Diary of a Woman of Faith

Alicia

2008-07-29T08:14:00.002-05:00

5 years ago on November, 2002 I moved back to Arkansas with my parents. I attended Life Covenant church (now called Gateway) in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This was where I met my friend. We were both single moms with young children. Her son was a year younger than Rylee. There were other single moms at church but none with little children. We were the only two single moms. We became friends. I actually met her before her now 4 year old son was born. I would sit with her in church and we would talk a lot of the girl talk. In some ways we were similiar to each other. We often went for bad boys because of our low self esteem. We didn't think God wanted to give us better than that. it was a rough road. In our struggle to find the right guy. We would share stories about our experinces with our newest guy. to find we had very similiar ones at most. I did never date those who did drugs but I did go for abusers like my ex. In my own warped view I thought That was the hand I was dealt with.

We both had negative words spoken in us that damaged our self worth and image. We both felt like we didn't have friends at church who understood us. So we made a small group of 3 myself, Alicia and a guy named Justin. Who seemed to understand us both. Became good friends.
I remember one guy that just started coming to the church told her she looked like Sandra Bullock. She would just laugh and say I get that a lot. I can't even watch a movie with Sandra Bullock in it. She looks so much like my friend it makes me miss her all the more. It's been 1 year and 1 month since her disapperance. They are no further in knowing whats happened. They let her case go dead cold. They arrested the man who hurt her but he of course won't confess to anything. I am hoping to start a special group for those whose loved ones are missing and offer some support, where they can share stories of their own experince.s make friendships with those who have been there. Maybe write letters a place where they can write one another. Just be around those who have been there. So many people don't understand dealing with this kind of thing. I've been told get over it! Well its not that easy. When you have a friend who goes missing or a loved one? than come and talk to me. See if you can get over it so easily.

Starting the Alicia Foundation

2008-07-21T13:44:00.001-05:00

I am working on starting the Alicia foundation. I am going to start by posting about my friend on this blog. Sharing the story on how we met. As well as how I learned about her dissapperance. There is a mix of emotions people aren't aware of that you go through when facing something like this. A lot of people who have not walked through that door don't know the pain involved. They think you can bounce back really fast on something like that. They tell you get over it! Until you walk through that door you just don't realize its not that simple. Especially if you have no closure on what has happened to your friend. No answers. Being left hanging. They are no closer now than a year ago. Believe me I had numerous insenstive people tell me to get over it.

Its not that easy. I will be posting more about my friend. I posted a blog about this desire of mine on the alpha women website as well. Want to start a place for people like me who are or have been walking through this. Be it a family member or a personal friend of yours. I am hoping other friends of Alicia's would also want to take part in this and get together as well.

update on my friend Alicia

2007-07-03T18:30:00.000-05:00

the suspect they arrested was the last person to see her alive. They think that hes involved in her dissappearance.
They are going to resume searching the same area after July 4th and are sending additional divers to search for her. as well as asking anyone who is going to beaver Lake tommorrow to help search as well.

The family also uped the reward to $100,000 for anyone who has information leading to finding her.
I am still working on my fundraiser from MG to help donate as well. all proceeds will go in that effort.

www.mineralgirlz.com/members/katiegirl/

"You find out who your friends are"

2007-06-27T12:14:00.000-05:00

When I was flipping to find a good station there was a song on the radio called you find out who your friends are. It was three guy friends singing it. As I was listening to the words I was thinking this song rings 100% true.

A friend doesn't think and stop to say whats in it for me.
He shows on up with a big old heart you find out who your friends are.
When you get stuck in a ditch and can't afford no taxi or bus fare.
They just show on up with their care. They don't stop to think its to far.

Thats the jest of the song and it got me to thinking who really are my friends.

Ladies on moms making a difference who reach out to me.
Charity whose accepting me and my friendship.
Levi who was the only friend at church who cared enough when he learned about my friend to say I'm sorry you are going through this.

Simple thing as noticing I didn't come to the Sunday school party and he mentioned he missed me not being there.
When no one else in Sunday school cared whether I was there or not.

These kinds of things show me who my friends are. I have 1 real friend from my new church being Levi.
I just met Chelsea a single mom God sent to the class last week. Shes really nice.
You defintely find out who your friends are.

Heather Bixler, Becki Yagazharian, Melissa, Charity, Tiffani, Levi you guys are truly a blessing. I'm so thankful for all of you. Incidently this song was sung by my dream guy Kenny Chesney.

Charity

2007-06-23T06:58:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much. I hope you are reading this so I can contact you and keep in touch. Thanks for your kindness.
I would like to keep in touch with you. I'm a friend of Alicia's and with her missing I don't have anyone now so its really hard for me.
I 'm not sure how to find your blog can you contact me through mine and we can exchange e-mails. If you know of any of Alicia's other friends feel free to send them to my blog. I would love to contact them too.

