Teenage Life

My children are beautiful! I LOVE this picture of them!!

Ok, Now that, that's out of the way.... ha ha :) On to important updates and news. 

Our family life has been impacted since way back before we even started caring for these three beautiful chosen kids. They had biological parents who were selfish and uncaring, yes, I believe they loved them, but self-centered all the same. The boys' birth mom had her own set of issues, special needs, etc and was adopted herself. I am determined to do my best that these kids don't repeat the sins of their parents. I know I cannot make the choices for them, but my husband and I are committed to continue seeing this through until we are with Jesus! All this being said... this has been the most challenging, frustrating, emotionally draining, and yet most amazing past 2 years. I am in awe that the Lord continues to use Devon and I in ministries and with our kids even as we are constantly in the trial. I am reminded of this verse often lately...

Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

JC is still in a center (most of the time) that has dealt with him in amazing ways. They are teaching us through example how to deal with him behaviorally and emotionally. We are getting the help we need but my fear is that he doesn't have much more time before he ages out of that center and out of the system in general. He will be 18 in a bit over 9 months. Sadly, his many diagnosis' and patterns of developmental disability needs will most likely not be "bad" enough to qualify him for adult services in the developmental realm. He will still receive the mental health help and may qualify for other things, but he is reluctant and partially unable to plan for the future. He does admit that his adoption has caused quite a bit of the way he is unable to plan for these things and I know much of it is his disabilities as well. He is a challenge, but a joy also! He has the greatest sense of humor and the worst ability to be open with his feelings and thoughts... He is so smart and yet so unmotivated to accomplish school work. He is sweet and polite, but often angry and rude. He is kind and loving, yet often aggressively mean and doesn't want to be touched. He has a childlike faith and love of Jesus, yet can get carried away in worldly thoughts, music and literature... So many contrasting things about this complex teenager of mine. I am praying for his future needs and we are praying as a family what kind of part we will be playing in his adult life. If we (and Childrens Mental Health) see him as a threat to our family due to his aggressive/violent tendencies, then I can't foresee him following the rules as an adult in our home any more than he has as a teenager. I am unsure of whether he will be living with us in 2016 due to his own choices as well as behavior, unfortunately... But God! I know He can do all things and loves JC too, even more than I do!! So, I wait on Him...not only in things JC, but also for my other two... one of which is struggling pretty bad right now and reaping consequences of poor choices, so praying and waiting is a daily/minute by minute deal now.

Jeremy Camp - I wait for the Lord, my soul waits

JC is coming home on a more regular basis now to see what kind of pressures he is able to handle in appropriate ways to be able considering a full time return home. He has done so well recently! His brother and sister are struggling to handle it as they have gotten used to the way it has been, but they also know JC and his needs and wants to be home, so they are learning how to adapt again. I'm sure you've heard the term "helicopter parent"... well, in my case... it is "helicopter child". I simply cannot do anything for over 5 minutes without JC coming to find me, calling for me or basically hovering around me.  This is difficult sometimes because I am the type of person who needs her space, ha ha! And he is a 6'3", size 17 shoe huge beanpole of a teenager!! We are working on finding tools to remind JC of when he's bored, he gets in trouble, so find something else to do to keep you busy. I must give him10 different choices, 100 times a day, of what he can do rather than hover or get bored and angry. Nothing seems to hold his attention longer than 10 minutes. Not even Xbox anymore :( We are hoping to find a job through the developmental services that will be "hopping" but not too challenging to keep him busy but not frustrated. He loves animals so we are looking into volunteer situations first :)

The last few months have been challenging anyways due to three teenagers being in the house! Craziness and Chaos often occurs on a regular basis around here, not to mention the three dogs we have!! We did decide to close our handyman business, which will soon lead to so much less stress for me personally! I can't wait to be free of paperwork and taxes!!

One thing can confidently be said.... Life has certainly never been boring for Dev and I, that's for sure!