A much needed update

Monday, August 28, 2006

A much needed update
Current mood: stressed

Well, its been a while since I wrote a blog, so the time has come. Whats new with me? A lot is new. I have temporary protective custody of my brothers three boys, there are four but the 5 1/2 month old most likely has a different father so he was placed in foster care. The boys Joshua Jr, Seth and Caiden are 4 1/2, 3 and 1 1/2. Protective custody means that CPS removed the children from the home because it was found to be unsafe and abuse/neglect. Can you believe the state gives kids back to people like that?? The parents have to go through 8 weeks of parenting classes and 8 weeks of anger management. They have to submit to random drug and alcohol screens at their own expense. They have to get and maintain a job for a minimun of three months, turn in all pay stubs. They have to provide a safe home for the children to return to, get it inspected and turn in all utility bills. Once every 7 days the children have to visit with thier parents. The first few visits were rough, they are getting better. I guess I wouldn't mind going either if I was being bribed with toys though. Joshua the 4 year old is already a con-artist and a very convincing liar. Thanks to his parents. Seth is afraid of people touching him anywhere on his neck, he thinks you are trying to choke him since that is what his mother used to do. Grab him by the neck lift him off the ground and yell in his face, gritting her teeth saying how she was going to kill him. Nice mother huh? Caiden was completley shut off from the world, created his own world and stayed to himself. He has opened up so much, talks all the time, says sentences even. Plays with other kids and has a good time. It will be a shame for the kids to be returned to that mess after all we have done to try to show them there is a different way of life! Their parents are drug users, marijuana mostly but I think their mother is on worse. Its really sad for those of you who know the whole situation or have been around my stupid brother and this girl hes with. After all this he STILL wants to be with her. Knowing that she threatened to kill his son, knowing that she cheated on him and not only cheated but got knocked up too! Knowing that his third son might not be his as well. Its rough. The kids are now in daycare going on their second week and they LOVE IT!! Its so good for them. They go four days a week for 8 hours each day. Josh and Seth are in a preschool program until Josh starts K-5 on Sept. 5th. He is very excited he is going to a big school (that is what he always tells me). The interaction that they get with other kids and the stucture of it all is great. It also gives me a much needed break too! I started school on Aug. 21 and go four days a week, then I have to go to physical therapy for my knee three days a week, and manage to get the kids back up to Port Huron once a week to visit with those stupid people. My brother doesn't even talk to me anymore, says he hates me and was trying to cause some serious problems a little while ago. I don't really care though. Its about the kids not him, so if somehow I have rescued the kids from that or they grow up knowing there IS a different way of life then it will all be worth it. They didn't ask to come into this world and they didn't have a choice. My brother chose to stay the kids didn't have one, so I gave them one. If my brother wants to hate me for what he did, then so be it. He's angry because I have them well if I would have told CPS I wouldn't take them they would all be split up between foster homes. I couldn't let that happen and the kids are so happy and healthy now. They don't even miss their parents! Thats gotta say something right? But I guess if I was left to myself or being abused I wouldn't miss that or them either. On a lighter note.... My wonderful husband comes home November 19 to December 14 and I can't wait!! We are going to drive to North Carolina to visit his family for Thanksgiving and then come back to Michigan. I won't get to see him for Christmas, our Anniversary or New Years now, but I get him sooner! So I guess it trades off. Hopefully I will be able to go back to Korea with him for a few weeks and spend that time with him, but I don't know. It isn't cheap to fly to Korea!
Well that is about it for now. Talk to you all soon!