On July 5th, 1990, Stacey Lannert shot and killed her father who had been abusing her sexually since she was 7.  Missouri state law, a disbelieving prosecutor, and Stacey’s own fragile psyche conspired against her: she was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Redemption is Stacey’s candid memoir of what happened after she found herself in prison for life.  It is an extraordinary account of Stacey’s will to live a positive-even triumphant- life, and ultimately, the healing power of forgiveness.

After spending as many years in prison as she had out of it, on January 10th, 2009 outgoing Missouri governor, Matt Blunt, commuted Stacey’s life sentence.  Six days later, she walked out of the prison gates a free woman.  Redemption is the story of how Stacey became a free woman while still inside those gates.

Redemption starts out as the story of an idyllic family that seems to have everything.  Quickly, it turns into something ugly as Tom, Stacey’s father starts coming home drunk every night.  A sickening, disturbing memoir, Redemption is Stacey’s attempt to free herself finally from the secret she kept for so long.  Please stop by my book blog By Book or By Crook for the full review.

Sunday- Made a loaf of sandwiches for the church bingo today, Visited Papa and then went to the Fall Court of Honor.  Mom & Dad joined us for the award ceremony as well.

Monday- After all the hard work of earning the awards, on Scout night tonight we had pizza and a movie.  Jeff and I went out for supper while Zach was at scouts.  We stopped in at TJ’s log cabin for burger night where they have 20 different kinds of burgers to choose from!

Tuesday- Jeff and I watched Gracie while Monica went to RCIA class.  Gracie and I read and watched part of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer before we left to meet up with her mother.

Wednesday- Because of the holiday Zach didn’t have confirmation so he was excited about having a free evening and I was happy I didn’t have to drive him anywhere.

Thursday- Thanksgiving (see previous post)

Friday- Black Friday.  I don’t want to talk about it.  Just think of state fair traffic/tailgate parties/drunk customers/sales on steroids and you’ll understand.  I’m too old to still be working this mess!

Mom had everyone out for Thanksgiving.  I don’t know how she finds the energy with all her disabilities but she manages to pull it off.  My aunt Candy joined us this year and she brought Papa out from the nursing home.  Even though Tyler had to work, Monica and Gracie were there with us too. 

Mom always puts on quite a spread but I noticed there was one thing she was missing.  Tums for afterwards!

Then towards the end of the ceremony I was also presented with an award.  I was honored to receive the Bronze Pelican medal which is a Boy Scout religious award.  I have since found out I am the only one in the Brainerd area to ever receive this award so I’m kind of excited about that. 

It was a great night and I continue to be impressed by our troop.  We have the best troop in the whole Central Minnesota Council!

Saturday- Zach had to work 9-3 so he missed out on hunting this morning but he made it home in time to go out tonight.  Mom, Gracie and I went to the nursing home to visit Papa.  He loves to just sit and watch Gracie play.  After a trip to the library to replenish our children’s library books we came home.

Sunday-Well, the final day of deer hunting and we added no more to the freezer (which is fine by me!)  Two is enough for us. 

Monday-Tonight for our Ad Altare Dei class I had the boys make altar bread for our chapter on the Eucharist.  Then, during the regular Scout meeting I worked on recharter and finally got that done.  Whew! 

Tuesday- Gracie spent the evening with us and Brenda dropped off my Pampered Chef order.  I love my stir and chop utensil and the can opener is awesome!

Wednesday- Zach had a free evening because he didn’t have to work because Wednesdays are confirmation nights but there was no confirmation either.

Thursday- Bible Study tonight was on Revelation 16-18.  Small group tonight, there were only 5 of the 13 there but sometimes a smaller group makes for a more intimate discussion.

Friday-  Spent the evening reading Mayflower a non-fiction book about the pilgrims coming to America.  I thought it was a fitting read for November.

For most of this book I thought I was reading about the lives of Caesar and Mark Antony.  Not much is truly known about Cleopatra so what little we do know of her comes from her involvement in the lives of these two world renowned men.  Little exists in print or chiseled portraits of this intelligent manipulative woman.

Cleopatra was an enigma; very knowledgeable in science, politics and the arts, she had riches beyond measure and she was charming to boot.  So charming in fact, that most men who met her fell hopelessly in love with her despite the fact that she was not the great beauty Elizabeth Taylor portrayed her to be.

I learned a lot about Roman and Egyptian culture and their forms of government at the time, but I wish I would have learned more about this fascinating and beloved ruler.  3/5 stars

Our book club struggled with this discussion because only 2 of the 8 that came that night had finished it.  There were a few others that were very close to finishing which did help some, but we had a good time anyway.  Amy P, who was hosting us that night dressed up like Cleopatra!

