Monday, November 29, 2010

One holiday down, another on the front

Aaah, Thanksgiving's over. It's great having everyone over.
Thursday went well...the kids from the Children's Home seemed to have a good time. They said it was their best Thanksgiving ever.
Yesterday I had my whole family for our "Thanksgiving dinner". Every family member was able to come this year, that hasn't happened in a while. And, for some strange reason, everyone that came brought pie. For dessert we had a pumpkin pie, a pecan pie, a sweet potato pie, 2 banana cream pies and a peanut butter pie. And cookies.
I cut my finger while peeling potatoes....it could have used some stitches, but I wasn't about to go to the hospital with a house full of guests. It bled almost all day. Oh well, I didn't really want stitches anyway.
Gio has court today. I think they're going to send him to another placement, for a while anyway. Unfortunately, he has a prior record, so he won't just get a slap on the wrist. I hope he doesn't have to go too long.
Everyone else is good. I guess it's time to get in the Christmas mode now. I'll probably decorate next weekend, and get a tree the week after that. And shopping...yuck, I don't even want to think about that. It might just turn out to be an all-online Christmas. The older I get, the less patience I have for crowds and lines.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Hey. Long time, no see.

What's new with me, you ask?
Plenty.
And not much. Work front is still the same. Liking my new job as secretary. The kids are all doing great. Brighton is growing so fast and is so smart. I enjoy every minute I spend with him.
As you might remember, we do our Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday here, which is great. But it usually leaves us bored on Thanksgiving day. So, I've invited a few kids from the Children's Home (kids that either have no home to go to, or no home where they're welcomed) here for a semi-Thanksgiving dinner. I'll rent some movies, there will be football on tv for the boys. We'll play some cards or board games. Hopefully they'll have a good time.
At home, a big change. Gio moved in with us. Things were going great. He's so sweet when he's here. He's good with Brighton when they visit. We went to a boring family get together and he was very good with all the older people there. We've had numerous heart-to-hearts about his future, lifestyle changes I expect from him, making something of himself. He was getting it. Really getting it.
But, Tuesday I got a phone call that I had to take him to the police station regarding an altercation he got in before he came to live here. I took him down there, under the impression, according to the detective, that he would be charged, then released to Keith and I. WRONG. They kept him. Now they're talking about shipping him back to Philly, some other placement. This is reminding me of all the crap we had to go through with JJ. So, I'm back in fighting mode. DHS, Children's Home, Juvenile Justice. And, just think....I didn't even want to get to know the little shit. Then I wasn't sure if I wanted another kid. Then, the next thing I know...I'm in love. His behaviors at school settled down, he gets great reports from his teachers. He's helpful around the house. And, unlike all the other kids I have (And I know this is all normal) he doesn't think that everything Keith and I say is absurd. He hangs on our every word, like we know everything there is to know about everything.
On a selfish note, there is something about introducing a kid who has had a very rough life, to all the normal/dysfunctional things most families experience. Eating dinner together every night. Talking about the future. Planning a little vacation. Talking about decorating for Christmas. Anyway, now I have made it my personal responsibility to make sure this kid doesn't slip through the cracks. He told me that he's never had anybody support him before like Keith and I do. He said it really helps him "chill".
That's really about all I have to report on.