hey ya'll i just had to share this with you...this is my **other*  even more important birthday!!!!
 
today,  last year, was my court date to get my name changed from my incestor father to a clean one!!!
 
it was on this day last year, i began my road to recovery in full bloom!!!   i got up that morning, after , surprisingly a peaceful night  (3 coors light helped)  anyway,  i had a sore throat that was just awful!! it felt like i swallowed a pack of razor blades, but i was not gonna let that **mess up my day*   to boot,  i was running a bit late, and  there was a wreck on  I30 going into dallas!!  AND as if the darkness was giving me a **parting shot*  it was raining so bad you could see the raindrops bounce of the pavement!!!  talk about **stuff going against me* but i was a run away train!!  nothing was gonna put the brakes on my project!!!
 
i just gave it over to my HP  and  you know!!! soon as i **detached--let go*  from the worry and fretting,  the wreck was cleared faster than i have ever seen before,  the traffic was not bad at all,  but i got lost!!!  with the rain, it was hard to see and  i took the wrong turn,  had to ask a million people   "hey can you tell me where the district court is???"   well i was  **guided along*  by  kind pedestrians and got there ok.. i even found a parking spot near the court--just down the street from it and the guy at the gate was real nice!!  
 
once inside, they check you for weapons and junk and i had a  jack knife in my purse...forgot all about the thing!!  well .i had a choice--- run all the way back to my truck in the parking space that i was so  lucky to get or  **give a gift* to the checker...i did the second.. she was a nice gal, and i told her that was all stainless steel knife,  our company had gotten some as a promo on our trade show.. she was glad to get her *gift* i was glad to get past the gate and on to my destination...i peeked at my watch and time was running close!!
 
i go up the elevator and there is my lawyer waiting for me.. they moved our case to another room on another floor, so back into the elevator down 2 floors and into the room we go...there is NOone !!!  thank God we were early...we sat and talked and  "regan"  said to me  "now rosie, you know you just have to tell the truth, the way you did with me when you came into my office to begin this , and NO judge is going to turn you down--NOone in the world isn't gonna feel compassion for a lady trying so desperately to heal her life -- just easy does it and you will be fine"  
 
as the rain just poured out side,  we sat there, i was shivering from a slight fever,   and sooo ready for this to happen.   in walks the judge!!   a nice looking older man, wire rimmed glasses, LOTS of  pretty grey hair and real tall.   we approached the bench and my lawyer began the presentation, and  than after he began the procedings, he proceeded to ask me my ????s  and than there was that  "tell the court why you wish to change your name" !!!   well, i was always  *cut to the chase*  and this was no exception!!! i just looked at the judge and basically told him i did  "not want to bear the name of my rapist anymore, carrying his name was downright painful for me.. that i wanted to clean up the evil done to me and move on--free of his name that reminds me too much of the evil i suffered"   
 
well i wasn't even done with my speach which was short,  and the judge is signing my papers!!! his eyes were kinda glassy looking now and i think it really upset him for me to be standing there, shivering in my shoes, telling him the **why* part!!!!  when it was over i thanked him and he said to me "little lady, i am glad i was able to sit on this case and help you out!!  God bless you and i pray you recover and have the life you deserve" i was stunned at his kind and compassionate remarkes to me.....this older judge who had probably  **seen it all*  was obviously  moved by what happend to me and my fight to overcome it!!!!
 
my lawyer and i walked out of the courthouse  and he hugged me and  said  "you were GREAT!!!" he was happy.....  i was happy--- i was free---i felt like i had had a bath!!!!
 
as i walked to my truck,  briefcase with my precious papers inside of it in  hand, i noticed something!!!!!!   the sun was shining  and it had become a **gorgeous day*--- really, no kidding, the sky was as  blue as could be...and the clouds looked like big wads of cotton candy!!! --- still a bit humid from the rain, but it had this real  clean and fresh smell to it--  it looked and smelled  like i felt--   bad cold or no bad cold,  i didn't even feel my throat!!!!!
 
so happy b-day to me-- this family i met on the internet consented to my taking their last name!!! i am grateful!!!    thank you,   done------- rosie