From Dragonfly: 6 Months

Today is officially 6 months - looking at the date. I self-surrendered on August 19th and it is February 19th. There were times when I thought I may be elsewhere by this point, but here I am. I am here. I suppose I am where I am meant to be. In honor of my 6 months, I am making my own throw blanket. It's striped with tons of colors and will be super colorful when it's done. I was never into super colorful things, but I'm having fun mixing and matching the very limited choices of yarns I have access to. They had banana bread at breakfast, I like to think that such goodness was also in support of my 6 month anniversary of imprisonment.

Six months in prison comes with some benefits. I am able to get a new bunch of socks and underwear at laundry next week. Since we only get 5 at a time, I'm excited to finally be able to move on from the one's I received my second day here. Well, I think that's the only benefit, but it's a good one!

At six months, I am happy to say, that my pre-bought timex watch is still going strong, my hair has grown out well, I am not totally grey, my glasses are still in one piece, I am still able to walk, I sleep, I've gained new craft skills, I've read countless books, I've completed many, many crosswords, I've taught in three classrooms and with three teachers, I've taken a beginning drawing class, I've lost 23 pounds, I've made some good friends, I've written (probably) 150 times, I've received hundreds of letters, I've written far less letters (sorry, friends!), I've moved rooms three times, I've moved units once, I've been strip searched at least 15 times, I've been patted down just once, I have become a jailhouse cook, I've eaten off of a dozen or so homemade cheesecakes, I officially know what a "potato roll" is, I've discovered the goodness of Sazon seasoning, I've met my first "cat-coon," and I've seen a small guard take down a very large woman (well, more than once). I guess it's been a productive six months.

I am so grateful, knowing, that I will not need to be here another 6 months. My exit will be within 4 1/2 months (hopefully sooner, rather than later). I need my family, and they need me. One day at a time will one day equal a week, then a month, then six months, and later a year. Any time is hard, but taking it a day at a time, we can look back and see all the things we accomplished, even in prison.