Love Will Find A Way TDCJ Allred Unit To TDCJ Scott Unit Travels Of A TDCJ Officiant..

A few weeks ago, I met Latonya at the Tarrant County Clerks Office to buy her marriage license. Country clerks are far less familiar with inmate marriage. It is not uncommon for me to redirect a client to another clerks office. This “redirection” isn’t limited to Texas either. Experience matters. I know what to do and how to overcome the unforeseen.

The number one reason for an I60 Request For Marriage to be denied is that the inmate is ALREADY listed as Common Law Married to someone other than my client. To overcome this effective suck punch, I created a Dissolution Agreement that I send out to clients with regularity. 

No one planning to marry an inmate expects to find that the inmate has secrets but, more and more frequently in Texas this continues to be the case. In ALL situations this CLM status wasn’t something any inmate forgot about. Why? Because the inmate filed this paperwork solely to have contact (not conjugal as Texas does not allow these types of visits) visits. No one likes the glass. Not the inmates nor the visitors either. This week alone I’ve mailed 9 Dissolution Agreements out. 

A few weeks ago, I had a voice mail regarding TDCJ Henley Unit. I returned the call en route to conduct a memorial in Dallas. This caller was out of state and had a number of questions. Out of state folks should certainly consider taking a Twogether In Texas Course online. Why? Because Texas has a 3 day waiting period. For many of my Texas clients, a three day waiting period won’t interfere with their employment but most people don’t have three days when traveling from another state to “wait around.” The course is $29 but also discounts the cost of the marriage license by $60 as well as waiving the waiting period. 

The number of calls, emails and texts I review on a daily basis from numerous prospects regarding marrying an inmate in our multi state service area shocks everyone. 

I’ve NEVER advertised AND ALWAYS kept my promises. That’s the secret to Cindy and I creating not one but four unique and successful diverse businesses as a Twin Team.

For clients marrying an inmate, buying the marriage license can be an intimidating and frightening ordeal. I ease the stress by holding their hand through the process. When possible, I even meet my clients on site at the clerks office.A few weeks ago, I not only met but also drove my traditional clients, the Andersons to the clerks office to purchase their marriage license. 

Johnnie had made a successful life after lock up. Sharing his journey from TDCJ Michael to Allred to Ramsey, my client literally turned his life around and married Brenda last weekend at his new home in Fort Worth. Johnnie also owns a cleaning company and if you need the job done right the first time, Johnnie’s Onda Spot is your go to DFW service provider. My job has many roles. Parking and finding the right office can be intimidating to my clients so I ease their burden by either meeting them and walking in to the clerks office or picking them up and driving them myself. 

Allred Unit in Iowa Park is just a few miles outside Wichita Falls. Beyond Allred Unit are my other Units lined right up from Roach to Jordan to Clements. My son laughs because I don’t recall the names of cities I travel to. Instead, I recall the names of the Units.

An overcast sky and rain meant wet bridal shoots for Latonya and Cassandra which bothered me but I can’t control the weather although I wish I could for my clients.My Coffield Unit bride, Cassandra who was scheduled to marry in Tennessee Colony a few weeks ago and was advised by the Unit that her loved one had “caught a chain” and wasn’t at Coffield 48 hours prior to her wedding which is also emotionally upsetting but, Wednesday afternoon I married Latonya and Cassandra both at Allred Unit. Love always finds a way. 

Inmate transfers continue to be a shocking surprise to clients who have been waiting for months to marry but, we will be following your loved one and marry you at the new Unit. Don’t panic. Stay calm. You will get married. 

Catching a chain is a setback but a minor setback that can and will be overcome. I pass chain buses everyday and worry that the Unit I’m headed to has put my clients loved one on a chain bus passing me on the highway as I head to a Unit. It’s happened before and may happen again.

Unit photos continue to be less than we could hope for but Unit photos are hit and miss at all Texas Units. Buster Cole won the “worst Prison wedding pic” among my clients a few months ago. Why? Let’s take a look. My brides beautiful dress wasn’t visible in the Unit photo at all. To overcome this issue, I studied the photo to try and decide what exactly made her photo so dark? Was it the camera? By the way, I’ve had good news from my first Buster Cole client that they are finally going to live happily ever after and plan a Vow Renewal very soon. They have a real love story with a back story too. All of my clients have fascinating back stories.

I decided that the window was what caused the dark shadowing of my couple and at my next visit to Buster Cole, moved my clients away from the window. 

At my next visit to Buster Cole, I had another unexpected hurdle with the Unit advising my client that her clothes were too tight. 

To overcome this problem, I went out to my suv and grabbed an outfit from my dry cleaning. My client wore my clothes to her wedding which is why they appear a little large. This occurs more than anyone realizes. I come prepared.Leaving the Unit, I found an old building for her bridal photos. I’m always looking for unique locations near Units for photos. 

Many of you have been following the saga of two brides and one groom. This is a pickle. But, my North Dakota pen pal has moved on. We talk daily and I’ve successfully walked her through the heartache of being duped. The other bride intent on marrying at Ellis Unit sent me a text last night about cold feet. The problem? This wedding is scheduled for 11-12-2019 and right around the corner. 

Since I was driving back from TDCJ Scott Unit, I had my son (who had accompanied me on an all day adventure) answering incoming texts. I instructed Robbie to type my concerns and questions via text to Valerie. 

For someone so determined to marry just a few weeks ago, things have turned sour and I wanted to know why. I discussed at length that love is trust to Valerie and that the inmate specifically hid his pen pal relationship from her. 

If I see flags that you don’t, it’s because I’m old and wise and also because long after the glitter from your wedding has settled, the pain of a divorce will remain. I warn you for solid reasons. I’m every clients mother, advisor, cheerleader and occasionally a shoulder to cry on or the first person they call with good news. I wear many hats. 

Apparently, the Ellis inmate and his attitude are the reason my client (the winner of the two woman battle for one man controversy) is having second thoughts. 

I’ve said this before but it bears repeating so here it goes… if an inmate is controlling you from behind bars, things will not improve when they are in the free world. Establish clear boundaries now. Know YOUR WORTH. Put your needs first. If you don’t who will?

This Ellis inmate “played” the pen pal in North Dakota by pretending to love her. He also financially benefitted from being dishonest with and to her. My new friend in North Dakota was crushed. She was also bullied online because she truly believed the inmate had planned to marry her. 

How did North Dakota find out about San Antonio and the inmate who lied? An online forum for prison support. A posted photo was quickly addressed as someone planning to marry that was the very same photo my North Dakota friend had. Raul was “making the rounds.” 

This inmate was also “busted” when someone in a prison group recognized his photo and his name and told my North Dakota client he was marrying someone else from San Antonio. Wow. Like a movie script with too many plot lines, the hits from this scenario just keep coming. 

 “Pressure can burst a pipe, or pressure can make a diamond” 

Tony Dorsett

Prison Groups are tight and loyal. It should be noted that no one wants to get played. No one wants to get hurt. Protect your heart and your pocketbook folks because this pen pal situation gave not only me but also Brandi and Valerie a real eye opener regarding inmate pen pals and unsuspecting women who can be taken easily be taken advantage of by inmates playing not one but many people in the free world. 

Trust is essential to love. If you cannot trust someone how can you love them? I spent a week going over this with both Valerie and Brandi. But, Valerie was determined to marry Raul.

Valerie’s texts regarding “buying her own ring and paying for her own wedding” were accurate. All of my clients marrying an inmate foot the bills. Dedication, perseverance, loyalty and more are required to love an inmate. Financially the burden can be a heavy cross to bear but if an inmate is playing you for money and money is a driving force, WALK AWAY. 

One Gatesville inmate played a man for so much money that the story was featured in D Magazine. Also, after exhausting his income, this senior was found dead at his apartment in Gatesville after a visit from the inmates daughter to his home. His daughters suspected foul play and they were right.

“If you have to BUY someone’s AFFECTION, it’s not LOVE. You are making a PURCHASE. Know the difference.” 

This mornings phone call to one client involved me talking her out of a payday loan to marry an inmate. Payday loan interest amounts can easily range from 500-800% in Texas. Going into debt to marry an inmate is not in YOUR BEST INTEREST. I advised her to push the wedding back until after tax season instead. My advice is frank and always blunt. The inmate isn’t my client either. The “person on the outside doing it all alone” is my client. Protecting them is important to me.

After traveling with me to Allred Unit Wednesday, my son was in my driveway at 4:30AM yesterday to head to Angleton, TX. Generally Cindy is my copilot but one of my twin grandnieces had collapsed at school Tuesday due to an asthma attack that required hospitalization. The twins both have asthma. 

Maryssa (below next to Cindy far right) has stopped breathing entirely on 3 occcasions at school and required hospitalization. Due to Maryssa nearly dying at school the first time, Cindy and I fought for students in Texas to have the right to carry emergency inhalers and won. 

On a side note, we also fought for parents to choose whether or not to separate multiples in school and Twin Laws were established. Why did we care? We were separated ourselves and knew how traumatic being forcibly separated by school administrators was to multiples. 

Driving through the rain, my son noticed my phone never stops ringing. My son works three jobs and has for many years. He works as a driver for his father at Mr G’s Carpets as well as handling directional advertising for my husband at Mc Bee Homes and for me at Texas Twins Events and TDCJ Officiants. Robert also performs inmate weddings at county jails. Cindy does as well and also performs prison weddings when not traveling with me to Prisons or meeting clients or flipping items together. Cindy and I are almost always together.

Five hours after leaving Fort Worth yesterday, Robbie and I arrived at TDCJ Wayne Scott Unit. My beautiful bride was wearing a 50’s styled dress that I loved! It’s always exciting to finally meet my clients in person. Marcella’s family was waiting for her at the hotel so we followed her back and began unloading items for her bridal photo shoot. My son had a little trouble with my longest veil and the wind lol. People are always surprised at just how many miles I log in a week. Cindy’s Husband is a truck driver who often compares his miles per week with me lol. Steve wins week after week. Steve has been a truck driver 50 plus years. My husband has been a builder 50 plus years.

Cindy and I are celebrating our 55th birthday this weekend because we are working on our birthday this year (as usual). 

Next Tuesday we are at Huntsville Units. Wednesday, we finally meet a filmmaker I’ve been talking to an emailing the past year regarding a documentary about prison relationships and marriage. Elena will fly into Hobby while I’m inside Ramsey Unit with Shenequil and join us for bridal photos following the wedding. 

TDCJ Officiant Wendy Wortham Work, Travel, Transportation, Tantrums & Tiaras…

I sleep very little during wedding season. For years, my Team and I “caught a break” off season to address refurbishing trades from Pawning Planners Clients sold at Texas Twins Treasures. Inmate wedding services changed our “off season.” How so? We no longer have an off season and are booked year round. Prison weddings took the place of “off season” for the Texas Twins.

A few folks (including my competitors) wonder how on earth my first Prison wedding literally shifted our client base 300 percent?  

The answer my friends is NOT BY ADVERTISING. The answer is by exceeding clients expectations, earning their trust and gaining their loyalty. 

A few of our competitors are jealous of our success but, “you can’t profit from the harvest if you don’t plant the crops.” 

In April 2017, Misty emailed me regarding performing a Prison wedding at Sanders Estes Unit. I underwent the process to become an Approved Officiant in order to help Misty. 

I have never marketed myself or paid for advertising in the event industry. I HAVE NEVER NEEDED TO ADVERTISE PRISON OFFICIANT SERVICES either. 

Due to this new expansion of our services at Texas Twins Events, I didn’t anticipate the surge in new bookings because at the time, I was unaware that the market and subsequent demand for inmate weddings even existed. 

But, A few months after Misty’s wedding at Estes Unit in April 2017, I was with another client at Michael Unit in September 2017. 

In October 5, 2017, I was with three clients at Estes Unit. By October 7, 2017, I was with another client at Ferguson Unit. 

By December 28, 2017, I was at Darrington with a client who had originally been at Jester Unit and hired Jo Anne (a competitor) to officiate her ceremony.  

This same client told me “Jo Anne can’t officiate so she told me her sister would but the Warden won’t allow her to. I need someone to marry me.” She hired Jo Anne but now Jo Anne was telling the client her sister would officiate? What was going on with my competitors?

The Jester inmate was subsequently transferred to Darrington. I drove to Darrington and married the client who wanted a reliable Officiant after being run around by my competitor. As usual, I exceeded her expectations and provided prison wedding Officiant services. 
My goal and the main reason for starting Texas Twins Events was to help people. By helping Misty with a creative request for services, over the first year of performing inmate services, bookings continued to roll in. I didn’t need to advertise Prison Weddings. I leveled the playing field in an industry that prior to me was charging exhorbitant fees to consumers simply because they wanted to marry an inmate. While my competition was being greedy, dishonest and misleading, I was being honest, affordable and most importantly, reliable. 

