I think that the challenge with blogging so sporadically is that the idea of telling you how and where everyone is is so daunting that I don't want to begin. It's the same when people ask me how I am... I can answer that -- but then they ask me, "And how are the kids?" and I suddenly get tired. It takes a long time to answer how twelve kids and everyone connected to them are doing.
So maybe I'll summarize to say this: The kids we have living with us are fine. But even answering the question, "How many kids do you have at home now" is challenging because it changes so often. I can tell you who is living with us at this moment, assuming things didn't change last night (I am in a hotel room in SW Minnesota right now, so it may have changed).
Jimmy is home from Job Corp having been kicked out weeks before his completion date. He is a dishwasher at a local restaurant where he has been working for about 3 weeks. I know that he is a hard worker and he is getting almost full time hours so that is a blessing.
Salinda and Gabby live with us about 1/2 the time. Salinda is now an assistant manager at a DQ in the Cities -- so it's great that she is finally back to full time work. The challenge is day care and Gabby's daddy wanting to spend time with her and them living an hour away, but Salinda handles it better than I would. They go back and forth -- and it's nice to see them when we can. Sometimes Gabby's dad's sister spends the night with us as well -- usually about 3 times a week as she has a job but no apt in the Cities as well.
Sadie is living at home and working as a Nanny for two different places. She really loves the work even though she complains that it is exhausting (one of the jobs she has 3 girls under three, including one that is about 6 weeks old). She has a boyfriend who is renting a room from us and is starting college in October. He is a really nice kid who respects us and our rules and letting him move it was a much better alternative to what they had planned.
Leon is going to repeat his senior year and should be done with school in December. He works part time as a PCA and continues to be the most cooperative and supportive son ever. He is especially good with helping out with my mom and picking up Jimmy at midnight. When he goes back to school life is going to be more challenging in that regard.
Dominyk is starting 11th grade at a charter school that is an excellent fit for him. He has big dreams to join the army but needs to lose about 90 pounds first.
Wilson will be in 8th grade in the fall and is almost as tall as Leon. He seems to have come out of his 13-14 year old emotional cave this summer and is back to being somewhat engaging. He and Dominyk and Leon went on a missions trip in July and had a great time.
So, where's Tony you ask? He is "with the fair" as he put it and living with his birthdad who he met this summer. We don't hear much from him but I think that this was something he needed to do. If he were our oldest this would probably be freaking us out, but after all we've been through we are OK with it.
well, now I'm on a roll so I might as well finish up. Kyle and Christy are doing great -- Baby Silas is almost 2 months old and a very very active baby -- sometimes even fussy. He is constantly in motion, something different than the other three. Kyle and Christy both teach full time in the same school district.
Rand is moving in with some buddies in Mankato from YOung Life soon. He still works at Lowe's and we still help him manage his money, but he is doing well. He has reconnected with birthdad and his family and someday I'm going to write a blog entry about all that. We've met them and it's been so cool.
The son who does not want to be named here I won't tell you much about because whatever I write makes him angry.
John is done with jail and alcohol treatment and is, as of last night, working for a roofing company. We may get to see him as his first assignment is in Minneapolis, but he has been living with his sponsors in Mankato.
Ricardo is living with Mike at least until the end of this month. We have invited him to move home but he refuses.
We see Isaac about once a month -- Courtney brings him up and he is the most fun and engaging little guy. Aiden and his mom are moving to the twin cities in September and so we will be seeing more of him.
Wow. That's a lot. See why I get tired when people ask me how everyone is?
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