When I first took on the role of raising Jodi, I never even thought about it being permanent. After a couple of years, we got guardianship of Jodi. This was because at that time we could not declare Jodi as a dependent even though we were her sole support, because she was a grandchild. The rules have changed now. Dianne was still not emotionally ready to be a mother. We went for a private adoption. By this time I was upgrading my education so I would be able to support Jodi on my own. I never regretted my decision to take on the responsibilities of another child at the age of 39. It gave me the strength and the will power to begin the struggle to break out of the situation I was in. Jodi has grown up a beautiful and loving girl. She now has children of her own, Sierra, Stevan, Shaun. Christmas 1999 saw the four generations of us 'girls' together all in the same place.

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