Prior to prison weddings, I had been in the event business many years prior to expanding my business to include prison weddings and had never advertised our services and more importantly, didn’t need to long before offering inmate Officiant services. 

Frankly, at the time Misty contacted me to marry her, I was juggling 50-75 existing through Texas Twins Events as well as being an Officiant on staff at Bell Tower Chapel and addressing clients Bartering through my sister business, The Pawning Planners. 

I was also a consultant for GLG and under contract with my twin sister with production companies and filming numerous projects at the same time within the same window. 

I.E. I was busy but, if people needed help marrying an inmate, I was willing to find time to help them. Since prison weddings are scheduled Monday through Friday leaving my weekends free for traditional and existing bookings, I easily could take on more inmate weddings and did. 

Prison weddings were a “perfect fit” to my existing schedule and more importantly, didn’t interfere with existing client bookings on evenings and weekends. 

Although I wasn’t “marketing inmate Officiant services,” word of mouth expanded my inmate Officiant business over and over from April 2017 to now. In fact, we now cover several states. 

Jo Anne (a competitor) had began trolling my sites since 2017 and following me. Although Jo Anne had been performing prison weddings for two years longer than I have and should have built her reputation, she had disappointed the previous clients who subsequently hired me instead. 

Over two years and running now, Jo Anne also recognized and realized that she was  losing her clients to me. I didn’t steal her clients. Her clients like everyone else found me. If you lose a client to a competitor, you lost them based on your own behavior. 

With the Darrington and Stiles clients, Jo Anne couldn’t perform their weddings due to being rescinded. I called her about “this issue” myself since her previous clients continued to find and more importantly, hire me. 

Throughout this two year window, more and more clients would book with me although again it should be noted that I never advertised to generate new clients. 

Clients found me because they had heard about me or because the other Officiant they had hired let them down. Unlike my competitors, I didn’t let anyone down. I treat each and every client like the star they are. 

One sunny afternoon while I was on site with a client at Belltower Chapel & Garden,  another call (and previous client of Jo Anne) came in regarding a wedding at Stiles Unit from yet another person who had hired Jo Anne and was unhappy. “She doesn’t answer her phone and when she does, I can’t get any information. “I hired her but I’ve heard about you. Will you help me?” 

Stiles Unit is an all day drive to and  from my location in Fort Worth. However, after speaking with this young lady, I committed to marrying her myself. 

I also advised this young lady to call the Courts in Huntsville to verify whether Jo Anne was approved. The new to me client called me back to tell me “Jo Anne wasn’t Approved.” 

Due to this shocking information regarding my competitor, I called Huntsville myself. My client was right. I quickly posted the contact information to the Courts in Huntsville on my FB business and personal sites in order to warn ANYONE planning to marry an inmate in Texas to verify Officiant credentials with the Courts PRIOR to retaining an Officiant. 

Immediately following my FB warning post, one of Jo Anne’s “clown posse” called the Courts in Huntsville to “file an erroneous and false complaint” against me regarding my simply stating the facts regarding  my warning to anyone considering hiring a TDCJ Officiant. 

Of course, a false and erroneous complaint from my competitor, Jo Anne and her posse regarding my honest statement had no impact whatsoever on my stellar reputation with the Courts in Huntsville. 

Heads up folks I’m nothing if not blatantly honest. I went into this business to help people. Jo Anne HAD BEEN IN THE PRISON WEDDING business for two years prior to me. Jo Anne has had every opportunity to be a success at this point. 

I wasn’t promoting myself or advertising to TDCJ bookings and I wouldn’t need to. Honesty and client satisfaction built my Prison wedding client base. 

Obviously, Jo Anne and her sidekicks false complaint regarding me warning consumers to call and verify credentials neither impacted or impeded my credentials in Huntsville. “We have other Officiants and I’m calling the Courts to file a complaint against your post regarding Jo Anne.” Sound familiar Jo Anne? 

You know, my post about people needing to know whoever they hired was QUALIFIED to perform the job they had been hired to do in the first place? If the truth bothered you, why didn’t you advise people retaining your services that you couldn’t perform their ceremony in the first place? If you hadn’t let your clients down and they hadn’t found me, I also wouldn’t have known there was an issue with your credentials either. Think about it. 

Our prison Officiant and planning business have literally boomed regardless of the sneaky tactics Jo Anne and her “clown posse” continue to pull. 

In February 2018, I was at Coffield Unit when a call came in from someone who needed an Officiant at Hodge Unit who had originally hired Jo Anne. These continued victims of my competitors continued to find me. I knew there was a problem because my new clients told me what they had been through dealing with my competition. Unlike my competitors though, I made their former clients day at a prison seemless, pleasant and memorable. 

In March 2018, I was at Hutchins Unit with another client when as usual my site was being consistently visited by Jo Anne. 

In March, I was also at Beto Unit when my website Team advised me that Splendora, Texas continued to hit my sites. I track every visitor to all of my sites. Jo Anne began paying for placement on google. 

Cindy and I flew to California to film This Time Next Year with Cat Deeley while also working destination events booked through Texas Twins Events. I.E. we were too busy to worry about Jo Anne. In fact, we always have been. 

We HAVE never been too busy to save clients who hired the wrong Officiant before coming to us. We MAKE time for people who need help. For Jo Anne’s former clients, we’ve made time again and again. 

In April 2018 I was back at Estes Unit before travelling to Stiles Unit on April 19, 2018 and marrying  the bride who needed my help AFTER hiring Jo Anne first.  

Since becoming a TDCJ Officiant April 2017, due to the number of clients coming to us for help, we have rebranded and expanded to address the growing need for inmate wedding services. I’ve been the second Officiant over and over because the first Officiants AKA my competitors have consistently let their former clients down. These “other Officiants” could have done the right thing and chose not to. They also lost their clients to me because they failed to provide services they had been paid to perform. 

A few days ago, Jo Anne drove traffic from her own page to my page by tagging me on FB.” While booking in these new clients, I asked “how did you hear about us? We have never advertised. So, can I ask who it was that referred you?” 

The shocking answer of my new clients and how they found me over the past few days was ironically not from previous client referrals but instead from my competitor? Jo Anne. 

While Jo Anne was busy talking about me on FB as well as tagging me, she was also inadvertently promoting me. Amazing isn’t it? 

New bookings that had never even heard of TDCJ Officiant, Texas Twins Events or Wendy Wortham until my competitors couldn’t stop talking about me? Finding me due to posts from my competition about me? Increased traffic that crashed my site due to my competitors? 

Ironically, because life is ironic, my site crash and subsequent “new Prison bookings” wouldn’t have happened this week without “help” from my competitor, Jo Anne. 

In March of 2018, I decided to buy a trademark for Texas Prison Weddings. By September 2018, I realized that I had hired the wrong attorney to do so. I was never interested in limiting myself to Texas in the first place. 

I decided to abandon my March 2018 trademark filing and focus on clients in several states instead. Texas Twins Events is national so why limit ourselves? 
Since all of our services including prison wedding services are available in several states, I knowingly and willingly abandoned the trademark for Texas Prison Weddings. My competitor subsequently picked it up. 

The trademark was approved for Jo Anne a just a few days ago, my competitor aka Jo Anne cannot stop talking about me or stalking me. But, everyone is listening including prospective new bookings. While Jo Anne is busy talking I’m busy working. I don’t care about that trademark and gave it up knowingly, willingly and intentionally. 

Trademarks don’t earn you business. Only you can do that. Limiting myself and my staff to Texas? NEVER. We travel baby. 

The inept trademark attorney I had hired to file the trademark was a blessing in disguise. How so? The name would have “put me in a box of only performing prison weddings in Texas” but, fate and my ability to overcome obstacles along with a dash of divine intervention and entrepreneurship are why and how I didn’t care about a trademark or a name that would have effectively limited our audience and subsequently, our services to Texas. 

I effectively threw that “geographically limiting” Prison trademark idea straight into the trash instead. 

Prison weddings occur even in other countries, I love to travel and I love to meet new friends. Worldwide prison weddings? Count me and my Texas Twins Events Team in. We will see ya all at the prison! 

Our services are available to many states and our success has a few folks shaking their fists but, our success comes entirely from happy clients, referrals and stellar work ethics. Loyalty is earned. 

My competitors, spies and internet trolls should take a page from my playbook and treat each and every client with the same degree of attention that we do but, common sense is like breath spray. The people who need it the most refuse to use it and get up in your face anyway. Jo Anne’s hometown friend attempting to discredit me with an erroneous complaint regarding my honest FB post and subsequent warning  “advising anyone hiring a TDCJ Officiant to first verify their credentials with Huntsville” was surprising to say the least but the “clown posse” and their antics have continued and even accelerated the past few days. Who cares? I’m working with the clients my competition COULD HAVE HAD if they had bothered to perform the task they had initially been retained to provide. 

“Trust, Honor, & Integrity are the building blocks of success. “Your CHARACTER says a LOT about YOU, even IF you aren’t LISTENING, everybody ELSE is.”

Jo Anne followed up her FB tagging Wednesday morning with more trash talking of while I was with a traditional client in a meeting and preparing to drive to Ferguson Unit immediately afterwards.

While still with my client, a negative review  notification from someone who “just happened to be friends with my competitor, Jo Anne AND even lived in the SAME town (Splendora) as Jo Anne aka the “competitor.” The notification came through to my cell phone. 

Jo Anne and her friend “aka the derogatory reviewer” who’s never retained my services  or even spoke to me (although she said that I was rude in her review) both live in Splendora, Texas. Now Jo Anne and the clown posse were making up fake reviews. 

This “reviewer” who had never hired me or my staff or at the very least even had ANY degree of contact with Texas Twins Events OR TDCJ Officiant whatsoever apparently thought that “leaving a derogatory review for a business you’ve never had any connection to was acceptable behavior.” It isn’t. 

The first Splendora, Texas derogatory and defamatory review would later be followed up by a former client of Jo Anne’s. 

Jo Anne and her posse were too busy laughing with themselves to recognize that “tracking the common denominator of these fake reviews was being conducted” while I was driving to Ferguson Unit. 

The common denominator? Jo Anne and her FB post tagging me. Stirring the chili and getting her friends fired up to unjustly attempt to sully my name. 

Here’s a tip ladies, I keep records of every phone call. Every email. Every text message. Every visitor to ANY Wendy Wortham site and I had NEVER had any INTERACTION with EITHER OF YOU. 

Also, phony reviewers, you were both “late to the party” attempting to hide your friends list connecting you both to Jo Anne. 

The first derogatory and unscrupulous “review” was posted to my page “Prison Weddings With Wendy Wortham” was within an hour of Jo Anne tagging me on FB regarding that trademark I had let go months ago. 

Jo Anne just can’t help herself. She trolls my social media, visits my sites several times a day and even subscribes to all of my blogs. Jo Anne is obsessed with me, my twin and my staff as well as her previous clients smiling at photo shoots after we marry them. On one occasion, Jo Anne even called her former client from Hodge Unit after seeing that I had married her. WTF? 

Jo Anne is literally obsessed with me AND her former clients. But, unlike most crazy stalkers, this competitor and her “friends” weren’t going to ruin my day with their preposterous antics. 

Fake reviews from her own connections? The childishness never ends but, makes it obvious that my stalking competitor has far too much time on her hands. 

Before arriving at Ferguson Unit, one of Jo Anne’s former clients left ANOTHER derogatory review. This type of rampant stupidity is why 24 hours later, my site would crash due to heavy traffic. All because my crazy stalker wanted to draw attention to me? Yes. 

Who needs a publicist or marketing person when your stalker aka competitor Jo Anne cannot stop talking about you and subsequently directing traffic and new bookings to you. 

Hell, Jo Anne, if you keep talking about me, I’m going to be forced to hire more personnel. 

By tagging me on FB and effectively, redirecting YOUR own traffic directly to my services, aka Jo Anne had increased my bookings from 1-3 clients this past week to 12.  

Due to this “redirected traffic,” from FB tagging and trash talking of Jo Anne and her two cronies, my site crashed with an overflow of new business inquiries and bookings between 05-15-2019 to 05-17-2019. 

Had my Jo Anne NOT HAVE TAGGED ME, my newly booked clients might not have even found me on FB. After all, they were on her page FIRST.

I was at the Tarrant County clerks office Friday at 2PM helping my client, Payton get her marriage license and completely unaware of website issues when a call from a Le Blanc prospect that I had spoke with on Tuesday while driving back from San Saba Unit came in. 

Thankfully, my client was thrilled to get her license and can’t wait to get married Sunday. 

Since visitation is on certain days, Payton took the online Twogether In Texas course to waive her waiting period. 

