Ruth Michael (Jimmy's mother) hugs a family friend as Denny Michael (Jimmy's father) looks on after hearing the guilty verdict
Michelle Michael being handcuffed by Kanawha County Sheriff's Deputies after the verdict was read
At 10:15 this morning the jury returned their verdict in the Michelle Michael murder trial. She was found guilty of first degree arson and first degree murder with a recommendation for mercy. The recommendation for mercy means that she will be eligible for parole in 15 years.
Photos taken from WV Metro News website.
Updated to add:
She will be spending her life sentence at Lakin Correctional Center in West Columbia, West Virginia. You can read an article about her sentence and the prison at the Charleston Daily Mail.
They boys and I thought we'd have lunch with Darrin today. We went and picked him up at work and, wanting something fast, headed for T*co B*ll. We waited quite a long time for our food which is unusual. I mean, that's why it's called fast food, right? We finally got it and sat down. The boys didn't get a toy in their kid's meal. Oh, the injustice. That problem was quickly resolved. Then, Payton dropped his cup, which was full, and his drink went everywhere. After cleaning that mess all up I sat back down to eat my lunch. As I was cutting my "mexican pizza" a piece flew off of the the cardboard plate and landed right on my shirt, my white shirt. I reached for my purse and dug out my Tide stain stick. As I was cleaning my shirt the boys were singing "Na-na-na-na...na-na-na-na"..... you know, the Kelly Ripa commercial. I was about half way finished when.........the tip of the stain stick broke off! Okay, I'll admit it was kind of funny and Darrin had no problem laughing at me either. I finished my "pizza" and we headed back out to the car. I brushed up against a bush that was next to it. That was the prickliest bush I've ever come in contact with. It scratched the side of my leg to pieces. After getting in the car I told the boys I think we should just head on home. Who knows what else might have happened. So much for a nice relaxing lunch date with my hubby!
Bubby (in purple) and Tater Tot (in orange)
Bubby and his best friend...future entrepreneurs
Tater Tot getting his Drive baseall signed 
Tater & Reedy Rip It
Bubby & his friend with Reedy
You can see more pictures at flickr.
I LOVE summer! Especially summer's in the south. For me, it's one of God's better creations. Not only do I love the season but all the trimming that go along with it: vacation, sunny days, trees full of leaves, flowers in bloom, wind chimes playing a melody, birds singing, fireworks.......the list could go on and on. One of the best places to enjoy all of trappings of summer is right in our back yard, off of our living room. When we bought our house three years ago, it came with a fairly large screened in porch attached. Okay, we thought, we'll take it since it's there. We'd never had the luxury of owning a home before that also came equipped with a screened in porch. Therefore, we didn't know that value of them. Oh, they are glorious. Right now as I am typing this I am sitting at my patio table on the screened in porch. There is a gentle breeze, the ceiling fan is whirling above me, I am sipping on a cold glass of sweet tea, I hear the bird's songs and my children playing in the distance. It's just shear paradise. We spent so much of our time out here. I read my morning paper here. The kids love to have their friends over and eat lunch here. Supper is generally served in this very spot as well. Once night falls you may think we head in doors. Nope! You are mistaken. That the very best time to enjoy our outdoor room. We light a few candles and get comfy on the wicker sofa and chair. The boys will usually bring out a light blanket to keep off the night chill. We just sit, talk, laugh and enjoy the evening. If you are not as lucky as we are you should sincerely consider adding one on to your home. It will become as extension of your house in no time. And, since we're in the south, we use spring, summer and fall. It just can't be beat. I highly recommend you look into it.
You can see a few pictures of my favorite spot in this previous post.
The jurors in the Michelle Michael case are still deliberating. The attorney gave their closing arguments yesterday. The jury began their deliberations yesterday afternoon. Please keep the Michael family in your prayers as well as Shelly (Michelle) and her family. And, thanks to my friend who is up there (in West Virginia) in the thick of things for keeping me updated. Stay tuned.........
It's only been a couple hours since I typed the above. Now the jury has stopped deliberations for the day. They will resume on Friday. Below is an excerpt from WV Metro News website. If you visit the link, it may no longer show this exact article. They update frequently.
The jury will return to deliberations Friday and try to reach a decision about the fate of Michelle Michael. Earlier in the day, a note was sent to Monongalia County Magistrate Judge Robert Stone informing him the jury was having trouble reaching a unanimous decision.Michael is accused of killing her husband, Jimmy, and then setting the couple's Morgantown home on fire in an attempt to cover up the crime.
