Dear Journal~

Terri Monique Leroi-Howter writing.  I hope this finds you well and happy. 

I most definitely am.  I married my partner; we got married about six months ago and the love we share has only gotten stronger.   It has gotten to the point to where we can't imagine our world without each other.

I'm now known as Terri Monique Leroi-Howter.  My partner's name is Wendy Leigh.  I met her at a bar about a year ago.  It was love at first sight.  Wendy is beautiful: short, short hair that is dyed brick-red and purple, huge, luminous green eyes ringed with incredibly long lashes, and a killer figure (big ass, big boobs, curves in all the right places).  Wendy works at a local elementary school.  She is a janitor. 

As for me, I am putting myself through college.  Have been going to school for a year and am still trying to figure out the path I want to take.  Right now everything's still in the experimental stage, as far as classes go.  College keeps me insanely busy; seems that I have homework nearly every night.

I have seen Jennifer Kaylin Steele around town, and she'll be civil enough to say hi, but we'll never be friends again.  Ever since she left me, I haven't had anything to do with her.  Just as well: she doesn't want to have anything to do with me either.  

She is now a born-again Christian and is on the cusp of marrying her boyfriend, who is one of Nashville's Finest: he is a cop.

I wish her all the best in life, but as I said, our friendship is over.  Finito.  Kaput.  *Pffft!*

Jennifer's son, Ant'won, has gotten big: he is about to be 11 this year and is just as tall as his mom (that is, if he could stand up).  He's really a good-looking boy.  He is in a wheelchair; he has spina bifida.  He was born with it.

His Mom is in a chair, too.  She was paralyzed in a construction accident over 10 years ago.  Nothing slows her down.  She does what she wants to, or dies trying.

In addition to Ant, Jennifer has two step daughters:  Karis and Caylie, who are 10 and 8.  They are both brats, especially Caylie: Caylie is all mouth.  I can't stand her!  I hear her whining, and I just want to slap her mouth clean off of her face!  If there is one thing I can't stand, it's mouthy, punk-assed kids who think they're all that!

Anyway, back to MY story.  I have a child too, thanks to artificial means.  Another woman had a baby and gave up all parental rights to him.  We adopted him.  Dillyn Maverick, and he's six.

He's the apple of my eye.  Wendy's, too. 

He is a really beautiful little boy: he has curly black hair and violet-colored eyes.  He's almost angelic looking.  He's the type of kid that make people stop and take note of him whenever he goes by.

Wendy and I love Dillyn with all our heart and soul.  Dillyn is incredibly smart and is in TAG classes at Eastview Elementary, where he is in the second grade, even though he is not even seven yet.  He can read books for middle-grade students and even some high school text books ... and understands what he's read!  He loves anything to do with math, science, and reading and has proved to be a talented artist, too. We are both incredibly proud of our son!

People still tend to frown on Wendy and I because we are gay, but hell, we don't care.  We're people too; we put our pants on the same way as they do!  If they have a problem with us, then fuck 'em.  We don't need their stupid-assed judgmental attitudes in our lives!  We're much better off without 'em!

Even Jennifer judges me and I'm sorry, but I can't stand that!  I'm better off without her (and her husband and son, too)!

Well, I hate to run, but Wendy wants to go grocery shopping; so we're gonna raid Wally World and clean 'em out.  I will write in here again soon; until later, this is Terri Leroi-Howter saying so long!  Take care!

~Terri.