My Le Blanc client had also attempted to follow up and contact me through TDCJOfficiant.com regarding planning her Prison wedding Wednesday while I was at Ferguson Unit. When she didn’t get an answer, she called me “I emailed you a few days ago and haven’t heard back from you.” 

Alarmed, I called my site manager to find out what was going on and resolve the issue. I would spend all night Friday contacting everyone that had attempted to use the contact us link at the same time. 

I’m really looking forward to meeting my latest bookings and especially my Le Blanc client who saved the day for me by giving me a heads up. 

Jo Anne has to have paid placement on google. She “has to” because I don’t need to and continue to outbook her over and over. 

My creative content and quality websites put me at top placement in google search engines. I’m there for free and have been all along. Paid placement? No thank you. 

My twin sister and I have filmed a television pilot based on our business, The Pawning Planners, we have signed with seven production companies regarding show concepts about our businesses and we are currently negotiating with other production companies and networks as well as writing a book and continuing to rebrand and expand. 

While juggling our numerous responsibilities, inmate wedding services have continued to grow beyond any expectation I could have anticipated. We now service inmate weddings in several states. 

Had my site not crashed due to this “redirected traffic” from Jo Anne, the timeline of the “site occurrence” wouldn’t be so “easy to pinpoint.” But, it was. My web designer tracks visitors and urls. The moment my competitor tagged me, my site traffic increased. Boomerang clients? You bet. What goes around comes around. 

I will (as usual) give these new clients the care and courtesy they should have gotten from my competitor who was far too focused on attempting to tarnish my reputation to realize what she was doing. 

Truth is always stranger than fiction. My reputation is why I’m successful. So successful that I’ve added TDCJ Officiants and expanded into other states. 

Client loyalty is a priceless commodity in business. Earn it and you won’t have time to stalk me Jo Anne. Stop trying to figure out why I’m successful and start trying to figure out how to be successful instead. I know, it’s a totally new concept but, try it. Stop stalking me and start focusing on you.

For those unaware of how I got started in the Prison wedding business, it’s actually an interesting story. A creative request to officiate a prison wedding a few years ago and my willingness to undergo the process to help a stranger literally changed the dynamics of our bookings. True story. 

I have never once even considered advertising because at the time I agreed to become a TDCJ Officiant, I already had commitments to my existing clients on the books from Texas Twins Events and The Pawning Planners. My evenings and weekends were booked out nearly two years and I didn’t see how I could possibly squeeze new clients into my schedule. 

I had expected my first prison wedding to be my last request for an inmate wedding because I didn’t realize there were other people who just like Misty needed a TDCJ Officiant. I wasn’t planning to rebrand and expand again. But, due to the demand,  it happened. Texas Twins Events expanded and rebranded a second time in five years to include inmate weddings.

Inmate weddings actually opened a new door and took us into a completely new direction. An adventure of rebranding and expanding with new business bookings based entirely on my first happy Prison Wedding client, Misty at Estes Unit. 

I helped Misty with her prison wedding and by doing so, I was gifted with new opportunities and a new direction. 

For those unaware, I merged Texas Twins Events and Texas Twins Treasures to create a barter option aka The Pawning Planners in 2014. As usual, Cindy and I were pioneers. No one in the events industry had ever considered bartering. We did it first. We have never been afraid to invest in ourselves or finding solutions for others. We are entrepreneurs. 

While our competitors in the events industry laughed at the Texas Twins and the idea of bartering event services, we flew to Hollywood and filmed a sizzle reel. Laughter is the best medicine other event vendors who also troll our sites. 

While our competitors stalked us, we filmed a television pilot. While others expected us to fail, we continued to expand and rebrand. WITHOUT EVER ADVERTISING! The need existed to find a way to fund Dream Events and my twin and I found a solution. The need also existed for honesty and transparency in the Prison Wedding business and again, we grew to address the requests. 

As usual, the moment other event vendors who used to laugh at our idea to create a People Over Profit based event business only to later offer a barter option, no longer laugh. We help ANY income level. 

These same vendors who thought “Prison Weddings were controversial” also thought (years ago) that being openly LBGT friendly would destroy their business are now (so they say) LBGT friendly. Better late than never ya all. 

As other event vendors hid their affiliation with LBGT clients years ago, my Texas Twins Events Team welcomed anyone from any background. Yes, we are different. We are fearless and undaunted by haters who cannot understand why our unconventional business methods are far more effective. 

How our businesses that have never advertised or paid for promotion have continued to succeeded, grow and thrive surprises everyone. Our clients are our priority. Their loyalty is why year after year we continue to grow. Surprised? Don’t be. Referrals are priceless. 

Building a client base requires YOUR dedication. Welcoming ANY client? ANY request? We have and our dedication and resilience within the events industry is a story all of its own. 

From weddings to purple unions to estate liquidation to flipping trades to prison weddings, birthday parties and baptisms, my family and I didn’t care about the people laughing. We cared about the people coming to us for help. We focused on our clients. 

We took the risks no other event vendor was willing to and we would do it all over again. We have continued to grow because our clients are family to us. They are a fabric in our lives. Our relationship doesn’t end after an event. Quite the contrary, our relationships are friendships with our former clients. 

Inmate weddings take place during the week and therefore wouldn’t interfere with existing bookings on the weekends making adding prison weddings to our services the “perfect fit.”

Since I began offering inmate wedding services, we have continued to grow based entirely on our reputation and client referrals. There is no need for me to advertise nor has there ever been. 
Cindy and I think differently than our competitors. We have never “fit a mold” and we have always educated ourselves about any aspect of any product that we have ever sold. Product knowledge is essential in ANY industry. 

My sister and I are both survivors. We left home at 15 and made our own way in life. We didn’t have friends or even family to help us. The reason we started Texas Twins Events years ago was because we didn’t have anyone to help us with our own weddings. Why not? Our mother was a heroin addict who abandoned us as children. We came from a broken family and had no friends or family to help us plan our own weddings. We started our business based on our own experiences. True story. We wanted to give people the weddings we didn’t have ourselves. 

What we DID HAVE was the tenancity to succeed. We are passionate and resilient. We are dedicated and determined. For our competitors, we are also a force to be reckoned with. Client loyalty has expanded our business year after year after year. 

For those wondering how we got here, a little background…. At 18, I was a commercial actress with Mel Tillis doing Whataburger commercials. 

When I needed nice clothing, I became a model to create a fabulous wardrobe and go into high end sales. To sell, you need to look successful and I did. To sell, you need to earn a clients trust and I did. My twin and I had no one to fall back on. We only had each other and we are the most honest salespeople you will ever meet. If we wouldn’t buy it, we didn’t sell it. 

People buy from us because they trust us and we don’t ever let them down. Cindy and I have never been afraid to roll up our sleeves or get our hands dirty either. 

The Pawning Planners (Texas Twins) can put up fences or strip, stain and reupholster trades and more. This twin team knows the value of hard and honest work. We have helped people that no one else was willing to help on more than one occasion. For YEARS. 

The broken fence (below) was a request for help from someone who had no money or barter but, needed our help. We jumped in and rented a truck to pick up free panels and poles to help someone we had never met? Yes, we most certainly did. 

You’ve never met anyone like us because we care about others. We are passionate and perseverant. Finding someone to donate panels and poles? Sure on Craigslist. 

The person contacting us for help with a broken fence didn’t have a truck. We went to Home Depot and rented one. 

The fence person came to us “because she heard we help people.” We do. Occasionally, we give insight to people in order for them to help themselves too. Cindy and I are entrepreneurs who became successful because failure was never an option. 

What made Cindy and I “different” made us sought after. We are the people we would like to meet. 

“You cannot buy a referral OR a happy client. You earn their business by dedication and exceeding their expectations. 

Throughout my life, only once have I needed to advertise and it was within an industry I had no prior experience with. What was it? Luxury car sales. I can sell anything. 

During a divorce, I needed a car and upon realizing that luxury car sales offered free demos, took a job at Cadillac. In order to gain my own client base in a wholly new career path, I used my previous experience as a former print and commercial model to run my own ads in Country clubs across Texas. This “type of advertising” had never been done before in the car sales industry but, I’m a pioneer and my creative advertising campaign paid off for me as a Cadillac salesperson. 

Direct marketing specifically to consumers that could afford to buy luxury cars was the most successful investment I had ever made at that time in my life. Even I was shocked at the success of my unique idea to market myself. I generated clients booking by appointment and I had more clients than I could handle. 

While other salesmen laughed at marketing campaign, they didn’t laugh long. Clients generated through my creative marketing campaign referred their friends and family to me. 

Within a four year window, I was awarded again and again for customer satisfaction and excellence. I retired from Cadillac “on top.” 

My reputation sold all of those vehicles. I earned the trust of my clients and their loyalty. 

After two years, I no longer needed to pay to advertise. I had more business than I could handle because I was willing to be different. To do something different. To invest in myself and stellar work ethics. I knew if I could bring clients in, I would sell and sell I did. 

I don’t fit in a box. Clients I had previously sold Cadillac’s to booked again. This time for event services. 

Former Cadillac clients book new services and ALL of our clients for Texas Twins Events, Texas Twins Treasures, The Pawning Planners and Prison Weddings ARE REFERRED CLIENTS. 

Dedication and dilligence are how we have grown year after year. Happy clients continue to refer their friends and family to us again and again. We build relationships not sales numbers. 

You can’t afford to buy loyalty or referrals. No one can. Loyalty and subsequently, referral business is earned only through building trust with a client.” 

Cindy and I stay busy with interviews. After all, there isn’t a business as versatile as ours anywhere. We especially enjoyed a radio interview together Thursday afternoon regarding people over fifty starting their own business. 

The most important aspect of any business is to expect a learning curve. I didn’t expect to rebrand and expand in order to address low income clients but the need existed and The Pawning Planners was born. I didn’t expect to rebrand and expand again to address inmate wedding services either but, a creative request for an inmate wedding is why and how Texas Twins Events rebranded and expanded again. I’m open minded. 

From rich to poor, our clients are the biggest mix of people from any background you could imagine. But, by rebranding and expanding, our services became available to any income level for any service. 

I’ve been in sales my entire life and the key to sales is building quality in the product and establishing a relationship with the client. Unlike my competitors, I have. 

Although we are based in Texas, Texas Twins Events has offered destination event services from the inception. We’ve never been limited to Texas. We have no plans to start now either. The Texas Twins Travel! 

I’m not ONLY familiar with competing businesses because at WorthamWorld, I am also familiar with competing neighbors.

Friday morning, I was kicking off my morning at 5AM, and I was surprised to see Maria (the maid next door) walking towards Foxy and I. After all, I’m trying to walk my dog in silk pajamas unnoticed. I had a long day ahead of me and wasn’t planning to deal with my entitled neighbor or her brow beaten housekeeper, Maria. 

Ninety nine percent of my neighbors don’t work. There’s a lot of “old money” in Westover Hills, TX. From old mansions to exotic cars and a 90 year old grocery store that sells items 50% or more above “traditional” grocery stores, watching maids walk from the bus to work every morning is a regular occurrence. 

I like Roy Pope Grocery and I realize convenience is expensive so, I enjoy walking to the market with a parking lot full of Maserati’s, Porsche, Mercedes and Rolls Royce vehicles. These folks could walk too but they prefer to drive and leave their cars running. 

If you were a car thief, my neighborhood is the neighborhood to “score” at. Occasionally, I will drive my Santa Fe SUV or my Nissan Rogue over to Roy Pope if I’m returning from a booking. 

My “flawless neighbors” in full makeup and fancy cars give me the stink eye though for a number of reasons but mainly because I work and they don’t. 

Also, watching film crews and clients come and go at WorthamWorld raises a few eyebrows around here. My neighbors are far from liberal or open minded. 

I occasionally pity my neighbors the same way I laugh back at my competitors who once laughed at me. The “affluent housewives” looking down on others would certainly have a fairly tough time surviving on their own should their their husband’s ever leave. I’ve seen it happen. I will see it happen again. 

I’ve never looked down my nose at anyone because I’m old and I’m wise and I happily say hello to my “Beverly Hills Wannabe” neighbors on a regular basis. 

Apparently though, my snootiest neighbor had seen me leave my driveway with Foxy  Friday morning and had sent Maria over to ask me “have you called the city about mowing the estate next door to you?” 

I (momentarily) considered marching over to my neighbors house and getting snappy but poor Maria was just a messenger. Her mistress (most likely) would take out her frustration on Maria if I had. 

A few times over the years, I’ve driven Maria home. Maria is hard working and supports her family. Maria is too good for her mistress who “likes to keep up appearances” in Westover Hills with perfect makeup and clothing to go check her mail or drive to the Country Club. She’s an Instagram neighbor. Her life on social media looks envious but, reality isn’t social media ya all. 

