Pubdate: Wed, 18 Oct 2006
Source: Battle Creek Enquirer (MI)
Copyright: 2006 Battle Creek Enquirer
Contact: http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1359
Author: Linda Jo Scott

REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD

For the Enquirer

Deneetria Eaddy frequently looks at the photos she took  of her 
daughter opening gifts on Christmas Day 2002.

"That was the last Christmas we spent together. She got  a lot of 
clothes," said Deneetria, 39. "But we'll be  together this year."

For the past four years, Deneetria lived at shelters  such as SAFE 
Place and Gracious Homes in Battle Creek.  And her daughter Crystal, 
now 18, had spent the four  years in several Battle Creek foster homes.

Deneetria said she was using drugs and needed help. And  when she 
heard about Gracious Homes, a residential safe  house for women 
struggling to get their lives back on  track, she decided to get help 
there. Gracious Homes  was founded by Grace Cowens in April 2004.

"Grace has a good heart," Deneetria said. "There's no  telling where 
I'd be without her."

Through the support of Gracious Homes and other  programs, little by 
little, Deneetria was able to  fulfill all of the steps. She 
completed her  requirements from the program during the summer.

Among those requirements were, first of all, becoming  drug free, 
which Deneetria did three years ago. She  also had to undergo regular 
urine tests, go to court  every three months and have successful 
visitations with  her daughter.

Crystal admits that there were times she felt some  hesitation about 
being with her mother because of her  past actions.

"But then I decided I wanted to try to get back with my  mom if I could."

Once Crystal had made that decision, she became very determined.

Crystal's foster mother Cecelia Coleman said, "The  closer Crystal 
got to going home, she'd say, 'This is  my last weekend, Mrs. 
Coleman,' and she'd get a glow  about her."

By the close of this summer, Crystal and Deneetria  finally got 
together and moved into their own home.

A quiet girl by nature, Crystal gets a sparkle in her  eye when she 
talks about how it feels to be back with  her mom.

"I just like to see her every day," she said. "And I  like having my 
own closet."

And Grace Cowens was right there, helping behind the scenes.

"Once Deneetria met those requirements, we were then  able to assist 
the family in moving into their own  home, and we're now helping 
Deneetria find work," she  said.

For now, Deneetria and Crystal are simply eager to get  their Battle 
Creek home furnished and are trying to  find such basic items as a 
dining room table and  chairs, living room furnishings and a washer and dryer.

Deneetria is also eager to find work to begin  supporting herself and 
her daughter. Crystal, a Battle  Creek Central High School junior, is 
an honor student  and eventually would like to become a computer 
service  technician.

"We're getting along pretty good," Deneetria said. "I  enjoy spending 
time with my little girl."

In order to celebrate their reunion, Deneetria and  Crystal plan to 
make a traditional holiday meal -- with  chitlins, greens, ham, 
cornbread and cherry pie --  together this holiday season.

Patricia Edwards, Deneetria's mother, is proud of both  her daughter 
and her granddaughter.

"They need to be together," she said. "And I think  Crystal is going 
to do good with her mother."
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MAP posted-by: Elaine