THANK YOU
Thanks to everyone who believed in me and helped me. Dr. Richard D. Close who help with the launch of my book. At the risk of sounding a bit conceited, I am giving myself thanks for having the fortitude to relive these experiences in order to get through the painful process of writing this memoir on my own.
DEDICATIONS
To you, Mommy Rose, you are a part of my soul and direction and will always be the biggest star in the sky until the day I die.
To my son, Rae/Raemond Lee, who saved my life. Without you in my life, there would have been no direction and no feet on the ground. I would have been self-destructive and having you to love was my lifeline to achieve a future. I made many bad choices but I also made a great deal of good ones, and I finally started to care and love myself for once. There would never be enough lifetimes to tell you or show you how much you are loved. We have our differences, but you are my best friend and truly a good son. I am proud of you no matter what you do in your life. We are not here to prove a point but to cherish all we encounter and never take for granted what we have. We had each other as a mother and son with no other family at all. I love you always and forever. -Mom
To Sharon, the daughter I wish I had raised. You were carried in my heart all your life and from the day I met you, you and your family have been present and share time with me. I do not have enough words to say that my heart is full and that if I were to die today, I would be the happiest woman alive to have this chance to share my life with you and your brother, Rae. Your smile lights up my soul and I can only dream about what life would have been like with you in it too. I am humble and grateful for you and your mom, and memories of you dad who passed on. You are blessed with a love family. You need to know that you are loved by me. Alway, Mom
To David, my soulmate. David, David, David, I miss you every day. Your helpful hand was always there and you put hours and hours into building, cooking, cleaning, getting the sticker for my car every year or cutting the grass and painting the house. You gave me flowers for no occasion. You loved animals and doing impulsive things, riding bikes together, digging rocks in mines, driving to wherever at anytime and trying to love me too much. I miss all of that. I don't miss other things like your being sick and passing on. I cannot understand why someone like you had to go, but I am grateful for eighteen years of your life with my life. Thank you for your always positive feedback like, "Yes, Lib, do it and I will help you," or "I know you can." I miss you so much. I hope your trip to heaven was heavenly. Your spirit lives on. Love always, Lib
To Joe, I shared over fifteen years of time with you, some of it good and some of it bad. It was a hard time for me when David died. I never wanted to be around anyone after that, and we me at an unusual time and place. I am so glad we met and I'm so glad to have known your mom, Mary. You were lucky to have in your life and I adored and loved her. And I love your dad, too. Love to you always. Libbe
To Larry, my best friend. David introduced you to me after he was diagnosed with leukemia. He couldn't work on the house anymore and there was a lot to finish. As Dave became sicker, he asked you to please watch over me as a friend. That was over fifteen years ago and we have been friends ever since. At first you were paid for all the jobs but over the years, and when I didn't have money anymore, you still were there, always. You are a dedicated friend, Larry, and have done much for so many. I hope someday I can repay you. I couldn't have maintained my house or store without your help. You are loved, Bucky!
To John Morrison. John, you were and still are an inspiration to me. You always made me believe I could do my book and that I have a good story to tell. I hope you will be proud of the work I have done and that the book is finally being done. I wish you the best of health and happiness always, Libbe.
CREDITS
Publisher
Ernie Williams
A Thorn in Rose's Garden
Anne Cain/CoverArt
The Kingdom of Irisia
Lynlea Michaels/Illustrator (illustration owned by Libbe Leah and cannot be copied or reproduced without permission)
Haggy Baggy
Allyson Woolf/Editor & Illustrator
Christmas with the Cockroaches
Allyson Woolf/Editor
Kristin Musser/Illustrator
Hummer Bummer Vol. 1 & 2
Please Don't Pick the Pansies
Farmer Duuey Dew
Mae's Vacuum
Sarah Fuller/Illustrator
Website Design