Insta life and real life are far from the same. My neighbor is most likely depressed and struggling with alcoholism. I remind myself daily to pity her rather than resent her but, her treatment of Maria bothers me to no an end. 

If I ever cave in and allow my husband to hire a maid, I’m going to save Maria from being under the thumb of my neighbor. The house next door to me upsets everyone in my neighborhood. But not to the point of them taking any action other than telling my husband or I to “do something about it.” They all have lawn men and could easily send their workers over but, have never done so. Instead, they complain to us to “do something.” 

A few of my “entitled neighbors” have all day to call the city but in my neighborhood,  it’s regularly expected that my husband and I do it for them. “Your husband is a developer. He knows everybody downtown. Surely he has a few minutes to take care of this for the betterment of the neighborhood Wendy.”

The rambling eyesore next door to my home bothers me to such an extent that I’ve hired yard men for years to clean it up. I’m currently on strike though as the neighbor on the other side of it has decided to pay yard men to “cut only four feet into the abandoned estate because you hire people to handle that yard.” Humph. This statement lit me up. 

Six years of paying yard men to clean up someone else’s property and the attitude of all of my neighbors expecting me to continue to pay for the upkeep are what actually led to my strike. Mowing four feet of that yard is ridiculous. When I pay yard men to clean up that estate, I don’t tell them to “just do my side and leave the other side.” 

My husband is equally sick and tired of maintaining the adjoining property with no benefit whatsoever as well as running construction on his numerous developments and dealing with the city regarding the abandoned estate next door is the last thing he wants to do although it happens to be “related to our neighborhood as opposed to his development neighborhoods.” 

My husband and I are on strike about paying to upkeep a property solely because we are forced to look at it next door. What’s wrong with that neighbor? He could sell the lot within days for easily $500k but chooses to let raccoons move in and trees to overtake the property. I don’t get it. 

I told Maria I would call the city on my way downtown and report the three home decaying estate next door to the city again rather than telling her what I REALLY thought about her boss while my haughty neighbor looked on at both of us. 

Poor Maria rides the bus every morning then walks to my neighbors estate. I see her as I’m walking Foxy. I’ve always felt sorry for her. 

Once she arrives at work, her mistress makes her change into a maids uniform. It’s belittling to her. I know she hates wearing it as much as I hate seeing her wear it. 

A few of my neighbors would benefit from manual labor and a good days work. The neighbor Maria works for is one of them. 

Often I think a few of these neighbors must be so far upside down in debt that I nearly expect to see the repo man coming over to pick up their fancy cars but, it hasn’t happened yet. 

Driving exotic cars is something that you will never see me do. We pay cash for new suvs every two years and don’t owe on credit cards or anything else. My husband and I aren’t flashy and we like it that way. 

Rich people get on my nerves but more than that, housewives who run around in tennis outfits ALL DAY while driving $400k vehicles and acting superior to anyone who isn’t driving a fabulous car REALLY GET ON MY NERVES. 

Entitled neighbors aside, I (as usual) had a jam packed weekend of client meetings and events. As my nosy neighbors watch our three suvs and a four wheel drive truck pull out of my driveway at 6:30AM after going over the weekend schedule for my Texas Twins Events Team schedule this morning, I ignored my nosy neighbor rather than giving her the finger. It’s not easy. Her opinion of our clients lights me up. 

Poor Maria is working for a tyrant over there. The fact that my idiot neighbor forces Maria to wear a starched maids outfit to identify her position at that estate infuriates me. 

But, I can’t save Maria. Her position in life bothers me though. One day, I hope Maria does give her mistress the finger one day and finds someone else to work for that treats her with respect.  

Someone needs to “knock that invisible tiara” off my “full of herself neighbors head” but, it won’t be me because I don’t have the time and more importantly, I live here. 

Last weekend my always “determined to impress others neighbor” hired valets who blocked all of our driveways for her party. I was forced to go over there and advise her that three of us couldn’t get out of our driveways. Her response? “Well, go find Maria to tell the valets as you can see I’m entertaining.” Ugh. Poor Maria. 

Rich people are often the worst clients I’ve ever had. They want everything and bitch about paying for it. Although my husband and I live well, we have always treated others with respect and kindness regardless of where they work or how they earn a living. In fact, neither of us have had to work in years now. We both enjoy our work but I enjoy it far more than Matthew. Why? Because building and development incurs new problems everyday. I don’t have his problems. I jump in my SUV and head off for good times with great people. Unless of course, they are rich people and then it isn’t always wine and roses. 

I prefer prison wedding clients. Why? Because my clients are friendly, excited and thankful that’s why. Rich people never are. I’ve limited my traditional bookings for years with affluent clients because of this fact. I turn down new booking requests on a regular basis from “affluent” clients. They are the most demanding people in the world to work with. 

When you don’t have to work to earn a living, you don’t put up with someone handing you an apron to serve food when they hired you to coordinate and officiate. Rich clients don’t want to pay for additional staff. They assume because you have a team that your team will volunteer. Wake up! I prefer to say no and move on to clients we ENJOY working with. 

Rich people think everyone is “day labor.” They assume you have nowhere to be and all day to get there. They also think they are your ONLY CLIENTS. 

I WILL ALWAYS prefer our low to middle class bookings because real people treat you like you would want to be treated. My arm has to be twisted to take on a “big event.” Big Events will always be a hassle. I never look forward to them. 

My haughty neighbor knows I perform prison weddings and LBGT events and “doesn’t approve of rainbow unions or prison weddings.” She actually stopped me one day to tell me about her opinion. I stopped myself from telling her to go F herself. It isn’t easy being me. 

I encounter stupidity from others (mainly my neighbors but occasionally, my competitors) who think their opinion matters to me on a regular basis.

This morning I’m starting my day at Green Bay Unit in Fort Worth. This is a massive detention center that I’m meeting clients at at least twice a week. If you haven’t heard of it, I will include more information and warn you that phone calls are $15 each. Do not assume that these calls are $5 each because they aren’t. 

Tarrant County TX – Green Bay Facility has a phone program where inmates make outbound calls only, you cannot call into jail. Since you are paying for those calls don’t make it a habit of accepting collect-calls, they are over $15 EACH. 

The alternative is to set up an account through their third-party phone company which charges steep fees for each minute used. You are paying for them to call you. 

The preposterous amount of money that Keller charges had one of my clients mothers calling me crying. $775 for ten phone calls? I couldn’t believe it myself. To rectify this issue, I helped Mariah and her mother draft a Letter Of Intent and report this flagrant financial abuse to the Consumer Protection Agency as well as the AG. Beware of collect phone calls ya all because it’s anyone’s guess as to what they will cost. 

The Tarrant County TX – Green Bay Facility is a County – medium detention center located at 2500 Urban Drive in Ft Worth, TX. This county jail is operated locally by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office and holds inmates awaiting trial or sentencing or both. 

Most of the sentenced inmates are here for less than two years. Tarrant County accepts inmates from surrounding towns, municipalities and the Ft Worth Police Department who do not have their own long-term lock-up.

There are new detainees delivered to the jail daily, the see arrest records here. Some are released after putting up bail, are released to a pretrial services caseload, are placed under supervision by a probation agency, or are released on their own recognizance with an agreement to appear in court. 

If there is no release, the inmate must wait here at the jail for their court appearance as a guest of the County, getting a bed and three square meals.

Trustees are inmates who work in the jail as cooks, as orderlies for the staff, in the laundry or in the commissary. The trustees are paid a very small amount for their time and some jail gives the trustees a few days off their sentence in exchange for their work.

When an inmate arrives in jail they are put together in a large holding cell with other inmates in the intake. While in intake they are under heightened observation. Violent and out of control inmates are segregated.

I was actually “following the groom” who had been transferred from Tarrant County Jail to Green Bay. Last week my client and I thought he was at Tarrant County but as usual, he was moved without being able to notify his fiancée. We found him again after a collect call. 

Not knowing where your loved one is continues to be upsetting to my clients. Luckily, my Green Bay client has an attorney I know well. I know most attorneys in Fort Worth and Dallas from my years spent in courtrooms as well as socially at fundraisers for Kay Granger and from Ridglea or Shady Oaks Country Club. 

Unlike my snobby neighbor who will spend her summer laying around the Country Club pool sipping martinis and trying to look sexy, I only go to “the club” for client meetings, social functions and the occasional lunch or dinner with my husband. 

I have no idea why my neighbor hasn’t died yet of alcohol poisoning with the ever present martini glass in her hand? I’ve never seen her without a drink regardless of what time it is. How do people function drinking 24/7? I don’t get it. 

Anyway luckily, I knew the attorney and called him to get me a notarized Absentee Affidavit for the inmate. I had a great call with him discussing both of our families and pitching him on getting married. For years now, I’ve asked when this attorney is going to get married? His internet date stories are hilarious though and if he were to finally meet someone and hire me to marry them, I’d really miss his hit and miss blind date sagas. 

Speaking of Tarrant County Jail, I will be back over there today to meet my Dallas County Jail client who was bumped to Tarrant County due to a warrant. Following the Groom is actually a regular occurrence. 

I’m at Rivercrest for a client meeting and lunch this afternoon and no I don’t like watercress sandwiches. My husband loves them and Rivercrest is famous for them. Yuck. 

My husband pretty much lived at Rivercrest Country Club most of his life. His father, grandfather and entire family were members of this stuffy old above 70 years old clique. 

Rivercrest isn’t the fun Country Club of Fort Worth. Both Rivercrest and Colonial are the “stuffy” clubs of Fort Worth. 

The fun folks are members of Ridglea and Shady Oaks or both. For people like me who hate golf, comparing the greens is totally lost on me. Every golf course looks the same. 

My husband could spend hours explaining the differences of the greens at Rivercrest, Colonial, Shady Oaks and Ridglea but the conversation would put me to sleep in seconds.

I’m considering cutting this Rivercrest client loose for more than ONE REASON. First, she calls constantly and when she isn’t calling, her mother is. Secondly, this wedding is at the club and eleven months from now. Nearly another year of constant phone calls? Hell, I need to bill by the call with this client AND her mother. 

It’s an ass whipping to deal with Inlaws and Outlaws in the planning process. This bride begged me to take this job and my husband “knows the family.” 

My husband and I constantly bicker the “valid points” he thinks there are regarding my consistent issues about taking on “affluent clients.” I prefer not to. 

My husband doesn’t know how difficult rich people are to work for in the event planning business but, I do. Cindy does. My husband thinks “working these larger events is a great way to expand.” 

My husband didn’t expect prison weddings to take off and even today cannot believe how successful this extension of services would be. 

A few affluent clients won’t take no for an answer after “telling their friends the Texas Twins are doing their event.” Heavy sigh. I wish they wouldn’t tell people they booked with us long before I’ve ever considered taking the booking. Now you feel pressured to commit. They realize this and then, you are under their thumb. Jeez. 

Today, I’m going to have to go over a few ground rules about these constant phone calls from “traditional clients.” Last night, my bride thought her ring wasn’t big enough. People don’t marry based on the size of the stone. I found this troubling phone call to be a “sign of things to come.” 

Occasionally, “people who have it all can never have enough.” I’ve had enough already and this wedding isn’t until next year. You get the point. I had a lengthy discussion about her finding fault with her ring, the napkins the venue the this and that and taking the time to call me to call so and so and tell them she’s unhappy. I advised her to use the phone and address the issue directly and remove calling me to call them from this circle of chaos or… start paying me by the call. I think I’ve got this covered now but, we will see. 

I’m going to once again go over the truth that guards are not professional photographers. PLEASE DO NOT FILE A COMPLAINT regarding UNIT PHOTOS. Guards are doing the best they can and often with less than professional quality equipment. 

Certain Units have the worst photos and we can’t change the outcome of a bad photo. What we can do is accept that it’s not going to be an amazing shot an move on. 

Hodge and Estes take amazing photos. Seriously. The lighting and everything is as close to perfect as you can get in a Prison.  Coffield is hit and miss. One day the photo might be okay and the next it’s hard to even identify myself in a Unit photo. 

But, these are the only photos we are going to have of the inmate so, let’s keep it light and lower our expectations of high quality photography at your unit wedding. 

I reviewed an interesting request yesterday while in the parking lot waiting on my Mercado Event Center client. “We are looking for a female officiant that is non-denominational with zero religious agenda. Although we are a man and a woman, our ideal officiant is someone that has performed same sex marriage ceremonies in the past or would be willing to in the future. For us that’s a screener right there.” 

