Chris's Parole Hearing...

Well, we made it to and from Chris's parole hearing today...I am SO tired! I went with my mom and Belen. Right as we got to the gate at the prison in Gunnison, Belen had a HUGE blowout, so I had to hurry and change her...apparently we looked suspicious because the sheriff came to make sure we weren't being naughty :) If I had been braver, I would have asked him for his help...it was definitely a 5 handed diaper (you need at least 5 hands to change it). We got there a little early, so we had to wait for about an hour. But that was good because it gave me time to get the baby fed and to sleep. Life was good.

Once we were inside, I realized I had worn the wrong bra, so I had to go in the bathroom and take scissors to my one and only good nursing bra to cut out the underwires so I wouldn't set off the metal detectors. Crisis averted. In the meantime, Belen was asleep with the binky in her mouth. When I carried her through the metal detector, of course it went off, because...BINKY CLIP! Agh. So I had to unplug her from the binky, and of course she woke up. Blast. But she was calm so I figured we were good (they told me several times if she made a peep they would ask me to leave with her...no pressure).

We made our way down the security hall, through the fishbowl of claustrophobia, and into the courtroom. As soon as we sat down, she started getting figety. As the hearing officer conducted the hearing, he asked Chris a bunch of questions, and had him respond. Chris said all the right things. I know that should make me happy, but it was a little too perfect. The disheartening part wasn't what Chris was saying as much as it was that the hearing officer seemed to be lapping it all up. To me, it was quite obvious that it was rehearsed to be what Chris knew they wanted to hear, but no one besides me and mom seemed savy to that.

Belen started getting fussy...I kept waiting for them to ask me to leave, but they never did, so I got up and walked to the back of the room to bounce her. It pacified her long enough to make it through the hearing luckily. After about 15 minutes of back and forth questions, the officer then said he would tell us his recommendation, but that it would be 2-3 weeks before we would hear what the board's final decision was. He is recommending Chris be released after 40 months of incarceration (that would put it about the end of June, this year) with counseling, possible enrollment of a half-way house, and no contact with Jonathan. Not what I was expecting, to be sure.

Through some miracle, I wasn't emotional or angry, or anything...I was just even. This was good, because as soon as I walked out, I left Belen with Mom and went in for a short visit with Chris. That's always fun :) He was very emotional because it was better than what he was hoping, and had a lot of big plans. I tried to reign him in a little, let him talk, and let him know we loved and cared about him. So fun. Not.

So, now that he is getting out, I am wondering what I am going to do with all of this useless knowlege about the court system, and parole hearings, and prison attire requirements, and so on.

The upside, was that Mom was taking pity on me, so she took me to my weakness of choice, The Olive Garden in Provo :) And I knew we were in Provo, because the young newlywed couple seated next to us, in tones loud enough for most to hear, conspicuosly bowed their heads, clasped hands, and prayed for like 5 minutes over their food. I am all for praying over all food, especially that which others have prepared, but there is something to be said for those who make a point of letting others know how righteous they are. It was funny. My mom is a better person than me, she thought it was sweet :) I digress...the food was YUMMY!!!! Food makes everything better :)

Bryan's mom and my friend, Ami, took the rest of the kids while I was gone, and I was SO grateful. As much as I enjoyed myself (hardy har har) I would have died if I couldn't have gone, so THANK YOU both!!!! :)