More Baby Love

I got to spend a little bit of time with Z, Gabby, and Z-2.



Z-2 is starting to look more like her mommy.

Teenage Parent

My friends are calling me Grandy Mandy. It's a little surreal. I was there as a teenage mother. It was HARD!

Z is now a father. He's a very good father at that. I'm very proud of how he's stepping up and taking responsibility.



I was, at first, disappointed. I wanted so much more for him before he took on such a heavy role. I wanted him to be young! When you are a teenage parent you instantly feel older. You aren't free to be "just a kid" anymore. Someone else depends on you. This will make all his decisions that much harder.

He will have so many roles to balance. He'll have the normal teenage things like school, family, and friends. But now he has to add fatherhood and work. It's a heavy load. He'll see his friends being carefree with sports and just hanging out at the mall.

But there will be so many beautiful blessings in store for him too. When Z-2 starts talking and calls him "Daddy" for the first time. The first time he picks her up when she's learning to walk. So many firsts. Seeing her become another independent person. Beautiful.



When he's tempted to waste time and get into trouble, being a father will temper him with restraint. He's the type to feel the responsibility keenly. He'll shake his head at the foolishness of his friends and finish his homework. He'll have to give school everything he's got if he wants to graduate. He has to think about the future and plan for it now. The needs are real for him and for his daughter. Time is short. There is no diaper fairy. Clothes are expensive. He'll need transportation for his little family.

I feel for him, having been there myself. But at the same time, I'm glad for the man he is, and the man he is going to be.

JV Football

Z is #4 all the way on the left.






"Good game"



Post game huddle.



It was so much fun to watch him play! It reminded me of his Pop Warner days. *sigh* seems like so long ago...

Hey Z!

If you happen to read this, know that I love you, and I'm praying for you. We all miss you so much!

Zerrick

Z is 14 and almost never says, "Come see what I can do!" So when he does I have to grab the camera.








He did land on his feet but he was too fast for my camera.

The BEST Part About Homeschooling

'Nuff said.

Feeling Complete!

My stepson, Z, came back to live with us this week. I missed him so much while he was away. I've raised him since he was 5 years old. He has been such a big part of our lives here. It was hard to get used to him being gone.

He went to live with his mom last summer. It didn't work out well for them so now he's back, but not by choice. I was expecting the transition to be so much harder. Really, it's been a fantastic week! I laid down the rules the first day and it's been just peachy since. We've talked and laughed and it's been fun.

Not that his heart is completely transformed. I see the man he was becoming battling with the boy he has been. Like a dear friend told me, if the actions are there, then there is hope the heart will soon follow.

I dearly hope so! I love this boy more than he will ever realize. My heart's desire is that he would choose to be with us, to fix his heart on our family. I want to save him from the destruction he was headed towards.

But for right now, I have my baby back. My family feels complete again.