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Talk to the bride. Get a sense of her vision for the day. Think of the wedding as a big production — you have one of the leading roles. Find out from the bride (the director) how to dress your part.
A good idea is to have the bride send you magazine pictures to get an idea of what style she has in mind. If she’d like you to wear a mother of the bride dress style you’re not happy wearing, let her know and do your best to compromise. It’s her day, but you have to feel comfortable.
Then bring these suggestions to begin your shopping for the plus size mother of the bride dresses, you will work well, go for it.
One year ago, my Mom let go of this life. She surrendered all she had left and slipped, relatively smoothly I might add, away. Her body was still here on this Earth and her closest family and friends gathered around her bedside to bundle our love for a care-package for her to take with her. At around 8:30 at night, on August 17th, she finally let go completely and made the journey from this life to the next. I don't know what made her stick around for the 15 hours she did in a sort of "limbo" but I like to think that she just loved us too much to just jet on out of here. Ya know what I was doing during those 15 hours? I was watching fun movies with my best friend Tommy (and later Will and Emily as well). Doing exactly what she would have me doing. Carrying on. Not doting on her. When it first happened (when we realized that she wasn't coming back), I did probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life. At that moment in time, it didn't feel hard because I just NEEDED someone but I called our priest, Mike, and let him know that "This is it." But after that, I spent my time with my greatest friend on Earth. The only person who could POSSIBLY give me comfort. Exactly as my Mom would have liked.
I realize this because of the year that's passed. I've realized many, many things. I've grown. I'm moving out of the third house of the three I grew up in and, ironically, moving into the first house that I grew up in in order to live my own life and grow up, for the second time, in it. There's no doubt in my mind that this house is where I need to be. It's an ironic full circle but it really represents how much I've come in just one year.
In only one year, I've realized just how much love means. You always hear "Don't throw around the L-word." Maybe in relationships that works but it doesn't work in life outside of a romantic relationship. Can there ever be enough love? The answer is no because God is perfect love. We make it what it can be and it comes damn near close. I feel love for all of my friends, the newest and the closest. I feel love for all of my family, even those I don't speak with. And the greatest source of this love, other than God?
My Mom.
My Mom was love. She is love. Which means she is constant. Which means she is always near, always here. I think that one of God's greatest gifts is a Mother's love and, if you don't realize this, now is the time to realize it. Don't realize it after she's gone. Realize it now and be thankful for it.
Now I realize something else. I realize that it has only been a year. One year. I can't lay claim to how many years I have left but, however many I have, I will strive to make sure that other people know of this love. Today is only the start. How far can I spread this new realization in two years?
After 15....yes, 15 hours of deliberation, we have a verdict!!! At around 3:30 pm this afternoon, the jury in the case against Dale Neumann came back with a verdict. Finally. I was seriously afraid that it would be a hung jury and it would start all over again with a new jury. But, no, the jury finally was able to come to a consensus.
And a GOOD one at that. We the jury, find Dale Neumann.....an idiot. No, unfortunately that's not against the law, even though it should be. He was found GUILTY of second degree reckless homicide, in the death of his 11 year old daughter!! :D <---- smiles at the verdict, not the death of his daughter. I didn't celebrate as loudly as I did when his wife was convicted because I feel like ass today, but I still am thrilled with the verdict.
When the guilty verdict was read, he showed NO emotion. What does that tell you? A gag order is still in effect, meaning that no one from the prosecutors office, defense attorney, Dale Neumann himself, are allowed to comment. But, as he left the courtroom, Neumann was heard humming a song and seen carrying his Bible. Sentencing is in October at the same time as his wife's. They both are out on bail right now and will continue to be.
Apparently because of these two trials, the county's budget is in the red and will need to dip into an emergency fund. The county taxpayers paid $30k for attorney and jury expenses before Dale Neumann's verdict was read, and the Clerk of Courts says that they would likely end up contributing to the emergency fund as well. And, when you think about it, the taxpayers are also paying for both Neumann's prison time. We're bending over and taking it in the ass for them killing their daughter. Doesn't seem like true justice, does it?
You can read more or watch video at WSAW.com.
Today closing statements were given in the trial against 47 year old Dale Neumann. He is being tried for second degree reckless homicide in the death of his daughter Kara, 11. She died from untreated diabetes in March 2008. His wife, Leilani, was convicted of the same charges in May 2009.
The prosecutor said that the failure to obtain medical treatment was a substantial factor in causing Kara's death. He said that she'd been limp like a rag doll and comatose the entire morning of her death and there had been plenty of time to save her life; according to testimony by medical personnel, she didn't have the normal appearance of a child at all. The prosecutor stated that diabetes is easily treated and untreated diabetes results in death (which is why I take my insulin!!). He argued that Neumann did nothing to put an end to Kara's suffering and misery, and while he had medical training as a former deputy sheriff, he minimized his daughter's condition. The prosecutor emphasized that Neumann made Kara's illness a test of his own faith and asked the jury to find Neumann guilty of second degree reckless homicide.
The defense attorney said the state hasn't proven basic elements of the case; he said that dispatch helped cause Kara's death by not initially sending an ambulance after being told of Kara's comatose state. He also says that the state didn't bring one witness to prove Neumann was phony or aware his actions of faith healing would cause Kara's death.
The prosecutor rebutted to the closing argument stating that Kara lying there for hours and hours and not being given medical treatment was a substantial factor. The prosecutor then tells the jury that they should find the great bodily harm reason to convict, if they can't convict on Neumann's awareness she would die.
The jury started deliberating around 10:30 am. It got to be around dinner time and it was announced they had not reached a verdict. They chose to keep going for a while before taking a dinner break. Around 7 they took a break for dinner, and it was around 8:30 pm they interrupted television to announce that the jury would be sequestered for the evening in a hotel and in the morning they would go back to the courthouse to return to deliberations. It seems the jury is at an impasse. Deadlocked. Cannot come to a unanimous decision.
In Leilani's trial, they reached a verdict in around 4 hours. This time? 10 hours and nothing. The bastard is gonna get off, and why? Perhaps because he ranted like a crazy man on the stand. I've never been on a jury, but I know that the more people that have to make a decision on something, the more difficult. You have conflicting personalities from different backgrounds and ways of thinking. What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in that jury room. I suppose no one will really know until afterward when the jurors are more able to talk about things that may have swayed their decision.
Hopefully the next time I blog about this, it will be with a verdict. Even more, to announce a guilty verdict.
It's not right to just sit and pray when a child is dying, especially from something that is very curable.
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