I am doing a fundraiser through my Mineral Girlz
http://tinyurl.com/ynqfkn

proceeds will go to Alicia's account in the search effort.

Dealing with insenstivity

2007-06-22T07:37:00.000-05:00

It seems to be everywhere around me as I am dealing with my friends dissapperance. From a christian board who told me I cannot post about my friend's candle light vigil in the member announcements when members can announce their events. Whats up with that? Anyway I won't be going on that board anymore.

Insensitive comments from people who don't know my friend and have no room to judge. They don't know what its like to have a friend missing. The day to day of not knowing whats happened to her. Judging her character when they know nothing about her.

The word says Judge not lest you be Judged. That seems to fall by the wayside a lot. I know I can be just as guilty by clapping when the ex boyfriend of my friend got 20 years in prison for drug charges but didn't confess about doing anything to my friend. Thats not the christian thing to do. As hard as it is I do forgive this guy because Jesus would want me to and Alicia would want me too. It doesn't make it easy.

This is a tough time in my life. I know God and friends on Moms making a difference will get me through. for any mom reading whose not in this group its a great one please join

Momsmakingadifference.org.

Candle Light Vigil tommorrow night for my friend Alicia Minton

2007-06-21T15:17:00.000-05:00

I am praying that my friend Tonya gets the message before tommorrow night so that we can ride down together.
If not I won't be able to go. However I will have one in my own room. I would like to ask my sisters in their own home tommorrow if they would join me in this. Prayer for Alicia throughtout the day tommorrow.

Will any of my readers be willing to join me.

Pray that God will make a way for me to go. I really need to be there. Someway and somehow.

My missing friend Alicia

2007-06-21T07:29:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much Melissa for posting this on moms making a difference. This is really hard on all her friends and family. We don't know whats going on at this point. People don't understand all the pain and emotions you deal with when you know a missing person personally its hard, but its doubly hard when there your friend.

Its hard for me because she was the only friend in Arkansas I had now shes gone. I'm back to having nobody.

Some of the proceeds from commission off my mineral Girlz business and any sales I make will be given directly to the Arvest bank in Alicia's account to help in the efforts of my friends.

If you want to do it this way please go to

http://tinyurl.com/ynqfkn

purchase some products from the site

Also theres a candle light vigil for June 22nd. I didn't get the site in time to make arrangments to go.
Would any of you be willing to join me at home to do one for her.
Thanks.
Let me know in the comments if you would be willing to join me.

"Alicia's Law"

2007-06-20T08:19:00.000-05:00

You know with such injustice with domestic violence toward women, I am tempted to write the senate about this issue. There needs to be stiffer penalties for this kind of thing. They tend to put people in jail longer for animal cruelty then they do for child and adult abuse. (especially in abuse towards women.) This suspect they arrested for instance in my friend's case. He severly beat her and what did he get a suspended sentence. No jail time. If he were behind bars where he should have been my friend would be alive today and in my life. This kind of injustice has got to stop.
I'm not sure what steps I need to take in this but whatever they are I will do them. To ensure other women will not go through this type of thing. I'm so tired of the injustice for the innocent victims and for the crimnals getting more rights.
Its not right. I'm tired of the justice system not taking domestic violence aganist women seriously. Thinking its a big joke. I'm tired of all this injustice towards women and children as well. Something has go to get done. I think they need to do a abuser registery like they do for sex offenders. Where everyone will know this man or in the rare case woman is an abuser. They should have to wear a big sign in the middle of the street wherever they go that says
HI I'm Randy and I abuse women! Maybe then they will think twice on doing this to people. They should not get luxury treatment and good food in prison and should have to pay for their meals. Just my thoughts. Anyway Who will stand with me on this?

Technology used in search for Alicia

2007-06-16T07:26:00.000-05:00

They are now using technology to search for my friend. The best technology and technology speacialist in the world is involved in her search. They are searching the perimeter of the lake, as well as in the lake.

Thats about all that is known at this point. Still no word as to whether my friend is still alive or not.
Its at 17 days. It hits me harder and harder as each day passes. I don't want to think of the fact that my friend might not be alive.

One thing is for sure if shes not and they find her. I will do all I can to go to her funeral to say my goodbyes.
I'm praying shes still alive and safe. Shes only 29 years old. I'm mad at the police who let her ex boyfriend go. He beat her severly but let him go. Because of that my friend may not be alive today. Why do policeman let women beaters go like that?

15 days and my friend is still missing

2007-06-14T17:29:00.000-05:00

This is a really worrying all of her friends including me. Especially all the back in forth on the reports and everything. the not knowing for sure either way. The suspect is a drug dealer. they talked to my friend's neighbor he fears the worse. Randall Greenway murdered my friend.

I'm not sure whats worse not knowing for sure or the back in forth from day to day.

Its really hitting me hard in this.

Keep praying for me. I e-mailed my home church when I first heard about it. They didn't seem to care or anything. those who I thought were my friends didn't reply or anything. This makes me see who are my real friends.

