My name is Charles (Charlie) Osgood.  I live in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with my wife, Honey, and our five children.  We have three sons (Carsyn, Camron, and Cash Carter, who are eight, five, and two), and two daughters (Lexie Dawn and Lottie Anne, who are thirteen and seven).  We also have two Great Pyranees dogs named Sparkles and Sam.

I am a disability rights lawyer for the state of Colorado; my wife works for the Colorado Springs school system; she works in the office all year round.  We are both happy at our jobs; we love what we do.

We did have four children, but about six months ago, in February, we added a daughter from Georgia into our brood.  We couldn't be any happier.  Lottie Anne came with many problems (most of them emotional), but we are working  hard to help her overcome them.  We suspect she was abused, but we are already showering her with love, attention, and hope, to show her that there are good people in this world who love and care for her.

It is too early to tell if it is having any significant impact upon her life, but she isn't as wild as she used to be.  She is learning to talk and go to the potty (she wore diapers and we are working hard to move her up to big girl underwear); she is also learning to trust and how to love others.  She was rather feral in nature, but she has been undergoing much in the way of behavioral/mental therapy and we see a tiny spark of light and hope in those big blue-green eyes of hers.

We really don't know a lot about Lottie's early history except that she came from Georgia and was obviously abused: physically, mentally/emotionally, and we suspect sexually.  At first she was extremely terrified of me but Lottie has learned that not all men are out to harm her.  She can now come up to me and give me a hug or a kiss (but only when SHE wants to; we don't force her into doing things she doesn't feel comfortable witih).

Lottie may always need therapy or counseling, but as long as she shows improvement, that's all we care about.  We hope to introduce her into a school setting in September (next month); we have been working with her to teach her the alphabet and how to recognize numbers and simple words.  We have also been teaching her how to write and to recognize the basic colors.  We don't know how far she will progress, but any step forward is a cause for celebration!

Lottie has gotten used to having other kids around, but we have to remind tCamron and Cash Carter that Lottie isn't used to being around littler kids so they have to try to be on their best behavior at all possible times.  Little kids tend to make her nervous.  She also has to learn about boundaries/family rules and how to share.  It isn't easy dealing with her outbursts at times, but we feel that in time they will become less and less.

Or at least we are HOPING they do.

Well, Cash and Camron are fighting again and Lottie is crying, so I'd best tend to the situation as soon as possible.  I will write in here again; until later, this is Charlie Osgood signing off!  Take care!

~Charles.

~To be continued.~