Conversation from the Juvenile Detention Center

I called Salinda at the Detention Center. She was mad. I figured she would be and I think she probably had a right to be because it all came out of the blue. She had a good night last night and all the sudden the officer shows up at school to take her to detention.

I explained to her about the fear of the other kids. I explained to her about threatening to hurt her being a violation of her conditions of release. I explained to her about how we have been unable to help her. I explained that last week must not have been much of a wake up call if she came back home and was rude, disrespectful, and mouthy. I explained how I had done everything I could think of to help her and yet yesterday she was still uncooperative with her therapist, unrepentant, unremorseful. I told her we needed help to help her because I wasn't getting anywhere.

She had others to blame, but she really doesn't want to be where she is. She mentioned that she had made some mistakes (first she's admitted that). Said she was planning to write me a letter to say how she felt. But she also blamed me for much of this and said if we never would have moved here it never would have happened.

I mentioned to her that we all moved here, but the other kids were not in legal trouble. She had choices to make, and she made them. And now she has to face the consequences of those choices.

I said I'd come see her on Sunday. She said she wanted me to come tomorrow. I told her I would call her tomorrow and come Sunday. Told her she needed more time to think.

I feel so torn about what to do. I hate to not give her a chance when this might be the turning point, but I hate to give her chance it if isn't going to be anything more but another time around the circle.

But for right this minute our home is blissfully calm.

Thanks to all of you have emailed and commented with support and prayers this week. They have helped.

I didn't realize how much this was all getting to me until I went to the doctor today and for the first time in my life my blood pressure was elevated. We could really use a break in the stress...