The ones who are there for me as I'm dealing with this tragedy. Its those strangers on the christian message boards who seem to care about my friend, her other friends, family and kids. Not the people who know me personally.
Its so sad to know. Then when a tragedy strikes those who personally know me here at church abandon me.

my posts about Alicia

2007-06-14T07:07:00.000-05:00

I don't want my readers to think I'm gory or anything. Shes a friend of mine whose been missing since June 1st. By writing updates and things about her it helps me somewhat to know things are being done to find her.
Its a therepeutic thing. Ifyou never had a personal friend of yours missing you have no idea what thats like and how emotional and painful it is to go through.

Just wanted to explain my writings in my blog lately. Thanks for understanding

A suspect has been arrested in my friends case

2007-06-13T17:32:00.000-05:00

her ex boyfriend Randall Greenway. they think he was involved. thats all I know right now

I am hoping some kind soul reading my blog can go on 5newsonline.com
print out her photo to me and would mail it to me. I would like a picture to remember my friend by

so far no one will do it

I am hoping to someone will also post her picture on my ryze page for me

http://ryze.com/Arkansascountrygal

I would so appreciate it very much.

Update on my friend Alicia

2007-06-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

I got a call from Tara Campbell the 5 newsreporter covering my friends story. She wanted to let me know theres a good chance my friend is still alive. The SWAT Team is doing a search around the lakes permiter for her as opposed to in the lake. There is a lot of ground to cover.

This gives me a renewed hope that my friend may still be alive. If she is I will make sure I will write her. I will need to get her new address though since she moved. I would just e-mail Tara for it so I can get back in touch.

Praise God on t his good report.

"Knowing Who your friends are."

2007-06-13T09:16:00.000-05:00

This has also given me help to know just who my friends are as well. A few people who I thought were friends did not bother to e-mail me or say a prayer for me or anything. It helps me know the real friends who will be there for you when you lose a friend, or are going through a tough time.

Heather:
Thank you so much for your prayers and for caring about me. I truly appreciate it.

Becki:
Thank you for your encourgament as I felt guilty for not writing to her the few weeks ago before she went missing. to know I shouldn't be down on myself for that I had no way of knowing this would happen. I appreciate your care and concern for this tragedy as well

Ladi JO:
thank you for your prayers as well

Gazelle, Rebecca, all the women on christian women of power thank you for your prayers and caring.

I am going to need a lot of friends now. I don't want to come to the realization that my friend has drown or the fact that she may be dead. This is really hard for me to handle right now.
thanks again

"Be sure to let your friends know you appreciate them"

2007-06-12T15:49:00.000-05:00

This is a very important lesson I learned this week (yesterday as a matter of fact). I am changed on how I see my other friends now and how I really need to tell them I appreciate and love them. Just how much they mean to me.
You don't always know if your friends will still be here tommorrow.

I am not going to let pride or fear or anything to hold me back from telling my friends I appreciate it them.

This has defintely changed my life for sure. Its a shame it takes something tragic to realize how much your friends mean to you until you lose them.

my challenge to my readers be sure to let your friends know how much you love and appreciate them.
Don't allow fear, pride or whatever to hold you back. Youdon't know if you will see them tommorrow.

Alicia story #1

2007-06-12T11:18:00.000-05:00

I remember back last spring at church we were sitting together. One guy came and told her she looked like Sandra Bullock. She was so embarrassed by it. It was hard for her to take a compliment like that. She liked the Miss Congenality Movies though. She never saw the resemblance. She was really responsible when it came to her work.
She worked for Jb Hunt for a long time until finding a better Job with Cox Cable in Rogers. She liked the hourts better so she could be home with her kids.

We met at my old church in Fayettevile Life Coveanant church. She was the first friend to welcome me with open arms and was accepted me when no one else would give me the time of day. My being a single mother as well. She understand the single mom issues being one herself. she always encouraged me to enjoy my time as a single mom and be the best mom I can be to my daughter. Don't let people think that a single mom does nothing all day.
Being a single mom that works at home and stays home with my child. Some tried to make me feel bad about it. made me feel like I was doing nothing she went to bat for me and defended me.

my friend Alicia

2007-06-11T17:54:00.000-05:00

Awesome
Lovable
Caring
Incredible
A God send

This is my thoughts on my close friend whose been missing since June 1st. nobody has seen her since.
The police don't even know if shes still alive. shes a single mom like me with kids. the only parent her kids have.
Make sure you take the time to show appreciatation for you close friends. you never know how long you will have them around. Pray for her kids, family and all of her friends. this is really hard for all of us. She left her kids with a friend to make a quick trip and has never been seen since.

I'll be posting tributes about her on my blog in her honor and on my business website as well.
praying everyday for her, the friends, family and her kids.
readers will you join me in prayer for her kids, her friends, family and her
thanks