Jen,

You do not want to forget this!

Let me catch you up to speed: D1 (adopted neighborhood kiddo) stole a car with StarLord (8th grader staying with D1). StarLord got kicked out of school and now there’s a new kiddo hanging around, AFC. He stole a car also. (Yes, you’re about to strangle them all).

AFC is very new to our way of parenting and my personality. He’s very respectful but it’s obviously a front.  I told him what I thought about him stealing a car (“to get back at dad”) and the boundaries that are placed in our home. He was cool with it and has been watching us over the past few weeks.

When AFC first started hanging out, he told Oldman, “Man, your mom is very….open. Is she always like that?” Oldman told him, “Yep. She doesn’t pull any punches and you know exactly where she stands. She’s very cool…best mom, really.”

BEST MOM!!!!

I mean…duh, of course I am.

Jen, seriously…hold on to this memory.  Despite his weird teenage mood swings…he thinks your the best. Man, that feels good.

Last week the boys were playing video games and AFC told Oldman, “Dude, you’re really lucky you have a mom and dad like you do. I would kill to have parents like them.”

Super sweet but also so sad. As a mom, I’m glad AFC reaffirmed how good Oldman has it, but also as a mom, I just want to pull AFC into my heart and tell him everything is going to be fine and we’ll protect him.

But we can’t…all we can do is continue to be consistent.

Life hasn’t been all roses and candy in our house but I do feel like we’re starting to see some of the rainbow. Jen, you’re hope has always been in your relationship with the good Lord…if you’re reading this years from now, please remember that. He has been faithful to you. You never doubted that…ever.