I've been a chatter here at Bianca's since November 1996. At the time I was running a BBS and one of my users who knew I had internet access said I should check out Bianca's, giving me the addresses for both the bathroom and the bedroom. He said he thought I'd like the place and he was right. I never really felt at home in the bathroom, but instantly loved the bedroom. I've been hooked ever since! I used to laugh in chat until my sides literally hurt and my face felt like I was stuck with a perma-grin. It was a great thing. I've met many wonderful people online thanks to Bianca's and many of them I've also met in the real world too which has been a real blessing. I really do feel blessed to have met such warm and caring people, and it's thanks to the existence of a place called Bianca's!

I'm a stay at home mom with five children. I am a mom of six though. My son Jacob passed away due to SIDS when he was just 2 1/2 months old. He may not be with my physically, but he will be forever in my heart, and he's in my thoughts daily. I feel his presence in the warmth of the sun's rays, in the gentle breezes that blow, in the scent of blooming flowers, I feel him all around me.

My other children are Jesse, Alyssa, Caitlin, Chelsea and Lilianna. My son Jesse says it's not fair that he has so many little sisters, making jokes about building an outhouse in the back yard when they're older so he won't have to fight for bathroom time!

Jesse

Alyssa

Caitlin

Chelsea

Jacob

Lilianna

Other than the daily ritual of household chores and taking care of the kids, I like to fiddle around with graphics and webpages when I get the chance. I like reading, crocheting, gardening, playing cards, watching movies. I don't get to do any of those things very often though. With a family the size of mine, there's always something to do, or someone needing me. I wouldn't have it any other way. Mind you, sometimes, I wouldn't mind too much if Calgon really could take me away!! My mom told me this: "A man can work from sun to sun but a woman's work is never done." I hate to say it, but mom was definitely right on that one! More and more I'm realizing mom's been right all along, about lots of things!! I've also noticed that my dad has the same affliction, he's right about lots of things too! Scary I know. I can remember when they just didn't know anything!! Now they know everything and I find myself constantly leaning on them for advice which is something I never thought I'd do when I was younger. My parents are wonderful people. I'm very fortunate to have them, I don't know what I'd do without their guidance sometimes. I miss the days when the smells of mom baking, or cuddling up on dad's lap would solve any problem in the world. I can't figure out why I was in such a hurry to grow up, but here I am, struggling my way through adulthood. I've been faced with a lot of hardships and difficulties in my life, but I just keep going, an hour at a time, a day at a time, whatever I can handle at any given moment, and somehow, I always make it through.

"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself." --Ethel Barrymore

The following is one of those many email forwards which circulate forever in cyberspace. I liked this one so I saved it. I think it describes me at least in part, and I've certainly been called a bitch enough times in my life.

When I stand up for myself and my beliefs, they call me a bitch.

When I stand up for those I love, they call me a bitch.

When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts, or do things my own way, they call me a bitch.

If being a bitch entails raising my children to be strong people who have a solid sense of personal and social responsibility, who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in and who love and respect themselves for the beautiful beings they are. Then I am a bitch!

If being a bitch means that I am free to be the wonderful creature that I am, with all my own intricacies, contradictions, quirks and beauty. Then I am a bitch!

If being a bitch means I won't compromise what's in my heart. It means I live my life MY way. It means I won't allow anyone to step on me.

When I refuse to tolerate injustice and speak up against it, then I am defined as a bitch.

The same thing happens when I take time for myself instead of being everyone's maid, or when I act a little selfish.

I am proud to be a bitch! It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won't become anyone else's idea of what they think I "should" be.

I am outspoken, opinionated, and determined. By God, I want what I want, and there is nothing wrong with that!

So although you may try to stomp on me, try to douse my inner flame, try to squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me, You will not succeed. And if that makes me a bitch, so be it. I embrace the title and am proud to bear it.

I also love to laugh. I found these really funny!

One afternoon a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring the cartoon channel and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and small pile of sand was spread by the back door. He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she may be ill or that something serious had happened. He found her lounging in the bedroom, still curled in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked,

"What happened here today?"

She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and ask me what in the world I did today?"

"Yes" was his incredulous reply.

She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."

One day a man spotted a lamp by the roadside. He picked it up, rubbed it vigorously, and a genie appeared.

"I'll grant your fondest wish," the genie said.

The man thought for a moment, then said, "I want a spectacular job -- a job that no man has ever succeeded at or has ever attempted to do."

"Poof!" said the genie. "You're a housewife."

A man was complaining:

"Oh Lord, please have mercy on me, I work so hard, meantime my wife stays at home, I would give anything if you would grant me one wish, switch me into my wife. She's got it easy at home I want to teach her a lesson on how tough a man's life is."

As God was listening he felt sorry for this soul and granted his wish. Next morning the "new woman" wakes up at dawn, makes lunch boxes, prepares breakfast, wakes up the kids for school, puts a load of clothes in the washer, takes the meat out of the freezer, drives the kids to school, on his way back stop at the gas station, cashes a cheque, pays the electricity and phone bills, picks up some clothes from the cleaners, quickly goes to the market. It was 1:00 already, he made the beds, took the clothes out of the washer and put another load in, he vacuumed the house, made some rice, went to pick up the kids from school had an argument with the kids. As soon as he got home he fed the kids, washed the dirty dishes, he hung the damp clothes he had washed on the chairs because it was raining outside. He helped the kids with their homework, watched some TV while he ironed some clothes, prepared dinner, he gave the kids a bath and put them to sleep. At 9:00 he was exhausted so he went to bed. Of course there were some more wifely duties to be done there too and some how he managed to get them done and finally fell asleep.

The next morning he prays to God once again:

"Oh Lord, what was I thinking when I asked you to grant my wish, I can't take it anymore. I beg you, please switch me back to myself, please oh please!"

Then he heard God's voice speaking to him, saying:

"Dear son, of course I'll switch you back into yourself but there's one minor detail, you will have to wait 9 months because last night you got pregnant."

Kissing -- A means of getting two people so close together that they can't see anything wrong with each other.