I had an OK day.  I am getting depressed about tomorrow.  The fact that tomorrow will be the very last time that I can step foot in the house that I grew up in.  It's empty there, just a few things scattered around.  But not really anything important there.  It seems so strange to be there.  I picked up my mom for her lunch break, and we went over to the old house.  From the outside, it looks the same, as if my family and all that I love is still there.  The flowers are still there, and Jonathan's swing is still hanging from the tree.  He loves the swing, but we cannot take it with us.  The pool is half-way taken down.  Rob and I were going to take it down for them so they could have a professional set it up at the new house next spring.  But, the pool was 11 years old, and the bottom of the posts and sidewalls were rusted under the ground.  There was no saving the pool.  My basketball hoop still stands, looking lonely and deserted.  Jonathan and I played for a few minutes the other day.  I made a few shots, then held him up on my shoulders so he could make a few too.  I was so proud of him when he made them in!  He did very well!  I'm so proud of my little guy!I'm going back tomorrow.  I know I'm going to cry.  How can I not?  My old room, the doorway where my mom marked my brother's and my height, the window where Koko always stood, waiting for my dad to get home and barked at the mailman.  The spot where the Chrismas tree stood, for the past 20 years, in the huge front window.  It looked so beautiful, even from the street- the snow falling on a late December night, the colorful lights on the tree lighting up the window.  I'll miss that very much!  The huge front porch where I spent lazy summer days, laying across the glider while reading a good book and drinking iced-tea.   I love that porch.  I'll miss that very much also.  There are so many things that I will miss.  But, there's nothing that can be done about it now.  Tomorrow is the very last day.  It's my birthday.  Some gift, huh?  The state of Ohio messed up paperwork, and said my dad owes $100,000 in back taxes for a business that he closed 10 years ago, and he filed the paerwork THREE separate times because the state of Ohio kept messing up the paperwork.  My parents are losing 20 years of equity.  They have lost the home that my great-grandfather built.  They are losing something special to all of us.  And, no one will help.  How do you fight the state?  No one really cares about a middle-class family with no political connections.  The state of Ohio did this to them.  THEY made the mistake- THE SAME MISTAKE- 3 times.  How can they do this??  How can they get away with this?  My parents have PROOF of the paperwork!!!  But, no one will help them.  No lawyer will touch this case.  Their mortgage was through the V.A., and they are taking the house because the state says that they owe this money.  No lawyer wants to mess with the V.A.  This is just WRONG!!!  My parents have no help at all.  I just wish there was someone who would fight for them.  Someone who can help them.  My mom baked a cake, and tomorrow, I will be blowing out my birthday candles.  When those 26 candles go out, I will be wishing for someone to help my mom and dad.  Someone who will fight for them.  Someone who will push for a change in the state of Ohio.  Someone who will stand up for people like my parents.  Someone who cares enough to help.  That's my one and only birthday wish.