Well, just thought I'd say hi and introduce myself. My name is Kandi. I know many of you from other online forums, and a few in the "real" world. My husband is in the State Pen here in Sioux Falls, SD. He's Indian (Dakota) so of course he got the max for his first offense, and railroaded. Tragically, racism is alive and well here in South Dakota in the 21st Century...He's 5 years into a 20 year sentence - well, 25 but 5 suspended - and will be eligible for parole in 2010. We have 2 girls, 6 and 7. We both have older kids from other relationships, but we have these 2 together...Needless to say, I'm a strong advocate for keeping families intact during a prison sentence. I have had successes and failures in dealing with the administration at the pen, but I think they are finally realizing that keeping families strong is making their jobs a whole lot easier, and keeping the recidivism rate down...so maybe we'll see more good things happening in the future here.
Anyway...just wanted to say hi...
Kandi World Turner

Well Kandi.... from one who didn't know you until now, thanks for the introduction... and I look forward to getting to know you even better.... welcome to the BEST online forum.... :)

hi kandi,
just signed up tonight. Im from bakersfield calif. like you i have a husband doing 27-life for five dollars worth of herion
under the california three strikes law. He's five hundred miles away thousand miles round trip needless to say being a single parent its almost impossible to go.they do that on purpose here. I will be praying for you all
susan:)

Kandi & Susan, Welcome aboard! Look forward to getting to know you both!

David

Welcome guys, you will like being here. Upon reading your stories though, it makes me wonder why the prison systems, INS or any other government organization is so set upon tearing families apart. You are always seeing in the news how the government are doing studies that shows the divorce rate is up and the problems of today's kids are because of broken homes. Well, and this is just my opinion, at times the government is at fault for a lot of the break downs in family unity.

Stay strong, show your kids the meaning of what love really is. Through the good times and the bad. They will learn a lot from watching how you handle this, and their father.

Joy

KANDI AND SUSAN-LIKE JDS-W SAID --GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE AT THE BEST ONLINE FORUM--YOU WILL FIND SOME GREAT PEOPLE AND A LOT OF SUPPORT, LOVE AND USEFUL INFORMATION HERE--LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW BOTH OF YOU BETTER

SHERRI

Hi Kandi & Susan,
Good luck to both of you. Hope to hear more from you.
God Bless,
Cindy

KAndi and Susan WELCOMR to you both....prayers for your families!!! this is a great forum and the best bunch of people..hang in there!

Another welcome to both Kandi and Susan. I'm sure that you will both find the support and understanding that I have been able to find here. Stay strong!
Hugs,
Michelle