Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Jon here.
What can I say? It's been a year. In some ways it's been better, in other ways worse. I have tried walking away from blogging, and it's helped my wife and I keep a more positive attitude about Kyle. And issues have changed, he's changed, and we've changed. But issues remain.
First the good news. Kyle got a job, and moved out of the house a few months ago. He moved in with a couple of good young men, got a job, and really looked like he was straightening out. But we just found out he's blown off his job, and isn't working anymore, and rent was due last week. He says he has one more check that can pay rent, and he'll find a new job shortly. Well, I can see the writing on the wall - they'll have to kick him out, and will have a difficult time doing it, and he'll end up losing most of his possessions out of the deal. We're hesitant to ask him back, our entire family's life changes so much when he's around. We love him dearly, and his siblings would love to have him back, but our life will change drastically. We've spent the last several months driving him to work and home, knowing if we didn't the job might not last. Well, it didn't last anyway.
Now here we go again, I'm being so negative. This is why I quit blogging, so I could keep a better attitude and frame of mind.
Sometime last summer Kyle ran into a serious problem. He was at his girlfriend's house, and something happened, we don't know what. All we know he was beaten within an inch of his life. He was very drunk, and we don't know if he was in bed with her, or where or what or why. We got a call from the parents saying Kyle just stumbled out of their house. We went looking for them, and stopped a police car. They said a 911 call came in, his girlfriend asking the police to meet her at the bottom of her street, so they were looking for her. We looked for a couple of hours, and finally found Kyle stumbling down a street missing a shoe, covered with blood. His nose was smashed, his face badly gashed, his foot broken. He had bruises all over his neck and back that indicated a broomstick or other similarly shaped object. We took him to the ER, they patched him up, and they called the police who took him to a place called Campus of Hope, a place for people with substance abuse issues. He stayed a few days, and that was that. We thought that might have made a difference, and it did for a few weeks. Then back off the wagon...
Kyle turned 21 a few weeks ago, a big day in his life. He's still not driving, he seems to have little desire to. He went to get his license, and found there was an issue with a pending warrant or suspension, or something like that. He ended up with an ID card instead. This just before his 21st birthday, of course... At least he made it through that day safely.
Now to shake the negativity - Kyle's energy level was high, and he was so proud of his apartment. I hope he can shake this valley, get a job, and keep his self confidence going.
Our oldest is excelling in college, and graduates soon with a journalism degree from a major university. Our younger boy is a high school junior, just got his first car, lettered in track this year in a brand new event for him, and his truly a joy to be around. Our girls, the older is running for class president of her grade school class, the younger learned to ride a 2 wheeler a few weeks ago. The entire family bikes regularly, and she's SO proud to ride with us. Life is great.
I hope Kyle can say the same. I want nothing more than for him to be happy.
What can I say? It's been a year. In some ways it's been better, in other ways worse. I have tried walking away from blogging, and it's helped my wife and I keep a more positive attitude about Kyle. And issues have changed, he's changed, and we've changed. But issues remain.
First the good news. Kyle got a job, and moved out of the house a few months ago. He moved in with a couple of good young men, got a job, and really looked like he was straightening out. But we just found out he's blown off his job, and isn't working anymore, and rent was due last week. He says he has one more check that can pay rent, and he'll find a new job shortly. Well, I can see the writing on the wall - they'll have to kick him out, and will have a difficult time doing it, and he'll end up losing most of his possessions out of the deal. We're hesitant to ask him back, our entire family's life changes so much when he's around. We love him dearly, and his siblings would love to have him back, but our life will change drastically. We've spent the last several months driving him to work and home, knowing if we didn't the job might not last. Well, it didn't last anyway.
Now here we go again, I'm being so negative. This is why I quit blogging, so I could keep a better attitude and frame of mind.
Sometime last summer Kyle ran into a serious problem. He was at his girlfriend's house, and something happened, we don't know what. All we know he was beaten within an inch of his life. He was very drunk, and we don't know if he was in bed with her, or where or what or why. We got a call from the parents saying Kyle just stumbled out of their house. We went looking for them, and stopped a police car. They said a 911 call came in, his girlfriend asking the police to meet her at the bottom of her street, so they were looking for her. We looked for a couple of hours, and finally found Kyle stumbling down a street missing a shoe, covered with blood. His nose was smashed, his face badly gashed, his foot broken. He had bruises all over his neck and back that indicated a broomstick or other similarly shaped object. We took him to the ER, they patched him up, and they called the police who took him to a place called Campus of Hope, a place for people with substance abuse issues. He stayed a few days, and that was that. We thought that might have made a difference, and it did for a few weeks. Then back off the wagon...
Kyle turned 21 a few weeks ago, a big day in his life. He's still not driving, he seems to have little desire to. He went to get his license, and found there was an issue with a pending warrant or suspension, or something like that. He ended up with an ID card instead. This just before his 21st birthday, of course... At least he made it through that day safely.
Now to shake the negativity - Kyle's energy level was high, and he was so proud of his apartment. I hope he can shake this valley, get a job, and keep his self confidence going.
Our oldest is excelling in college, and graduates soon with a journalism degree from a major university. Our younger boy is a high school junior, just got his first car, lettered in track this year in a brand new event for him, and his truly a joy to be around. Our girls, the older is running for class president of her grade school class, the younger learned to ride a 2 wheeler a few weeks ago. The entire family bikes regularly, and she's SO proud to ride with us. Life is great.
I hope Kyle can say the same. I want nothing more than for him to be happy.