The only thing I was uncertain about was being liberal. Was I? I’ve never thought about it. I’m open minded and always have been. I decided to ask my husband. I’ve never put a label on myself but, my husband was roaring with hilarity at my question. “Oh my gosh! You are the most liberal person I’ve ever met in my life. I have to play down how liberal and non judgmental you are on a daily basis to conservative people who begin a conversation with “I saw you wife on the news or such and such show. I heard your wife on the radio. Your wife goes to Prisons? Doesn’t she have enough clients to address? Your wife shouldn’t be working she doesn’t need to work. Tell her to go learn to play bridge at the club.” Wendy, the description of liberal should have your name in it. Lol. The definition is actually: open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.” Hmm. I guess I AM LIBERAL!

Go play play bridge at the Country Club? I would rather jump off a bridge. F that. 

I decided to go ahead and take on this new booking because I love curious and interesting propositions. They weren’t LBGT but were interested solely in someone who performs LBGT Weddings? What the? I’m interested. It’s difficult to surprise me but this guy did. 

Between Willow Lake Event Center, Villagio and Belltower client meetings yesterday, Cindy and I had two radio interviews. Both were fun but Cindy and I especially enjoyed Karen’s. Her story of meeting her husband on Match and not realizing until buying their marriage license he had lied about his age by 6 years was hilarious. Normally, women lie about their age but, the way she told that story was absolutely hilarious. We loved talking with Karen!

I’m meeting my Goree Unit bride this afternoon at the Tarrant County Clerk to hold her hand buying the marriage license. My Crain Unit Groom made the same request. Buying a license if you’ve never done it is scary for my clients. When I don’t have time to accompany those needing someone with them to buy the license, my staff does based on who is available. Don’t be scared. It’s just a process. 

No one in Tarrant or Dallas county is going to be rude or confrontational with you because you are marrying an inmate. You will be just fine. But, if you would feel better having someone with you, just let me know and I will make arrangements. 

I’ve had several inquiries for California Prison Weddings so I will elaborate on requirements. For the past year, I’ve stacked inmate weddings to work in travel expenses. It’s not an problem to stack inmate weddings. In fact, I regularly stack in Texas and Louisiana as well as California. Beginning August 1st though, Leigh Ann will be handling California inmate weddings and the need to stack will be removed. 

My son and his wife will continue to handle “Houston runs” to county jails in adjoining cities. 

Cindy is joining me as a TDCJ Officiant due to the number of requests. We will continue to travel as a team wherever we can because we love our road trips but, in an effort to help everyone, bringing Cindy on board to Officiate prison weddings is a necessity. My son is more comfortable at county jail Weddings as his wife. 

Hoping you have an amazing day and really looking forward to being back on site at Villagio… 

Taken. You Hear The Stories But, You Never Expect To Be Involved In One Of  “Those Stories”..

Last Saturday, my twin sister and I said goodbye to my niece Stephaney as her journey to Valdosta, Georgia began. Stephaney was excited and looking forward to spending a few months on a beautiful ranch with horses, rolling meadows and atv’s. 

Cindy and I felt surely the change of scenery in Georgia would be good for my niece. Our entire family were “on board” with this decision for Stephaney to give Georgia a try but, within days we would greatly regret sending Stephaney to Georgia.

My niece is 31 years old. She is beautiful and she is Bipolar One. Stephaney also struggles with meth addiction and self medication. For 16 years, my twin sister and I have tried to “save Stephaney.” 

It would be while trying to save Stephaney (yet again) that would put my family far too close to losing Stephaney to “the wrong person.” A person who wanted her solely to benefit financially from having her. 

I’m including a photo of my niece because being pretty was an asset to Jane Doe. The person who tricked my family into sending Stephaney to Valdosta, Georgia.

After putting Stephaney on the second bus bus to Valdosta last Saturday, (I will explain the first bus fiasco momentarily), Cindy and I walked back to my SUV after saying goodbye to Stephaney while double checking she had plenty of money and two suitcases with everything she might need at the Dallas Greyhound Terminal.

I remember watching my niece get settled into the bus and praying for a safe journey. Cindy and I walked back to one of our black suvs and finally felt that “worrying about Stephaney” was something that we could stop doing on an hourly, daily, and weekly occurrence for the first time in 19 months  as we waved goodbye to her on the bus. Or so we thought. 

Cindy and I left Dallas to drive straight to Eastland, Texas to meet our Saturday client and begin a jam packed weekend of 6 events for my main company, Texas Twins Events. There wasn’t time to grab a bite as we began a long day after several days of staying at a hotel with Stephaney waiting on the second bus that would eventually take her right into the greedy arms of Jane Doe. The person we believed had a beautiful sprawling ranch and who also helped people with mental illness and addiction problems. The person who had convinced our family of what an “angel” she was. Umm hmm. Jane Doe was nothing if not elaborate regarding convincing our family to send Stephaney to Georgia. 

“Traditional bookings” occupy my nights and evenings year round but, during wedding season, the combination of Monday through Friday inmate wedding services at Prisons and Jail combined with my “traditional” weekend and evening bookings gives me no spare time at all. 

Cindy and I could finally put all of our tears, anger and frustration regarding “fixing Stephaney” far behind us as we headed to Eastland or so we thought. 

The Texas Twins were about to embark on a journey so surprising and shocking while we continued to juggle our TDCJ Clients, Texas Twins Events Clients and our lives that the details of losing Stephaney will enlighten and astound you. We would effectively be “balancing a juggling act of looking normal for clients” while dealing with trying to save Stephaney by Monday when her bus finally arrived in Valdosta.

I “fell” for the “trap that I was led straight into.” Jane Doe should have used her talents for the entertainment industry because she would have made one helluva actress. Her fluid flare for dishonesty would be unmatched by anyone that I have ever encountered. 

Cindy and I were “easy targets” for Jane Doe though due mainly to our transparent nature. We have always been honest about our lives and our journey. It isn’t an easy path but life doesn’t have an “easy button.” Dealing with Stephaney had literally worn my twin sister and I both to the bone. 

Looking normal for clients and our existing family would be the hardest thing we’ve managed to do in years but, we did. My husband had other issues at a development while Cindy’s husband was dealing with issues at Cindy’s home. 

Cindy and I have never hid the fact that Stephaney and her choices have created a carnival of chaos for us both. 

At 15, Cindy and I were homeless and eating out of trash cans. It’s important you know this. We had nothing at one time in our lives and worked to becoming something. 

Because of our history, Cindy and I also knew that desperate people either take the right path in life or they don’t. Jane Doe had NOTHING. We wouldn’t know this though until it was too late. Jane Doe also chose the wrong path in life. Jane Doe was an opportunist. A parasite. A person who looks for “opportunities” regardless of who is hurt. 

Jane Doe is the most devious person that I have ever encountered or may ever encounter in this lifetime. She wanted Stephaney and like idiots, we had delivered her. 

For people who have nothing, everything is worth something. A half eaten sandwich in a trash can years ago was worth something to two homeless and starving teens. We felt lucky and blessed to find that half eaten sandwich without mayonnaise. Why? We had learned not to eat anything from a trash can with mayonnaise because we would get sick. 

Without understanding our own background and struggles, you will never know why Jane Doe wanted Stephaney so badly. Luckily, one day, the police found Cindy and I digging through the trash and saved us by taking us to Women’s Haven. We were truly blessed on that day and finally off the street. 

Jane Doe would create and fabricate a false life and false reasons to get Stephaney to Valdosta. Jane Doe had nothing but, Jane Doe took the wrong path. Jane Doe chose two fighters. We would fight back after learning the actual details too. 

Most everyone is aware that Cindy and I have had more than our share of heartache with Stephaney. While other thirty one year olds are taking their parents to dinner, my thirty one year old niece was dragging my twin sister and I through one emotionally traumatizing escapade right into the next. From jail to Psych Wards and everywhere in between, any degree of predictable behavior effectively flew out the window when Stephaney relapsed. 

A few months ago, Jane Doe “reached out” to help Cindy and I with Stephaney by offering a change of scenery. This invitation was what I had thought at the time, a literal Godsend. But, Jane Doe had other reasons for wanting to “help us with Stephaney.” At the time Jane Doe contacted me, Stephaney was back in a mental institution again. We’ve had nearly two years of the Merry Go Round that Stephaney’s addiction and mental illness have brought into our lives now. Jane Doe was about to use her knowledge to an advantage regarding my niece. 

The phone calls and messages between Jane Doe and I went on right until yesterday. It would be the last time I would ever correspond with her again. It would also be the last time I would trust someone without checking their “story” and “background” out myself too. 

Jane Doe was the “Devil In Disguise.” She’s where she won’t be able to hurt anyone anymore and she belongs there. Jane Doe should have tried to earn an honest living. 

Had I gone to Valdosta, Georgia myself and seen in where I was really sending my niece, I can promise you that Stephaney would never have left Texas. 

But, Jane Doe was smart enough to know that Cindy and I work seven days a week and that Cindy is the custodial parent of Stephaney’s twin daughters, Maryssa and Makenna who are both currently enrolled in public school. I couldn’t fly to Georgia due to my schedule. Cindy couldn’t fly to Georgia due to her responsibilities. 

Cindy, Stephaney and I were “the perfect marks.” Jane Doe chose my family because we were also effectively “easy targets.” 

“I’m a fantastic actress. My sister is too. The majority of our clients have no idea that we can effectively forget the chaos in our lives in order to focus on the client standing in front of us. My role demands that I turn my back on the choir to focus on the congregation.”

Wendy M Wortham

The “choir” is and always will be my family. Throughout my life, I’ve shifted focus when working directly to my clients. The “peanut gallery” of my life regarding my family is behind me rather than in front of me intentionally. What you are about to read will surprise you just as much as it hurts me. Shifting the focus from my family to my work put me at a disadvantage. 

Trusting the “wrong person” also put my niece, Stephaney in a very dangerous position. Jane Doe knew my habits, my schedule and my thought process. Jane Doe had followed my posts and blogs for years. Jane Doe had researched me. 

Jane Doe had also claimed that she wanted to “help Stephaney” by inviting her to Georgia and she expertly “soothed every fear or concern” we had with the talented cunning of an incredibly smooth con artist. How so? Jane Doe was fully aware that Cindy and I were at our wits end after 19 months of trying to get Stephaney on track. We had effectively tried everything humanly possible and we had failed over and over again. 

The fear of losing my niece yet again and one day having to bury her if Cindy and I couldn’t “fix Stephaney” were the sole reason that I even entertained a “change of scenery.” 

Maybe Jane Doe had been hoodwinking her way through most of her life by taking advantage of others? I don’t know but, I know this, Jane Doe had plenty of time to execute a plan to get my niece several states away. I should add that isolation was part of “the plan.” 

Jane Doe was in deep country miles away from the nearest store. At the time she initially contacted me, the distance from “town” wasn’t an issue as Jane also claimed to have transportation to “take Stephaney to MHMR on Tuesday after she got settled in.” Jane Doe had also convinced JPS that getting Stephaney a counselor immediately wouldn’t be an “issue.” 

Jane Doe knew Stephaney wasn’t on Social Security Disability due to mental illness. How? She asked me. I told her we would send money every Friday and that Stephaney would find a job within days. Stephaney enjoys working. She always has. 

There’s a reason Stephaney isn’t on SS Disability. Stephaney wants to work. It was an odd question but, Jane Doe had her reasons and they were entirely based on the amount of money Stephaney could generate right into her hands. The fact that Cindy and I would also be sending money to Jane Doe while she sneakily attempted to  sign Stephaney up for food stamps and SS wouldn’t “surface” for 24 hours after Stephaney arrived in Valdosta. 

We had no idea how or why Jane Doe would become so upset at setbacks getting Stephaney to Georgia. Who would? What was the hurry? But, Jane Doe had nothing. No food, no water, no electricity, no job, no car, nothing. Jane Doe was great at fabricating the life she would never have. Jane Doe was also planning to use my niece to obtain the financial freedom she was unwilling to earn the hard way. 

After 16 years of dealing with the unpredictable and often chaotic behavior of my niece, Cindy also took the time to take photos of Stephaney’s medication and the location for MHMR in Valdosta. 

Our entire family had believed my niece was going to a “luxurious ranch.” Jane Doe is a convincing liar and manipulator. 

We document everything. Cindy and I always have with Stephaney. She loses her medicine, her cell phone, her clothes, her ID and everything else all of the time. 

Cindy and I have spent thousands over and over again replacing all of the items Stephaney loses for years. Stephaney’s medication is incredibly expensive. She has no health insurance. 

Jane Doe made several promissory statements to JPS regarding Stephaney’s release that would later literally “uphold everything” I would be forced to explain to both the DA and AG. I never say anything I cannot prove. 

Cindy and I effectively had a paper trail. Jane Doe never anticipated that Cindy and I both would document everything about this “wonderful and relaxing excursion to Georgia” but, we did. 

Alleging someone is being held against their will is a serious crime. Before you even consider making such a statement to law enforcement, be certain of the facts. I was. 

