About Us

I've cried all day today. My eyes are red-rimmed, my nose pink, and my lids swollen. I can still feel a lump in my throat and I am trying to swallow the tears. Ryan's little chihuahua, Coco, wandered off last night and I can't find her. I inherited her when Ryan went to prison. She's a sweet soul, docile, eager to please, affectionate, loving. Ryan got her when she was a puppy, before Hurricane Katrina. I am devastated and worried sick. 

This photo was taken just a few months before Ryan went to prison. 

Just a boy and his dog. 

Please come home soon, Coco. I need you! I love you! 

Tears. They always seem to come at the most inopportune and most inconvenient moments! They come in small, tiny drops In the middle of class, at the grocery store, in Walmart, standing in the toy aisle, or in heartbreaking sobbing torrents, an uncontrolled tsunami accompanied with wailing and screams in those private moments when I know it's just me and God. I don't cry as often anymore since Ryan was transferred to Louisiana State Penitentiary where I know he is being well-treated. My level of anxiety and worry has subsided, along with my guilt. At least I know he has a real bed with springs to sleep in now, not a steel bunk bed, and that he has an extra blanket, a real pillow, sheets, and ample food. The Parish jail is a hell hole where the dog that guards the prison yard is treated better than the inmates. There I was constantly worrying someone would ambush him or injure him in a fight or some other "misfortune" might befall him.

It's amazing how I can seem to be all right, then, the simplest and most ridiculous things send me into a torrent of tears- such as a toy in the middle of the aisle at Walmart. I pressed the button on the small Toy Story Woody, and he answered with a jovial, "There's a snake in mah boot!" I pressed the button on his chest again... And he said, "Someone poi-soned the water hole!" Images of a chubby two-year old sitting in front of the TV, clutching his own Woody and wearing a brown cowboy hat swam before my eyes as the tears slid down my cheeks. I felt as if someone punched me in the stomach and my heart. For a moment I felt such an unbearable emotional pain that it hurt to breathe. Where did my little man go? Was anyone watching me? I looked around but I was still alone. Had anyone seen me crying? I hurriedly walked away, awkwardly blinking back the tears and brushing the wetness beneath my eyes.

Tears. They are so inconvenient. They show up whenever they want wherever I am regardless of what I'm doing or the company I'm in. Right now, I am quickly jotting down this blog, and my classmates are slowly wandering in to the classroom. And here I am, struggling to breathe and trying to swallow the knot in my throat, a runny nose and wiping away tell-tale tears. Will it ever get better? Will I ever stop crying at random? I am afraid the answer is no, because as memories flood over me, so do the tears.

During the Direct Appeal, our attorney was able to get the Oral argument hearing allowed. We were very lucky this is rare. It was so different from the court trial. Three Judges were present. I'm curious if anyone else has gone through this??

" I met a man last night, recently released from prison, I was reading a testimony of one of the guys I write to, and he told me afterward how much that had meant to him, he had been incarcerated for a total of 21 years, (he said this was more than half his lifetime that he had spent behind bars). An elderly lady had started writing to him and he said that many times that is what kept him going, that she would take the time to sit down and write to him touched him very deeply and gave him such encouragement to be a better person and that he did not want to disappoint her now that he is out. "

This was so encouraging to me, I know how much my son enjoys the cards and letter he receives. But it was so nice to hear that writing letters, really can make a difference in a young mans life.

 I wanted to share that with all of you that write to our freedom challenged, and remind you that you are such a blessing to them and to their families. Thank you.

I am so glad to be in this forum. I am really struggling emotionally with all the court dates. When I get myself hyped up for court, I get there and then the date is canceled. I am exhausted emotionally and I am so fearful for my son's future. He's been in county jail for two years. TWO YEARS! This has been terrible. No trial yet and no trial date either. I am wondering how others of you have endured the struggle of all these court dates and disappointments associated with them. I cry my eyes out every time we go to court. I can see my child in the flesh but cannot speak with him and cannot touch him. It is grueling and feels so cruel.

My name is Penny.  I lost my father, Charles Carden this week. He has battled a long illness and in November he fell and broke his hip. My dad had congestive heart failure, diabetes, kidney failure and was on dialysis, had a total of 11 heart attacks, had 3 open heart surgeries, and 9 stints placed in and around his heart.  My son, Josh has been in and out of jail since he was 13 years old. In fact, he has spent most of his adult life in jail and is now in Ventress correctional facility in Alabama. Josh has several mental health issues and now has to sit in prison while I bury my father.  The prison has a policy that states an inmate may have a one hour visitation with a deceased family member.  they have to be transported to the site and no family can be with them. The trip is about a 700 mile round trip. We have to pay by the mile (God only knows how much that trip would cost) for him to be able to visit his grandfather. With Josh's depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, I am afraid of what that trip and alone time would do to him or worse yet, what he would do to himself. So, I do not know if it would be a good idea to make this happen or not. He was supposed to be released in October of 2016, but had an outstanding drug case that occurred a few years before the one that got him in prison. The district attorney and my son's attorney reached an agreement that his punishment for the outstanding crime would be considered part of the current time and end in October... the judge did NOT honor that agreement and instead sentenced my son to an additional three years. Now the earliest release date he has is April  2019.  his grandmother is also ill and going down hill, I have end stage RA (rheumatoid Arthritis)  and probable cancer...  Meaning that not only will he have lost his grand father, but possibly his grandmother and now the real probability of losing me. with the failing health of my family, I feel that this has been enough of a punishment.  Does anyone know if there is anything I can do to get this sentence thrown out while he still has some family left?.  Losing ALL of his family is just too much of a penalty to pay.  If anyone knows of anything I can do please let me know. 

I've seen him twice now and I feel so much better!! He is just far enough away that I have to go down the night before and stay at a hotel in Pueblo, about an hour away from the prison. I'll be scheduling a visit once a month, because it costs me about $100 to go see him between gas and lodging. But it is so worth it to see him!! I can't schedule my February visit yet because I am waiting until after my father has his heart surgery and I need to be there. Prayers for all of you ladies in the same situation as me and especially those who cannot go see their sons as easily as I can.

I just had to share with all of you that I am going to be a grandma again. This will be our 7th grandchild! I am blessed and thankful! Pictures will be coming :)

I have not been on here in a long time! Our son Cody that was arrested in August and released on bail and went back to his group home because of his mental disability, has a possible upcoming hearing on January 27th! Need prayers for everyone to understand his disability and that everything will work out! And they will not put him in jail or a mental hospital! When you first talk to him he seems normal and high functioning, but he's a 28 year old that has bring his teddy bear when he comes home and his whole life is movies and music! My prayer is that God will go before and work everything out!

My dad fell and broke his hip in October and is still in a rehab today.  He has developed pneumonia and with his failed kidneys, dialysis, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and excess fluid build up, this is not good. Please say a prayer for him as well. His name is Charles Carden.

Thank you in advance,

Penny Franklin