I am 41.  I have been gifted with two fantastic boys.  My eldest is 19 and attends an Art School in Virginia.  His work is incredible!  I am very excited and proud for him!  Next - Behind Door  #2 ... is the younger, not so little brother, who is 14 and has started High School this year!  Yikes!  They're turnin' into real guys!

I am grateful my Creator allowed me to be their Mom!  In fact, I would have to say I adore bein' their Mom!  I suppose that's easy to say when they are over 400 miles away.  I do miss them, desperately!  Today, I choose to be grateful for their Dad and Bonus Mom, though I'm sure I don't express that sentiment often enough.  I have no regrets,  "I do not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it," after all they are growin' into incredible young gentlemen.  I admire both of them for bein' independent and takin' risks - steppin' out on faith!  My littlest "man cub" took the initiative to go out and find volunteer positions over the summer workin' with younger kids.  He's so cool!

I love children!  I am goin' to be a fabulous grandmother - one day - but let's not rush things!  Children three and under are drawn to me like magnets.  It's almost as if they can sense that we are on the same emotional level!  I have a niece and nephew and I suppose, I should practice bein' a better 'Aint Darleen'!  My younger cousin, who was adopted as a baby is the same age as my niece and she calls me 'Aint Darleen', too!  It's kinda groovy actually!  I am blessed with friends who actually let me play with their kids!   You may find this hard to believe but there was a time in my life when that was not the case!  It's so cool to have little kids run up to me and hug me, or grab my leg (when they grab the crutches, that's a little comical!) I have several alias'- I am known as, 'Aint Darleen', 'Aint Darleenie', 'Aint Dar', 'Dar,' 'Dar Dar' and 'Miss Darleen'.

  I can not express how groovy it is to have little kids come and just sit down next to me and give me a hug, or talk about a gift I gave them, or tell me about their Star Wars heroes, or babies who reach for me and are comfortable enough:  A) To let me sing to them and B) To fall asleep in my arms.  It's a wonderful feeling when toddlers run up to me and start talkin'... well... toddler talk and we can carry on a conversation until one of us gets distracted! <P>

 My other alias's well... though they may not be aware of my 'sensitive/intuitive' nature but I am quite aware of the 'colorful' names my earth family, friends and acquaintances assign to me on any given day!  I try to remember it's none of my business what 'you' think of me!<