Cindy also included in those faxes to the DA and AG numerous screenshot messages and unkept promises from Jane Doe. 

Cindy and I could easily prove my niece was released from JPS Trinity Pavillion to the care of Jane Doe and when Jane Doe would have Stephaney with her rather than us. Within days of leaving Texas on a Greyhound bus, my niece would effectively be fighting for her life in Georgia. 

Within days, I would be fighting to get my niece out of the filth Jane Doe lived in. But, I would get my niece back and while doing so, I would also hold Jane Doe accountable. 

While I was saving Stephaney, I would also save Jane Doe’s children from her too. 

Those children had been through numerous CPS investigations. I would open another investigation myself within 48 hours of my niece arriving in Valdosta. Hearing and understanding why I contacted CPS will shock you. 

Jane Doe was abusive to not only her own children but also the most negligent parent I’ve encountered aside from my own mother who also starved and later sold her four children for $50 each to go buy heroin. I’m not “unfamiliar” with negligent parents. In fact, I’m more than “familiar” with them. 

Stephaney’s counselors have always regularly “checked in” with Cindy or I as to where Stephaney was and whether she was taking her medication. Like her mother and I, the counselor also believed “a change of scenery would be beneficial to Stephaney’s recovery.” We were all terribly wrong. Not one of us but all of us including Stephaney. 

Jane Doe had convinced JPS that “Stephaney would be in good hands.” Jane Doe NEVER took Stephaney to MHMR on Tuesday. Why? Because my niece wasn’t ever going to be allowed to leave once she had arrived. Jane Doe wanted Stephaney for financial gain alone. 

Jane Doe was so convincing about her beautiful home and idea about a change of scenery that even the psychologists treating my niece didn’t question her. Stephaney’s medications are nearly $1k. 

On March 26 @ 10AM, Cindy picked up Stephaney while I was headed to TDCJ Michael Unit with my son. Cindy would buy Stephaney whatever she needed for her trip to Valdosta the following morning. Together, Cindy and I would take Stephaney to Greyhound in Fort Worth. Stephaney was excited about her trip. She loves nature and horses and was looking forward to “getting back to nature.” 

There would be setbacks getting Stephaney to Georgia as Jane Doe rubbed her hands together waiting on Stephaney to leave Texas. 

Stephaney was nervous about leaving her family behind. We all were. We hoped for a positive 2-3 month visit but, after four days with Jane Doe, my niece would never be the same again. 

It would take great lengths to save my niece but, I did. Cindy and I went to any and all means necessary to get Stephaney back. We were lucky Stephaney wasn’t moved. Had she been, we may never have seen her again after sending her to Jane Doe. 

Stephaney was called “my human” by Jane Doe. I wouldn’t know this until after she had arrived in Valdosta. The first time I heard this term, I was furious. But, Jane Doe had Stephaney. Cindy took the above photos to specifically remind Stephaney daily to take her medication and when to take it. Cindy has also paid over and over to purchase cell phones for Stephaney. 

My twin sister and I have spent so much money on treatment for Stephaney the last 16 years that we could both buy two houses. We don’t give up easily. We never have. 

Cindy had bought yet another cell phone for Stephaney on March 26th while I was in Tennessee Colony at Michael Unit the day before our first fiasco of trying to get Stephaney on the original bus to Valdosta. Read on. 

On Monday April 1st (ironically April Fool’s Day) at approximately 10:37AM after months of being “groomed” by Jane Doe into sending Stephaney to Valdosta, a call from “Jane Doe” came in. “Stephaney has arrived. I’m so excited. She’s really going to love it here.” 

Because Jane Doe had called me while Stephaney was midway through her trip about conveniently “having a car accident,” I asked “who was driving?” This is important as Jane Doe wasn’t even at Greyhound in Valdosta. Her cousin was. My niece was getting off a bus to meet someone she had never even spoken to. Someone my niece was completely unfamiliar with. A cousin that knew my niece had “just left a mental facility.” A cousin that also knew “the crazy girl has a rich family in Texas.” 

Jane Doe had told her entire family about Stephaney. Jane Doe’s cousin told my niece who thought she was going to a luxurious ranch that Jane Doe was also a prostitute. This would be Stephaney’s first glimpse into the reality she was heading into. 

Why didn’t Stephaney return to Greyhound and call us? Because her mother and I had told Stephaney to “work it out in Georgia. Prove yourself. Show your family that you are ready to get your life on track.” 

I can only imagine what Stephaney was thinking as the cousin drove her further and further into the woods. It’s horrifying to comprehend. Headed to a prostitute? A pretty girl who thought she was going to a wonderful ranch? 

For hours I wondered why my niece wasn’t calling but had another call coming in each time I planned to call and check on her. 

Within minutes of Stephaney’s arrival at Jane Doe’s “residence,” the words “make this work” from my sister and I would ring in Stephaneys ears over and over again. She knew she was far from help or even a neighbor. Jane Doe had taken Stephaney’s money, toiletries and more importantly, her state issued ID and SS Card as well as her cell phone. Stephaney was stuck. 

My niece would later admit that she was also panicking. After Jane Doe had removed any and all of Stephaney’s personal belongings that Cindy and I had carefully packed into two suitcases, Jane then bartered them to her accomplices AKA her relatives. Jane Doe was like a buzzard. She took her time attacking her prey. 

Walking into a filthy home with no food or running water, Stephaney would later describe slipping in dog feces on the floor. The filth covered one end of the trailer to the other. This wasn’t a luxury ranch. There never was a “luxury ranch” for patients with mental illness to “get back to nature.” Jane Doe was no longer the happy and festive person we had come to know either. She was mean to her children and my niece. The older children said menacing things to my niece. Where had they heard such threats? Their mother, Jane Doe who also didn’t send those children to school. 

Jane Doe told my niece “you are mine now. I own you.” Jane Doe had children living in the filth without food, water or electricity. The filthiest environment my niece had ever encountered in her life. One of Jane Doe’s older children threatened to cut off Stephaney’s toes if she tried to leave. 

Going through my workday on April 1st, I continued answering incoming calls while headed to Jacksboro, Texas to begin my day of county jail Weddings. I was hoping Stephaney was getting settled into her room facing a beautiful lake. With a stunning veranda surrounded by pine trees. Jane Doe really went all out with her description. As far from reality as you can imagine in fact. I waited for a call from my niece. 

It would be Cindy that Jane Doe would have Stephaney call rather than me Monday evening some 10 hours after arriving in Valdosta and I’m certain trying to understand how she was going to leave or escape what a situation that must have been more than a little traumatic for Stephaney while Jane Doe ordered her to “call and get Wendy or Cindy or both of them to send me more money. Tell them I need $450 to turn on the electricity.” 

Hours after arriving at a Hell Hole, my niece was now being “put up” to calling her mother to send several hundred dollars? Yes. What would happen if we refused? Now you are catching on. Jane Doe HAD Stephaney. Her mother and I were no longer in control. 

Not having to worry about Stephaney and knowing she would be in good hands at a “beautiful ranch” was (I thought) a luxury for our entire family. In my mind I thought “Stephaney isn’t calling because she’s having so much fun.” Omg. I cannot believe how far off I was on the truth. That phone call was our first wake up call. No electricity? But, things would get worse. 

With Stephaney’s bags ransacked, her money taken, her life at the hands of Satan, my fragile niece assumed that she would never escape. Who could blame her? 

Jane Doe wanted Stephaney because she knew once she had Stephaney that Cindy and I would do whatever we were told. Jane Doe would underestimate Cindy and I though. People often do. We came from nothing ourselves and are far more resilient and determined than most folks. 

Jane Doe had assumed that Cindy and I were stupid but, Jane Doe and her dirty plan were about to backfire between Monday and Friday. Sure we would send money but only to keep Jane Doe from hurting Stephaney until we could get her out of there. I would stop at nothing to remove Stephaney from the situation she was in solely because we trusted Jane Doe. 

I had envisioned my niece horseback riding and unpacking, my niece was actually trying to find a way out. I never have a day off. Cindy doesn’t either. We have “full plates” 24/7. When we aren’t dealing with clients, we are dealing with our own families. It’s a lot to handle. Assuming Stephaney was happily adjusting in Georgia  came to an abrupt halt that Monday hours after her arrival with a phone call for $450.

Cindy and I were about to be in for one of the most incredible encounters with someone willing to do anything to get what she wanted that we would never forget trusting the wrong person again. Experience is one helluva teacher. 

My niece doesn’t “act insane” on a daily basis and would later tell me that “everyone called me crazy and accused me of talking to myself.” Jane Doe was a bully. I wouldn’t know this from her previous phone calls, texts or emails though. 

Cindy and I would realize the depths of Jane Doe’s deception when Stephaney continued to find her hidden cell phone and attempt to call. Jane Doe would be screaming at my niece before grabbing the phone and hanging up. 

I don’t believe Jane Doe ever even had a car to be honest with you. The entire car accident claim after we had said goodbye to Stephaney in Dallas was fabricated. My niece said a broken down car was on the property but it hadn’t run in years. 

I don’t believe that taking Stephaney’s clothing, hygiene products, perfume and other was as “confusing” as Stephaney thought it was either. “Everything is worth something to people who have nothing.” Cindy says this all the time because it’s true. Jane Doe had nothing. She would take whatever she could from Stephaney because it was worth something to someone. No water? No problem. Jane Doe would trade Stephaney’s possessions for something else. Stephaney wouldn’t tell us about the water until Wednesday while Cindy and I were in Huntsville. 

Originally, Cindy and I had planned to fly Stephaney to Valdosta but, Stephaney has only been on a plane twice in her life and although we had a setback trying to get her on a bus Wednesday March 27th that resulted in my niece being taken to Dallas County Jail due to a felony warrant regarding a probation revocation in Cotton County, Texas. This was the “original setback.” Stephaney had boarded the first bus in Fort Worth to Dallas. During the layover in Dallas, an argument escalated resulting in blunt force trauma to my nieces head. The injuries went unchecked until after bonding her out of Dallas County Jail and taking her to Harris Hospital while waiting on the next bus. This time Cindy and I drove Stephaney to Dallas and waited with her in the event of yet another brawl at the Dallas Terminal. 

By the time Stephaney finally boarded the second bus in Dallas, Texas on March 30th at 8:30AM in Dallas bound for Valdosta, I was relieved to finally stop worrying about my niece. RELIEVED. Maybe we could finally get Stephaney back on track. 

Maybe this time we had a shot at being a normal family? Fresh air and sunshine. Working on the ranch and attending counseling sessions were the “plan” for Stephaney her mother and I had envisioned. 

Surviving would be the plan Stephaney was living out in Georgia. Tuesday, Stephaney did make one attempt at escaping. Tuesday, Stephaney also became lost and cut by briar bushes in the deep country. Things would unravel within hours and the following days. Realizing that she couldn’t escape or run away, Stephaney would use brief phone calls to tell her mother or I what was going on with Jane Doe in Valdosta, Georgia. 

It would take time for my niece to honestly “enlighten” Cindy and I to the extreme poverty Jane Doe lived in but, eventually Stephaney would tell us. Had she told us sooner, we would have found a way to get her out before Friday. 

By Monday evening at 6:27PM, Jane Doe had Stephaney call Cindy. “They don’t have any electricity out here. I need you to wire $450.” This was the first red flag. Cindy could hear Jane “coaching” Stephaney in the background. Angrily coaching I might add. 

While I was sleepless in Fort Worth and Cindy sleepless in Weatherford again regarding Stephaney, the curtains to this charade with Jane Doe that we had fallen into were beginning to be pulled aside to let the real show commence. Less than 24 hours after arriving, Jane Doe had Stephaney calling us for money? 

Cindy called me. I advised her that I was confused as to how anyone on a 40 acre ranch could be without electricity. Who on earth doesn’t pay their electric bill? 

Jane Doe said she knew me from years ago. I had apparently met Jane Doe years ago on location at an event for TCGPWA. I couldn’t remember her. I meet hundreds of people at events. 

Jane Doe knew a LOT about me. I knew nearly nothing about her. “Oh you remember me don’t you? I’m contacting you because I really would like an opportunity to help your niece, Stephaney. I’m in Georgia and it’s just beautiful here. A change of scenery will do her good. Ya all have tried to help Stephaney. I’ve seen your posts but, maybe it’s time to try somewhere else.”  

Jane Doe was an acquaintance. If she was anything more than an acquaintance, I would have remembered her. She wasn’t a friend or even close friend. 

These “Jane Doe” messages and phone calls would go on for weeks in fact, nearly two months. “Friendly and loving while saying all the RIGHT THINGS,” Jane Doe even called Stephaney while a patient at Trinity Springs Pavillion. 

