2:41 p.m

It's 2:41 p.m, and I don't know if I can make it.  Since he has been in jail we have talked at least 3 times a day, once around noon, again at dinner time and always before bed.  I thought it still wasn't enough and had horrible bouts of anxiety in between calls. I was one of the lucky ones. If it weren't for my Mother-in-law I wouldn't get to talk to him half as much, she has afforded me the privilege to talk to him so often because jail/prison calls are very expensive!  So today I have to be strong and cut one call out of our schedule.  So instead of talking at noon, I have to go all day until 4:00 p.m.  I don't know if I can make it.  I feel like I am the one in jail.  The minutes are going by so slowly, and I cant seem to focus on anything else but the clock! It is now 2:48 only 7 minutes have passed, what will I do for the next 72 minutes.........

The begining

My name is Jessica.  I am 24 years old and I am in a longterm loving relationship with a man who was sentenced to a work release prison last Friday.  Today marks one week he has spent in the county jail, as he has not yet been moved.  One week of having timed phone calls (which are the most expensive phone calls I have ever made) monitored mail, sleepless nights, unanswered questions, uncontrollable crying, feelings of hopelessness and depression.  After doing some research on the web I have realized that I am NOT alone! There are almost 20 million incarcerated Americans!! Just imagine how many wives/girlfriends, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers aunts and uncles there are out there feeling the exact same way that I am feeling right now! There is so much stigma and judgement that comes with being involved with a criminal, which makes dealing with these emotions even harder! Not to mention trying to get answers to questions you may have is almost impossible.  This blog is dedicated to talking about anything and everything that goes along with being involved with or related to someone in the prison system.  I am just now starting down this road myself so I will be able to inform you of everything that I encounter and hopefully my readers can contribute as well.