Searching for Caylee (from 11-08 )

This is an account that I wrote back in November 2008. When I read it now it still grieves my heart. Little did we know that day that little Caylee would be found a month later far from where we were searching and so close to her own home, and by a man living right here in St Cloud. I watch the coverage everyday like many of you and our opinions are very strong and diverse.
Since this account many things have happened in this case and I will continue to share my thoughts .This is my first day of blogging and creating this page I really am not sure of all the how to's and such , so until I get it together and learn more, have mercy on my ignorance. I wanted to start my page by posting 'articles' I have already written just to get started..
thanks!
Nov 08
I wanted to sit down and write about my day with the Caylee Anthony search team. Many of you have asked already. well, It started early, I arrived at the command post about 7:45am this morning with about 2000 other people. I signed in, and waited ,then waited some more. The media were everywhere and of course the 'famous bounty hunter' Leonard Padilla arrived in his full man in black outfit, toothpick hanging from his lips as usual, lol, and signing autographs like a rock star (that was kind of disturbing, but whatever, if it finds Caylee it doesn't matter) The media would have you believe (and has already reported) that Equusearch was disappointed with the turnout, not true.I stood there speaking to one of the top guys and actually he told me they were unprepared for the huge turnout and that tomorrow (Sunday will be better organized) I told him I was a bit puzzled by that because the media promoted this event non stop and were quoting volunteers close to 5000. He was frustrated because the ratio between 'team leaders' and volunteers was really poor and there lies your problem. It was just some poor planning. Many people wanting to search and help, few to tell you HOW. So they learned the hard way and will make Sunday's search even better.
I finally got into a group or team of 18 searchers, some walkers, some 4 wheelers. The leader had a map of our designated location and we headed out. With bug repellent sprayed all over me, water bottle attached to my jeans and my wooden walking stick we headed out into a wooded area off of Boggy Creek Rd down by the airport, not far from the 417 underpass/overpass, whatever pass it is. On the way there we chatted about the case , but as soon as you hit the dirt, its all business , focusing on the ground and anything that looks out of place, not 'normal' or of course smells bad! I did find some old clothes, old blanket, ya know just stuff unrelated and of course had a delightful encounter with a very long disgusting black snake! There was a moment that one of the girls and I were roaming and poking things when we came up on a suspicious looking large piece of board laying on the ground as if it was covering something underneath. You really get a very strange feeling in your stomach about that time. This girl I was with had done this search 2 other times so she said to me as we started to lift it " always be prepared to see something awful"...but it was nothing...You really don't want to come across remains BUT yet at the same time you do, so it will be over and there is final closure.
We searched until there was nothing left to poke, prod or dig. Once we were done , we headed back to the command post, had a drink and something to eat. I was going to go back out again with another search team but it got to late.One of the search teams did find 'something', divers were called in but we have no word on it yet.
So that was one of the most interesting and fascinating things I have ever done in my life and by myself. I wasn't sure I could actually do it. I met some great people. It is hard to put into words what it was truly like out there, but thousands of people had the same goal, the same mind set , and the same heart..Find little Caylee Anthony and bring her home.
Thank you all for your prayers, and encouragement ( that really helped).. Dr Powers, thank you for donating the gloves, they really appreciated that!
God bless you...

Hope is grief's best music. ~Author Unknown