Jane Doe spoke to Cindy and I for hours for nearly two months. Jane Doe had invested her time wisely by playing all of us for what SHE wanted. 

Jane Doe had finally convinced me, my twin sister, Stephaney and even one of Stephaney’s twin daughters, Makenna, of what a wonderful person she was who “only wanted to help our family with Stephaney” by the time Stephaney agreed to go to Georgia. 

My family was being “groomed.” We wouldn’t even know what grooming was until losing Stephaney to Jane Doe. I had never heard of “grooming” before explaining to the DA what was going on and why I needed my niece to be “extracted.” 

By then, it was far too late to change the dynamics of a trap we had stepped right into. 

Cindy had doubts. “Why would she want to move Stephaney to live with her for the summer” I had waived my sisters concerns aside. “She’s a nice person who wants to help people. Why question the kindness of someone reaching out because they care about our family and want to help?” 

I saw this “invitation” for Stephaney to explore Georgia during my busiest time of the year as a gift. I was also naive and so happy to have a few drama free months with a burdened schedule that I never really questioned the reasons Jane Doe was so anxious to get Stephaney to Georgia. 

Hell, I was more than happy to send money to Georgia if it would keep us from looking for Stephaney again and again. Cindy was too. But, we were never willing to put Stephaney in harms way.  

The original setback was when Stephaney had originally left the Fort Worth terminal headed to Dallas to layover to Georgia. Unbeknownst to me, a warrant in Cotton County regarding a probation revocation had been issued on Stephaney. 

A “scuttle” at the Dallas Greyhound Terminal was why my niece was arrested rather than taken to a hospital after being beaten by another passenger. This would be a setback of several days for Jane Doe to get her Golden Goose. Jane Doe was VERY upset about Stephaney being arrested and detained at the Dallas County Jail North Tower. I had thought Jane Doe was so upset regarding the arrest because she was actually concerned about Stephaney. It never occurred to me that Jane Doe was waiting with baited breath on her “golden goose.” 

The “setback” of Stephaney’s arrest in Dallas would have sent Stephaney straight to prison in Oklahoma. Acting quickly, Cindy and I immediately found an attorney to address Oklahoma and pay off the bonds and fines. Stephaney was excited leaving Fort Worth to Georgia and terrified at Dallas County Jail when she had called her mother and I after being arrested. We were both angry. Another setback? Another surprise? Again? But, we took care of Cotton County. We also picked up Stephaney and rented a hotel. We were exhausted. I bought another bus ticket online. The next bus didn’t leave for a few days. Jane Doe continued calling and asking “when Stephaney was leaving for Georgia?” 

Jane Doe assumed she had lost the golden egg when Stephaney was arrested. But, the “shipment” AKA my niece was delayed only for a matter of days. 

Meanwhile, Cindy and Stephaney were enjoying life. We had a few unexpected days with Stephaney to go to the movies, shopping, and even drive to Hobby Unit with one of my clients on a road trip. 

Stephaney was having a great time with her family. Stephaney’s daughter, Makenna also joined her Mom and told her “I’m proud of you. Get your life together and we can be a family again Mom.” 

Makenna was inadvertently reinforcing telling her mom to “work it out in Georgia.” We all did. We all made a mistake. We all assumed that Stephaney was going to a beautiful place with the possibility of getting her head on straight. A chance to finally get my niece back was worth whatever the cost to me. But, nothing was worth my niece being abused, starved or forced to live in filth. 

Looking back, all of the signs were there. The flags. I couldn’t see them. I was far too busy and quite frankly, exhausted. Cindy and I have spent nearly 17 years trying to find any degree of normality with Stephaney.

After a week of working while trying to get Stephaney to Valdosta after her Dallas arrest at Greyhound, Cindy and I had taken turns keeping an eye on Stephaney waiting for her to board the second bus to Georgia. 

Stephaney regularly goes off her meds and gets lost. We regularly have spent days or weeks trying to find her again. Now you know how mentally exhausting having a relative with mental illness actually is. Unless you have a loved one with mental illness and addiction issues, you will never begin to comprehend the emotional and financial devastation loving them brings to your life. I do. Cindy does. Stephaney’s children do to. 

Now you understand why I didn’t question a break from Stephaney with “clean air, rolling meadows and a safe and loving environment.” I saw a window of a few “drama free months” and I wanted to open that window. Did I see danger? Absolutely not. 

After 16 years of Stephaney, Cindy and I were thrilled to have found a solution. Stephaney enjoys working. Jane Doe told her she had talked to a Mexican restaurant that would hire her. 

Jane Doe had each and every base covered. Jane Doe had an answer for every question. A solution to every concern. 

I believe Jane Doe has done this type of scenario before. No one would be as smooth and cunning without experience. 

I had tried to call my niece by Monday at about 4PM since I hadn’t heard from her since she had arrived. Jane Doe answered Stephaney’s cell phone and said “I’m cleaning out the master bedroom for her. I want her to have the best room in the house. She’s fine. She’s enjoying the beautiful backdrop and wildlife of Georgia. I will tell her you called.” Like an idiot, I believed Jane Doe. 

By 6:34PM, Jane Doe was coaching Stephaney into demanding several hundreds dollars on the day Stephaney arrived from my twin sister?! Stephaney sounded nervous my sister had said. Something was wrong. I was getting nervous and suspicious. 

But, Cindy and I had told Stephaney “have a good time and don’t get into any trouble out there. Please make this holiday work.” It was an actual problem. We wish we had never said this. 

We’ve had so many setbacks with Stephaney that what we meant to say was “not to go off her meds or get involuntarily committed again.”

It would take another 24-36 hours for my niece to tell us what she had been duped into. 

Cindy and I decided to wire money Tuesday from Huntsville. We were both concerned. This is highly irregular as we had told Jane Doe we would send money on Fridays. Also, we had sent Stephaney with money to Valdosta. Where was THAT money?” How was it that Jane Doe claimed to have a home in Fort Worth and a ranch Georgia and yet had no electricity??

9:31AM Tuesday morning, Cindy and I headed to Huntsville, Texas. My husband was having his own issues. My husband is a developer and custom home builder. 

For fifty years now, my husband has pretty much “seen it all” in the homebuilding business but, he had never encountered a skunk problem. I’m going to refer to this incident as the “Stinky Springtown Skunk Debacle.” 

Apparently, the skunk had died while the house was being built. Using infrared cameras while tearing into Sheetrock, the skunk was found and removed. The new custom home was repaired and an ozone machine was left in it to remove the smell last week. But, the issue wasn’t solved. Stay tuned. 

My husband was agitated about an issue he had never encountered and would be forced to educate himself about. 

Meanwhile, I was going through something that I had never encountered with a very different set of circumstances regarding my niece and my complete and total ignorance of a situation I have never thought would happen in my lifetime to either me or anyone in my family.

The home buyer had contacted my husband saying “the smell is stronger than ever. Could there be ANOTHER skunk?” Tuesday morning, my anxious husband assembled a crew to return to Springtown and again tear the house apart searching. There was another skunk. Removing the bathtub, the other skunk was found dead beneath it. I was in Huntsville when he called me. My suggestion was to add more concrete under the tub and effectively “seal the smell.” 

My husband went back to the drawing board and considered this idea. Infuriated about a stinky situation in Springtown, my husband was getting as little sleep as Cindy and I while trying to get Stephaney to Valdosta. 

Leaving TDCJ Holliday Unit, my grandniece, Makenna called. I should add that my niece, Leigh Ann and my grandniece are both hypochondriacs. Makenna said “my blood pressure is high. Can I go to the hospital when you get to town? I think I’m having a heart attack.” 

Instructing Makenna to go take her blood pressure and drink more water, Cindy and I agreed to take her to Harris Hospital. It should be noted that we regularly take Makenna to the hospital because she consistently googles new diseases and then believes she has “all of the symptoms.” 

For years now, Cindy and I have taken Makenna to a doctor of hospital to continually “alleviate her concerns.” We also have Makenna in biweekly counseling. Yes, we are overwhelmed but, our family crisis situations have never interfered with our work flow. 

Cindy and I are like two clowns juggling too many balls. Thank God we have each other!

Tuesday evening. My husband is diligently attempting to find a solution for Springtown. I’m answering emails and taking client calls. I will be up most of the night doing research myself on the stinky situation to find a solution while wondering what the hell is going on in Valdosta? Cindy and I call each other. 

Cindy and I are back in Huntsville early Wednesday morning to go to 3 Units for weddings with clients. Makenna is now relieved to know that rather than having a heart attack, she is actually dehydrated. Cindy’s husband, Steve is now home from his OTR job with Ryder. Steve is rarely home. 

Wednesday morning 5:31AM, Cindy and I leave my home AKA WorthamWorld. I spot a raccoon clinging to the chimney outside my leaded glass kitchen window at the three home estate next door that’s now been abandoned for seven years. I advise my husband about this “zoo situation” next door. 

My dog, Foxy Wortham is walked three times a day by my husband or I including his last walk at night. A family of raccoons in that estate next door highly concern me. 

I’m now on full alert for a possible “raccoon attack” in the city. I hate country living and if my lazy ass neighbor would sell that estate, I wouldn’t be living next door to a zoo. I call all of the time go get the city to mow the yard next door. I pay to repair the fence and for all of these years, I eventually pay yard men to mow the lawn next door. Three homes on one estate left abandoned? What’s wrong with that guy? He could sell the lots and tear down the three houses on that estate and sell the lots for over $600k. It doesn’t make sense to me. I simply can’t stand watching that estate fall apart but, I’m helpless to change it. My OCD tendencies prevent me from ignoring the lawn summer after summer. Ugh. My idiot neighbor must have more money than sense. The taxes alone are well over $30k a year. Every year, I check to see if he has paid the taxes or not. Quite frankly, my husband and I would buy that lot solely to develop it if my lazy neighbor would only fall behind on the taxes. But, he doesn’t. Instead, he allows the property to literally fall apart while paying the taxes. My husband and I are both baffled about this.

5:49AM, stopping at Shell to fill up, I’m outside my SUV when Makenna (one of the Twins) calls Cindy complaining that “Maryssa won’t wake up. She is going to make us late for school again!” 

Cindy advises Makenna “tell Maryssa if she doesn’t get out of bed and get ready for school that she won’t be getting her nails and hair done this weekend.” 

Maryssa unlike Makenna is entirely focused on elaborate nails and the latest clothing and hair. Maryssa is a fashion Queen and Social butterfly. 

Makenna is a stellar student who views being late for ANYTHING as the worst possible situation she can fathom. 

7:29AM, Steve (Cindy’s husband), sends this text “I’ve put my clothes in the washer and I’m in the driveway waiting to take the twins to school. While sitting in the driveway, I saw a giant raccoon climb from the fireplace to the hole in the roof Jessie fixed last week. You are gonna need to call Jessie.”

While Cindy reads this text as we are passing through Corsicana, I go on my usual rant about Jessie. “For twenty years now that guy has done the sloppiest work ever at your house. He’s always in jail for public intoxication and he’s a lazy and shiftless bum. Why can’t we find a reliable handyman that takes pride in his work to go to your house? If you hadn’t paid Jessie, there wouldn’t be a hole for the raccoon to crawl into!” This is an accurate statement. Jessie had just went to Cindy and Steve’s a week earlier to fix a squirrel hole. Now a raccoon was climbing into a squirrel hole? 

Cindy: “Our house has been a money pit for over twenty years. I know you don’t like him. Hell I’m not crazy about him myself but, eventually he shows up and does his usual shitty job. I will call him. Maybe he isn’t in jail again.” Grrr. I can’t even describe just how much Jessie irritates me. He doesn’t take ANY degree of pride in his work. Jessie is shiftless and shady. He takes money then disappears again only to return later and up his bid to get more money. Jessie is a con artist. My niece, Leigh Ann slams the door when he comes over which I find hilarious. Cindy somehow someway tolerates Jessie and his slovenly work habits. I have no idea why.

8:59AM, Steve calls and advised us to wait on calling Jessie because we now need to wait on trapping the raccoon before sealing the hole in the attic the squirrels created. Cindy tells her husband to “buy canned dog food.” 

Steve is upset that with perfect wind conditions that he COULD HAVE shot the raccoon if he wasn’t in his truck waiting to take the twins to school. Steve Daniel regularly shoots squirrels and throws them over the fence. 

Steve and Cindy live in the country. It’s a regular occurrence to see a flock of buzzards flying around their home when Steve is back home for a day or two from Ryder. Even in the country, the buzzards within city limits are highly irregular. Cindy wishes her husband would throw the squirrels in the trash. This ongoing debate between them has gone on for years. You know like Jessie and his horrible handyman jobs. 