Isn’t our book club cool?!  We had lots of food (meatballs, beer bread, apple cake, etc.)  I always like to theme my food off the book somehow.  I didn’t have a whole lot of time for cooking that night since I had to get Zach to work so I brought Fig Newtons (since Cleopatra called for sweet figs the day she committed suicide) and Greek yogurt (in honor of Caesar.)

Corny I know, but it worked!  :)   Our book club read for December is Christmas Wedding by James Patterson.

Saturday-Hunting Opener (see previous post)

Sunday- Guys still hunting.  Monica, Gracie, Zach and I went to Seth’s 10th birthday party and then we dropped Zach off at work.  We had Finger Lickin’ Chicken Chops in the crockpot all day so the house smelled yummy when we got home!

Monday- Zach flew in the house after school and donned his hunting clothes so he could hunt for an hour and a half after school before we headed to scouts.  I taught the Ad Altare Dei class for an hour before scouts and then we had our regular Scout class.

Tuesday-Book Club.  We reviewed Cleopatra: A Life.  It was not an easy read since it was non-fiction (I thought it was historical fiction when I nominated it!) but as alwasy it was a great review.  Today was my dad’s 69th birthday.  Happy Birthday Dad!  I love you!

Wednesday-  Zach stayed home from school to hunt today.  We let him do that one day out of the hunting season.  He had no luck though and didn’t even see one.  He also had confirmation and on the way home from that class we were only traveling 35-40 mph because it was snowing so hard we couldn’t see the road!  Then we headed to mom’s for Dad’s birthday party.

Thursday- Bible Study was Revelation 14-15.  After coming home I used some essential oils I had received from a friend to massage Jeff’s leg that has been bothering him for the last week.  I’m using a combination of lemongrass, wintergreen and peppermint.  I don’t know if it’s working yet but it sure smells good.  At least I think so, Tyler thinks it smells like a nursing home in here!

Friday-Monica and Gracie came over for the weekend again.  We watched Eclipse (Twilight Saga).  We have free Showtime for 3 months as an anniversary gift from DIRECTV.  

Throughout the morning Gracie and I would hear gunshots from behind the house but we didn’t know if they were from our group or someone else.  Around 9:30 we started breakfast knowing the hunters are normally back by 10.  We started with Monkey Bread.  I quartered the biscuit dough while Gracie shook the pieces in the cinnamon sugar mixture and dropped them in the bundt pan.  We also made sausage and scrambled eggs for breakfast burritos. Breakfast was ready but the hunters were back.  That’s when I found out Jeff shot a buck.

It was a 7-point buck with a drop down tine. He was pretty excited!  After breakfast they all took a nap and then they went out again.  I put stroganoff in the oven and Gracie and I played and read books all afternoon.  Right before dark Monica shot one.

After cleaning up we had supper and headed to church to thank the Lord for an abundant day!

Sunday- Church, home for breakfast, spent 4 1/2 hours doing some freezer cooking, brought Zach to work, went to an Eagle Scout ceremony, visited  Papa, went home and made supper , then back in to pick Zach up from work.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Monday- Halloween.  My little Gracie girl dressed up as Rapunzel with the long blond hair.  They went trick or treating at some of the businesses in town and then came out for supper and treats.  Mom was sick in bed all day with some nasty stomach flu thing so she wasn’t able to trick or treat there, but we had fun playing at our house for the remainder of the evening.    Zach had to work and missed it all.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Tuesday- Because of today being the All Saints holiday and a Holy Day of Obligation there was no RCIA class for Monica but they did ask that the students go to Mass instead.  Monica & Gracie came out for supper (Gracie helped me make mini pizzas and ate more of the cheese then she put on!) and then we went to Mass and afterwards I went in to pick Zach up for work.  He breathed a big sigh of relief- after 6 days straight he now has 3 days off!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Wednesday- Jeff has been off all week on vacation, lucky guy!  Zach had confirmation tonight and after I dropped him off I went to Mom & Dad’s to visit but mom still wasn’t feeling to well and she fell asleep before I got there!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Thursday- Jeff and I met Zach after school for school conferences.  He is doing really well and I have to say it was one of the more pleasant conferences I had been to.  It’s nice to hear his teachers say he is doing good in class and is respectful.  I’m a proud mama!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Friday- Tyler, Monica & Gracie came over tonight.  The mighty hunters will be trying to shoot a thirty-point buck this weekend while I babysit the little princess.  We had a quick supper before Monica and I headed to a Pampered Chef party hosted by a friend of mine.  Not long after we got home everyone was pretty much ready to hit the hay.  I wonder why?

Yep, he was pretty proud of himself getting hired right on the spot like that. He started the next day. I had to laugh because when I picked up and he got in the car do you know what the first thing he said was? Not I’m tired, or I work tomorrow, or my first day was fun. No, it was “Jeez! Food is expensive! I bought a roast beef sandwich for supper tonight and it cost $2.99!” I had to laugh at that one!