The Next Step

Steve called last night to let us know that his attorney received the anticipated papers from Tracy's attorney. (This is all so foreign to me...I can't believe it as I write it. Surely this is a nightmare and I'll wake up soon). Steve sat down with the children and went over the papers, showing what she's requesting and talking about statements she's making. These kids have had to grow up very fast in a very short time. She claims that Steve is turning the kids against her when the kids say she has done this to herself by continuing to put them in situations with her and her "boyfriend" that make them very uncomfortable. She has even shown the kids where she and Peter sleep and the closet and bathroom they share. I know that God is in control and will watch over these children, but sometimes I feel like I need to help Him out a little. I'm so thankful that Todd and Julie are there to offer loving support to the kids and Steve.
Please continue to remember us in prayer!

Will This Never End?

I've been home now for 2 weeks. California seems so removed from this quite little life in Ohio. It seems like it's a world away. We had a call from Todd Thursday night at 11:30 saying that Steven had been arrested and was in the Bakersfield jail. That was all he knew, except that the kids were with Tracy and Peter. (horrors!) We immediately jumped to all the wrong conclusions...Steve had done something stupid to get in trouble...he'd run into Peter or Tracy and had an altercation...he'd been picked up for ...almost anything and everything was running through our minds. A little later, Todd called back and said that all the cars were still at PMC, and Steve had managed to get a phone call in to Todd asking that he go to Steve's house to turn off the oven. That indicated to us that something happened while on the hill and he was taken from there. Todd pointed us to a website which showed the actual booking time, his booking # and the complaint, which was a misdemeanor, and not a felony. It said the reason was "breaking a court order" and said bail was set at $5,000.00. He was to appear on Monday, 4 days later if he could not meet bail. We were devastated since we didn't know how he would come up with the money and we had no idea what was going on with the kids. It turned out that Tracy called the sheriff and said Steve had broken the "stay away order" by contacting her (even though she has done it many times) but this time, Steve was upset over the way she had promised to take Rachel with Sissy and Jake, but at the last minute changed her mind, and had all the kids in tears when she took off with them. Steve called and left a message on her answering machine saying "Tracy, what were you thinking??? You left Rachel standing out in the street and the kids were crying...what are you thinking??? She called the sheriff and said she'd been harrased by Steve and he'd broken the stay away order. (this was all done on the phone, not in person) After that, Steve put his dinner in the oven, sat down to watch a hockey game on TV, and within 20 minutes, 2 squad cars pulled up in front of the house, the cops came in , handcuffed him and wouldn't even let him turn the oven off before taking him away. When Tracy had the sheriff listen to the message, he said she had 3 choices...to let it go, they could go talk to Steve and remind him not to call, or have him arrested. She chose to have him arrested, then lied to the kids that Daddy was going to be staying with Frank Lloyd for the night. They thought that sounded funny since Daddy always watches Survivor with them on Thursday night. She told the kids that they would be having their first sleep-over at her house and they both cried. Through a very long turn of events, Frank Lloyd posted the 5,000 bail and he and Todd drove to Bakersfield to get Steve out of jail. Frank is like a big brother to Steve and he has taken this as his mission...to help Steve through this. Rick and I went through almost 30 hours of agony, not knowing what was happening, how the kids were, and how Steve was holding up. He is the only person I know who can make the best out of a horrible situation. Now that it's nearly over, he tells such funny stories about how his jail time was and all the characters he met. It seems like he would have grounds for false arrest if things were fair, but we know in this life things are not always fair. We are trusting the Lord to watch out for him and the dear children. It seems like Tracy is digging her own grave and she wants to take as many people with her as she can.