9AM Huntsville, Texas. Cindy and I roll into Motel 6 to meet my Wynn Unit Client. I’m still complaining about Jessie. Cindy is still complaining about Steve throwing squirrels over the fence. We both realize the dead squirrels may very well have attracted the raccoons at about the same time. Matching stink eyes about Jessie, the raccoons, Jane Doe, arguing twin teenagers and the stinky skunk situation stop the moment my beautiful bride walks out of her room. 

The moment she walks onto the balcony, we are dazzled by her beauty. It isn’t just the dress either. Anyone else seeing her at that hotel was as jawstruck as we were. She was truly a vision of beauty, grace and style. Cindy and I forget about the raccoon, the skunk, Jessie, Jane Doe and everything else when we are with a client. Instead, I tell Cindy “we will be back in about an hour.” 

9:07AM, I jump into my clients car as Cindy takes my SUV to go “junk shopping.” Cindy and I still have a storage unit of items to list for Texas Twins Treasures but lack the time to list the items. We are “inventory rich.” Cindy and I simply don’t have the time to flip anything “in season.” With raccoons, squirrels, shady handymen and everything else going on including a full schedule, it may be winter before we go through inventory and list items in the storeroom. 

9:41AM Wynn Unit, my gorgeous bride and groom are married. We wait for their wedding photos to print while counting quarters to purchase them. 

My cell phone is in my clients car. Cell phones are prohibited at Prisons. I had “checked in” on FB at Wynn Unit to let Cindy know where I was and Jane Doe (who was following me on FB) knew I would be unavailable. 

Jane Doe “used this window to call Cindy and demand that she wire more money.” This time for food. 10:04AM, Cindy is now at Walmart in Huntsville “wiring money to Jane Doe.” While I was at Wynn Unit, Jane Doe called Cindy stating urgently “we have no food here. I need you to send us money.” Jane Doe has Cindy stay on the phone with her causing further stress. 

Cindy has NEVER wired money. Cindy also couldn’t call me about this “urgent money need” as I was at Wynn Unit. I would have insisted on sending money ONLY to my niece and Jane Doe most likely knew it. 

With Jane Doe on speakerphone, Cindy attempts to use Walmart to Walmart to send the money. Cindy also suggests sending it to her daughter, Stephaney as we know she has a valid ID because we took her to get it before sending her to Valdosta. 

Jane Doe gets agitated and says “send it to me and use a code word.” Walmart requires ID. Jane Doe then says “send it to my cousin #### ######.” A few minutes later, Jane Doe says “send it to my aunt ##### ########.” Jane Doe doesn’t have an ID. Hmm. 

Cindy was losing her mind trying to comprehend why she cannot simply send money to her daughter? Cindy is beyond stressed. Cindy is confused and concerned. Other employees and shoppers continue to ask my twin sister “are you okay? Don’t send money to anyone you don’t know.” Even strangers recognized there was a problem. 

The urgency Jane Doe is suddenly exhibiting regarding “needing more money for food immediately” on Tuesday after just having had Stephaney call Cindy for money to turn on the electricity Monday evening would be how Wendy and Cindy finally recognized there was a problem in Valdosta, Georgia. Had we known ANY of this, we would have never sent Stephaney to Georgia.

Leaving Wynn Unit, I call Cindy to meet my bride and I. Cindy doesn’t tell me about Walmart or Jane Doe. She waits. Upsetting a client on wedding day takes precedence. 

11:05AM, Cindy meets my bride and I for photos following the wedding ceremony at Wynn Unit. I’m still unaware of the Walmart money. I’m with a client and when I am, solely focused on the client. Cindy knows this. We begin unloading my SUV full of props together. I’m on a timeline. I’m meeting my next client immediately after at  Byrd Unit.

I arrange the bride, her mother, her stepdaughter and her best friend in numerous photos while Cindy hands me various items including tiaras, bouquets and other items I’ve brought with me in order to make their photo shoot beautiful and memorable. I’m also “on the clock” to get to my next Unit.11:28AM, Cindy and I roll out of Motel 6 to head to my next Unit. I’m dropping Cindy at Salvation Army as planned to dig through trash searching for something “flip worthy” for Texas Twins Treasures when Cindy finally tells me about Walmart Money Transfers to ANYONE OTHER THAN HER DAUGHTER who has a valid ID and that Jane Doe has no food. I hit the brakes. Wtf? 

Me: “she doesn’t have electricity or food? What the hell is going on in Georgia?” Cindy: “Jane Doe says she has Stephaney’s purse, her ID and SS card. Jane Doe is signing Stephaney up for food stamps and SS Disability. Stephaney found her cell phone and told me they don’t have water either and haven’t in a very long time based on the filth in the bathtub and sinks. They use the bathroom in the woods. Omg what have we done?” OMG WHAT HAD WE DONE?! We had sent a mentally ill person, a fragile doll to hillbillies who were going to do God knows what to her while bilking Cindy and I for thousands of dollars. I needed a plan.  

I google the address of Jane Doe from the Walmart to Walmart receipt. I search property records. Jane Doe was living in an abandoned house. SOB. Jane Doe was worse than anyone I have ever encountered in my entire life. This is saying a lot. My grandfather molested my sisters and I. My mother left us locked in closets and cars and regularly “forgot about us.” My first husband beat me half to death. My second husband had mistresses. I’ve been lied to. I’ve been deceived. I’ve trusted the wrong people to do the right thing. 

I had never been in a situation with a loved ones safety in jeaopardy from my own hand. I had trusted Jane Doe. 

I think what can I do as I drive on to the next unit? I wonder how I can get my niece out of a bad situation that I’ve inadvertently put her into? I kick myself for falling right into a trap. But, while at Byrd Unit, I also devise a plan.

Picking Cindy up after my second Unit, I tell her “Jane Doe has us under her thumb. She has Stephaney and knows she is in control. There are children in that house with no running water, electricity or food. It’s child endangerment to have children in that type of circumstance. Stephaney was just discharged last Tuesday from a Psych Ward with PTSD and Bipolar One. Jane Doe knows Stephaney has been involuntarily committed 16 times in less than 2 years. Jane Doe assumes you are well off and somehow knows I’m affluent. Jane Doe wanted Stephaney to benefit financially. We have to get Stephaney out of there. We must also save those children while we are at it.”

12:32AM, I call CPS Valdosta, Georgia and request a visit to Jane Doe’s address. It’s an address that I wouldn’t have had if not for Cindy wiring money at Walmart. 

2:02PM, Stephaney finds her cell phone and calls us. “Listen, I’m hiding in the woods here. She lied to you. This is a hell hole. The kids are starving. I believe I’m going to die here. They won’t let me leave. I’m watched all of the time. Jane Doe said that if I try to leave, I will get lost in the forest and never find my way back.” Me: “listen. We are going to get you out. CPS is coming for a welfare check. When they arrive be where you can see a car enter while hiding in the woods. Go with them. Get out of there. We will get you home.” The line went dead.

8:41PM, Stephaney has seconds to tell Cindy from her cell phone “CPS came and I’m still here. Please tell the twins I love them. I will never get out of here. They won’t let me look for work. Jane Doe lied about everything. They want you both to send money and sign me up for food stamps and SS Disability. I’ve given up. I’m miles from town. No one has a car here. These people are so poor that I’ve never witnessed poverty this bad in my life.” Jane Doe screamed for Stephaney to get in the house. Jane was angry about CPS coming to the trailer and wouldn’t allow them inside. For reasons unclear to me, CPS does not pursue the issue. The line went dead. Jane Doe had taken Stephaney’s cell phone again.

I decided to call Jane Doe and “dummy up.” When she answered she was agitated “I know who called me in. They don’t even know my real name. We have a lot going on here.” She hung up. Her real name? There was a name other than what she had given me? Cindy and I (as usual) call each other. This IS A PROBLEM because Jane Doe might hurt my niece if she knows we are in Texas “stirring the chili.” I need a better plan. 

Wednesday evening 11:12PM, I email the Haven in Valdosta, Georgia. I also “explain the situation.” I email ANYONE I think can help us. My niece is mentally ill and being held against her will. She cannot leave and we cannot go get her. 

Thursday morning 6:21AM, the Haven administrator emails me to call her. I do. She tells me “she must call us herself. We can only act if we hear from her. We cannot act on her behalf without her consent.” 

6:24AM, I call Cindy while making my husband breakfast. I haven’t told my husband that I’ve made a tragic mistake sending Stephaney to Georgia. I can’t. He has a development with a skunk problem. Instead, I research “human trafficking for financial gain.” I need to know who to contact to get my niece out of that situation.

7:02AM, I email the DA in Valdosta. I also call Cindy to fax all of the records pertaining to Stephaney to the DA. Jane Doe spoke to JPS and made arrangements with MHMR in Valdosta for Stephaney. Jane Doe has no idea that we can prove all of this either. Cindy and I document everything. We are willing to contact every government agency necessary to get those kids and Stephaney out. 

In 2012, I sold Debt Survival Solutions LLC. I’m nothing if not dilligent and articulate. Did I ever in a million years imagine I would find myself in a situation where I was completely at the mercy of someone else? NEVER. Yet, I was and when I can’t solve a problem in a straight line, I resort to a circle. I would cover every base. I would bring my niece home. 

Failure is never an option. I could never forgive myself if something happened to Stephaney “on my watch.” For years, Stephaney has consistently put herself in harms way. For years, her mother and I have tried to save her. This time was DIFFERENT though. I needed a successful extraction. I couldn’t do it myself. I would need help. I had to find the right help. I would do just that. 

8:22AM, I leave to head to Green Bay Unit and meet my client. Cindy is already faxing the DA from Office Depot in Weatherford, Texas. 

My niece isn’t answering her cell phone. Jane Doe probably has it and I know it. I wonder if my niece is still alive? 

9:03AM, Jane Doe now wants me to send more money. “Stephaney eats more than anyone I’ve ever met. I can’t keep enough food in this house. Send whatever you can and do it now!” 

9:12AM I’m sitting in my SUV thinking. I have no days off to go to Georgia myself and save my niece. I consider paying my son to do it for me. I call him. He can’t. He’s moving into his new home. 

10:34AM, I pull into Tarrant County Clerks Office. I’m filing marriage licenses before I walk across the street to meet my next client. While waiting with my number in hand at the clerks office to file a stack of marriage licenses, I have another idea.

10.48AM, I email the Attorney General of Georgia. I call Cindy to fax the same documents to the AG she earlier faxed to the DA. I still can’t get ahold of Stephaney and I’m now fearful she’s chained to a bed being beaten or raped. I’m panicking. I’ve inadvertently put my niece in a horrific situation solely because I trusted the wrong person. 

11:09AM, leaving the clerks office, I send a FB message to Jane Doe. “If anything happens to Stephaney, I promise I will use any and all means necessary to hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law. You lied to me. You lied to her. You lied to her mother. You even lied to her daughter. You know damn well I would never have sent her out there under these conditions. Where is my niece?! You had better pray she’s safe.”

Jane Doe waits to respond. She’s wondering how I know what’s going on. She has no idea that Stephaney keeps finding the cell phone her mother bought less than a week ago to contact us. Jane Doe keeps someone watching Stephaney at all times. 

12:11PM, Jane Doe calls me. “Look, she’s safe I’ve got my aunt and my mom watching her. She isn’t allowed to leave. It’s unsafe. It’s to protect her. She isn’t hurt. I’m in Macon, Georgia and I’m going to send my cousin to bring her here.” I say “no. You leave her where she is and you had best not hurt her in any way, shape or fashion.” 

I need Stephaney at that house. I’m on a timeline. If Jane Doe moves her, I may never see my niece again. There are law enforcement officers preparing to go to Jane Doe’s address. I cannot have my niece moved. I’m firm about this. I even agree to send more money but not if Stephaney is moved. I’m buying time. 

1:27PM Weatherford, Texas. Cindy is in my SUV, I call the DA. The DA is contacting the PD to “send someone out there.” 

Cindy and I have no idea if Jane Doe has moved Stephaney or not at this point. We have both googled “Macon, Georgia human trafficking” and are shocked as to what we learn. We are also terrified. 

2:14PM, Valdosta PD call my cell phone. The Sheriffs Department has Stephaney. 

2:37PM, Cindy and I buy a bus pass for Stephaney with while walking into Walmart to wire her money. 

Stephaney is safe. She’s out. She wasn’t a statistic. The Sheriffs department transports Stephaney to the Valdosta Bus Station. We wire money to Walmart for Stephaney. We are relieved and thankful Stephaney is okay and coming home. 

But, Cindy and I will never be as trusting as we once were…by the way, Jane Doe is exactly where she needs to be. 

Jane Doe won’t be doing anything like this to anyone else. Jane Doe underestimated her “marks.” Jane Doe deserves everything she has coming to her…

“COURAGE is being SCARED to DEATH but, SADDLING up ANYWAY.”

John Wayne