.  I spend a lot of time next to his bed pouring out my
heart to God.  We began tapping his phone conversations last week after he
took off with someone that he refused to identify and, Phil is right, it's
sickening to find out more truth than you thought you could bare.
          Chris is using pot more than he will admit too.  He told us and his
probation officer that he had only used twice and that he didn't like it,
but that's a lie.  We've taken his driving privileges away until he can
pass a drug test.  We had a drug test in the house.  He knew it and last
Thursday night he ransacked our room while we were at bible study,
administered the test to himself and, of course, it came up positive for
weed.  We fir figured this out by reading some instant messaging that he
had written, but then, Greg went through the garbage and we found the
proof, though, of course, he had flushed the sample down the toilet so we
had nothing to send to the lab.  The drug counselor that he saw last Friday
wasn't much help if he only did what Chris says.  According to Chris, the
counselor offered Chris a phone number for a place that he could find help
moving out and getting a low rent apartment and food stamps and so forth.
        He skipped school on Wednesday which isn['g good because he faces the
possibility of expulsion.  His first meeting with the probation officer was
this past Wednesday.  On the way, Chris informed us that he had dropped out
of school.  When we asked him what he had done officially, he said nothing,
but when I don't show up for a while, they'll get the hint.
        Fortunately, the probation officer saw things differently.  She wrote up a
contract with Chris with four conditions.  1, he may be a target for random
drug testing.  2, he must stay in school, 3, he must participate in in
home,  family counseling and 4,  he must see her every other week for
starters.  The thing is that Chris is such a good actor, I'm afraid that
he'll be able to sweet talk, or shmoose his way through whatever hoop that
he is presented with and everybody will think that he has repented and
reformed, leaving us looking like crazed parents who are creating the
problem.  Chris was very cooperative at the meeting.  So much so that the
probation officer commented on it and thanked him.  What she didn't see is
how badly he behaved toward us on the way home. Someone has suggested
getting a good tape recorder and we may have to do this to be able to prove
how nuts this whole situation is.
        Yesterday, we had a meeting with Chris at school.  Everybody sat around
telling him that he is much more capable than he is letting on and they
asked him what they could do to help him pull up his grades.  He just kept
saying, "I don't know.  I don't know."  Then, we got in the car to take him
over to his Voc. Ed. class, at another school and he let us know that he
hates us so much that he'd kill us if he wouldn't go to jail for it.  We've
let the special Ed. director know of this and she has encouraged us to let
the probation officer know, but so far, we haven't been able to get hold of
her.  Plus, we don't want to be frivolous in our complaints toward Chris
because she might get sick of us and let him off the hook, so we aren't
sure what to do at this point.  The probation officer did tell Chris that,
as of this point, he would never be emancipated so, at least that is
something.  It was just such an ugly scene.  The probation officer wanted
to know who chris' friends are and he refused so we had to name
names.  It's just not good right now.
        We've also learned two more things that are just making us heart
sick.  Chris', so called friends, know when pay day is for Chris.  Sure
enough, on Wednesday, right after getting home from our appointment, a
friend called wanted to know if Chris wanted to party.  Chris told him no
because he'd have to play it straight for a while, but then the friend
offered Chris a ride to go pick up his pay check and then asked Chris if he
could lend another kid $25 until Friday.  Yeah, right.  Anyway, Chris
offers his money liberally to whoever wants, just for rides and who knows
what else.  Have you ever heard of a more real life version of the prodigal
son?
        The other thing, we just learned last night and this is the most heart
breaking part of all.  There is a lady who has a son, Chris's age.  They
used to be friends and even sat together in church.  I think that I've
mentioned before that Chris no longer attends church.  I had also mentioned
a while back that I was bothered because this other boy appears to really
want to grow in his faith wile Chris seems determined to run away from it
as much as he can.  I had been concerned about Chris being a stumbling
block to the boy.
        Anyway, after the church break in last month, the two other boys who were
with Chris went to this fourth boy's house.  His name is Jeremiah.  There,
that should make this telling a little easier.  Anyway, Jeremiah didn't
think that what Chris and these two boys had done at church was right and
said so.  After the break in, when the other two boys had charges pressed
against them as well, these two boys stopped associating with Chris
altogether.  We were thrilled.  A short time later, we got a call from
Jeremiah's mother saying that a neighbor had just brought over a flier that
had been left in his newspaper box that accused Jeremiah of being a child
molester.  They had signed it with a police officer's name and everything.
        Jeremiah's mother assured us that she was pretty sure that Chris had
nothing to do with it since these other two boys weren't associating with
him any more.  She called the police, but they are having a hard time
finding evidence.  Well, last night, while Greg was reviewing Chris's
messages of the day, we think that we found, not only evidence that can
help her case, but that implicates Chris in the slander as well.  When we
present this evidence, Chris will be hit with more charges,.  He will know
that we have been doing, at least some spying and who knows what he will do
then.  Please pray for God's wisdom in all this.  Pray for our protection
and that we do what is right.
        You know, in Isaiah 42:16, when the Lord says that he will guide the blind
down many paths that they do not know, I had no idea that this was what He
meant.  We're still praying that we can convince someone that a residential
program would be best, if for no other reason then that I need a
break.  Yesterday, Greg took me out for breakfast, after Chris had
threatened to kill us.  He was trying to be so sweet, and I just sat there
blubbering in my coffee.  I'm clinging to the Lord so tightly now and to
His promise of being a refuge and comfort.  My walk with Him has become so
incredible, but physically, I struggle.
        Thanks for letting me go on about this.  Now, I pray that I can send it
without messing up.  GRIN!
God bless,
Kathy