The foreman told Judge Stone that the jury considered staying the night to try and reach a decision, but decided it would be better to separate from each other and think about the decision that needs to be made. After receiving the note from the jury Thursday afternoon, Judge Stone asked the attorneys on both sides what suggestions they had for the jury. Prosecuting Attorney Marcia Ashdown requested they be directed to go back in for further deliberation. Stone did just that and asked the jury to be open-minded and consider the opinion of other jurors.
The jury needs to decide if Michael is not guilty, guilty of first-degree murder, or guilty of first-degree murder with mercy. If found guilty of first-degree murder, she will spend the rest of her life in prison. If found guilty with mercy, Michael will be up for parole in 15 years.If the jury can not reach a decision, Michael will return to prison and await a retrial.
Do you think I should start worrying? Tater Tot has become quite the chameleon. Just a few days ago he was "Army Tater."
I've been diagnosed with hyperpigmentation. What? Never heard of it? Neither had I, until this past Monday. A few months back I started getting a dark spot on my upper lip and one on my forehead. They look like this. Come to find out, it's hyperpigmentation. Of all things in my body to be in "hyper" mode. Why couldn't I have hyper hair......growing super fast? Or what about hyper nails? Then I wouldn't have to pay for nails. Or better still, I wouldn't mind having the hyper metabolism of my youth. Oh no.....the pigment in my skin has to get all hyper and funky. The dermatologist said it is most likely due to a combination of hormonal changes and sun exposure. The treatment to get rid of it is L--O--N--G, 3 - 6 months. She prescribed a $125 tube of prescription bleaching cream. "Just rub a pea size amount on you entire face twice a day and that's it", the dermatologist said. That's not all there is too it. Makeup will not conceal the dark places. Therefore, it looks like I have a mustache. Isn't that just lovely? The place on my forehead doesn't really bother me as my bangs cover it. So, it's very unlikely that you'll see many pictures of me on this blog in the months to come. I'm a little camera shy as you might imagine.
Shelly's fate is now in the hands of the jury. Both sides have given their closing arguments. All anyone can do now is.........wait. I just pray that that wait won't be too long. Jim died almost 2 years ago. All those involved have waited long enough.
You can read the details be reading my post entitled "Michelle Michael trial begins." You can view photos from the two week trial at West Virginia Metro News.
Help.........I'm blogging.............and I can't............stop!!!!! I've taken full advantage of the opportunity to catch up on my blog posting today. It seems like we've been so busy lately that I just haven't had time to post as things happen. I hope today's plethora of posts will tide you all over until the next blogorama day.
One major reason I've not had tons of time to post lately is because I've been devoting the majority of my blogging time to my other blog: ADHD & LD Resource Blog. I created this blog a little less than two years ago. Our oldest son, who I refer to as "Bubby" on this blog, has ADHD and three learning disabilities. He was diagnosed with both 3 years ago. Since that time I have been researching, reading, and trying to learn as much as I possible can about them. I decided that I wanted to share the wealth of information that I was finding with others. That is when the ADHD & LD Blog was born. At first I only posted periodically. However, in the past six months I have really dedicated a lot of time to it. I have enjoyed every single minute of it too.
I have been fortunate enough to be contacted by doctors, authors, magazine, etc. asking me to review their products and post about it on my ADHD & LD Resource blog. I also enjoy receiving emails from other parents who are on the same journey as we are. It can be difficult to maneuver the ADHD & LD maze alone. I'm so thankful that people are able to benefit, if even slightly, by my blog. If you know someone who is also on this journey, please direct them my way. Or, if you are just curious yourself, head on over and take a look around.
Now.....back to your regularly scheduled blog..........
Before
After
We also purchased these wicker cubes on clearance and pained them hunter green to match our table and chairs. I also repainted the planter holder on the wall to match. Then, Tater Tot picked out new pots and flowers for it.
Look hard to see the matching seat cushions.
I checked another thing off of my "To Do" list recently. Darrin's parents gave us a wicker sofa and rocker last year. It was in great shape but I've wanted to recover the cushions to something more our taste. Then, we decided not only to recover the cushions, but to also paint both pieces. The project just took off from there. We did both of those things and I also recovered the cushions in the chairs at the table to match. It was such a fun and rewarding project. I could have never completed it without my neighbor generously loaning me her sewing machine. Can you believe I've already told Santa that I want one of my very own in a few months? It was just so relaxing and.......fun! We so enjoy spending time out on our screened in porch now. It feels like an extension of the house. We just added a whole new room.
