Rocky Beginning

We got a call one night just after Thanksgiving that our grandson needed a place to live or he was going to go to foster care. His mom had her parental right stripped by the state of Pa and his dad is deceased. He had been with an aunt through marriage but they got divorced and she decided she no longer wanted to raise him. He has seen a lot a child his age, or any child actually, never should. He has mental issues that stem from some of what he has already experienced in life, as well as clear trauma responses to situations. He has received only negative attention so much I his life that he almost always misbehaves to seek attention. He was also raised with a screen Infront of his face so he doesn't know how to entertain himself with out the TV or a video game. It's almost like he has no imagination. Anyway long story short it has taken several months to figure out what works to curb his behavior and are slowly turning him around and headed down the right path. 

Short honeymoon

My husband's middle son Justin was shot and killed just a few short weeks after we got married. It understandably sent my husband into a severe depression. At first he shut me out not wanting to burden me with his pain. I understood and continued to stay by his side and offer as much help as I could. Every year beginning around our anniversary the depression comes back. It doesn't help that November 12 is my husband's birthday and the 15 is Justin's then come the holidays, it hits him hard until about mid February and by then his seasonal depression is in full swing, well we both get that. However instead of pushing us apart like it does most couples it brings us closer. We cling to each other like a lifeline in the storm. This year we took in Justin's 11 year old son just after Thanksgiving. It has been hard since he looks and acts so much like Justin, but it seems to have given my husband a new focus and his depression lifted much earlier this year. He actually enjoyed Christmas again and his seasonal dressions even seems less this year. Our Grandson comes with a whole passel of issues we have help him to over come but again that might be the blessing my husband needed to help shift his focus.