My Time with Mr. Trouble

With Zach and Erin off at church camp this week and Courtney working all day, its just me and Mr. Trouble at home all day, every day, all week. I'm gonna be honest, I was not looking forward to this. In fact, quite selfishly I was trying to figure out if there was a camp I could send him to this week. (I know, real Young Mother of the Year material right there). I was envisioning me at home all day, every day, all week...all by myself.

But I have to say its been a nice week with just him. I am grateful for the time we have had together. When school let out two weeks ago, his spirit relaxed and day to day interactions have been more pleasant. I have him signed up for a conditioning class three mornings a week at the high school and that is going really well. I believe it adds structure to his week, and the hard exercise is probably good for his whole being. I also have him make a weekly chart of daily goals. I think its important for him to set some goals so that he feels like he is accomplishing something.

In errands we have been running, he has been very helpful to me and even expressed gratitude when I bought him a hot dog and some ice-cream the other day. He swept the front porch for me last evening and asked if we could put the clean sheets on his bed together. 

He was working a few days ago with a mentor of his and Kyler told him his summer was going great. When Mr. Carroll asked him why he thought that was, Kyler said it was because Zach was gone, and then added that Erin was gone and that Courtney was working all day. (Now at that time Zach and Erin had been gone 1.5 days, not the entire summer!)

When I told this to my sister, she said, what he really was saying was that he is happy for the time with just me. He just said it without saying it. He's fiercely loyal to his birth mom and has a very hard time attaching to me, but this was his way of expressing a connection to me without really saying it.
Hmmmmm....

Whatever the feeling, whatever the reason, I am glad for this week. I have shared some tough times here with Mr. Trouble, and so I was excited to share that this week he has been known to me as Mr. Enjoyment.