FYI - Click on any picture to enlarge it :)
Bubby did the sweetest thing today! He came in the front door holding his hand behind his back. What could he possibly have I wondered. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. He handed me a colorful bouquet of day lilies. He smiled and said, "These are for you mama." I bent down (not far because he's so dad gum tall) and gave him a peck on the cheek. I asked where in the world he found such beautiful flowers. He said, "Aw the ladies yard up the street" and bolted back out the door. Well, "Lady" if you're reading this....I'm sorry. Just know that they were picked with love, much appreciated and placed directly in water.
I love the way a child's mind works.
Well, I've just gone blog crazy today! Get ready for some readin'. I've posted five new posts today. You'll be all caught up too once you finish. Happy reading............... :)
Today was Bubby's 10 year old well child check with his pediatrician. All went well, thankfully. He amazed both the nurse and doctor though. He has grown 5" since his last visit in December. He has also gained 8 pounds since then. He is now 4' 11" and 88 pounds. That puts him in the 86th percentile in height and 83rd in weight. That just seems totally amazing to me. Five inches in seven months? Wow! His doctor, like the two before her, informed me that once he's finished growing he should be well over 6' tall. I explained that so are his uncle and grandfather (on my side). She told Garrett...."you're going to be a giant!" Then, Payton chimed in and said, "and I'm going to be the shrimp!" Unbeknownst to me he also had to get a shot today. I'm really glad he didn't know beforehand though. That way he didn't have time to fret over it. It was his first hepatitis A shot. He'll get his second one in a few months. The funniest part of the visit was seeing the look on Bubby's face when the nurse told him to take off his shirt and shorts and put then handed him a gown. After doing so, she promptly left the room. He looked at me with the widest eyes and was in totally shock. He then said, "take what off?" I wanted to laugh, but didn't. His brother wasn't nearly as kind though. He thought it was utterly hilarious that Bubby had to "strip down." So, that's over with and Bubby has been certified healthy, fit, trim and TALL. Here's to another healthy year!
This past Sunday, while Darrin was at work, I took the boys to see Ratatouille. It was actually a pretty cute movie. As always though, Garrett sat spell bound through the entire movie and Payton only lasted about half way through. Once he was full of popcorn and pop he was ready to go! The movie is set in Paris, France. And, in the movie they do as lots of Parisians do and drank wine. I wasn't too pleased with that but I could live with it. Then, later in the movie, the mean chef treats the new chef want-to-be to glass after glass of wine until he is pretty much drunk and willing to tell him what he wants to hear. Now, tell me why? Why do they have to put something like that in a children's movie? It amazes what passes by the sensors and makes it onto movies screens nationwide for our youth to see. I probably won't be buying this movie when it comes out on DVD for that very reason. Of course I don't even think the the boys picked up on it, but still!
I know.......I'm a little late posting this, but I still wanted to share. Darrin had to work on July 4th of course. But, at least they closed at 5:00 instead of their normal 6:00! We had a nice family dinner and then made our annual trek down to watch the fireworks. They were awesome as usual. They are sponsored by a church close to downtown. It was twenty minutes of non-stop fireworks action. The boys took turns standing up through the sun roof in my MDX to get a "better view." To see more pictures go to flickr (you'll see a couple from last year too).
Before
After
Daddy accidentally broke the mirror
Showing off his new sports decor
While the boys were away last month I also finished Tater's room up. He has had his dresser and chest for a few years. I actually purchased them on eBay for next to nothing. The seller just happened to live only 20 minutes from us. They were dark wood and dated. I painted them and they're good as new. He's been needing a new bed for a while so we bought one from an individual. I painted it too of course, to match the rest of his furniture. We got him new wall decor too. He only had posters and such up on his walls before. He was so surprised when he returned home. He's quite the proud little man and is actually keeping it quite clean now. Yeah!
P.S. -- If Bubby's room is every clean enough I'll post pictures of it as well. We did his room two years ago and he's still happy with it. He's lucky enough to have his dad's old bedroom suite. It may be 37+ years old, but it's good stuff I tell ya. Bubby picked out the colors for his room, blue and green. He even has a useable chalkboard painted on one wall. Keep your fingers crossed for pictures soon.
(Here's the new curtain rods. I didn't have them up yet in the other pics)
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