seventh son
Jul. 31st, 2012 01:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ljgeoffIf you've been reading this journal for any length of time, you've probably read me writing about Jerome.
Back in August of 2010, Lindsay and her baby Trentyn came to live with us. In September, Trentyn's dad, Jerome, moved in, too. Lindsay was pregnant with their second son, Zari. During that time, we also had Michael and Mel and their girls living with us and then we had Sam and Kayla and their daughter Torrin.
It was not an easy time. But over the last two years, a strong bond has grown between Jerome, Mike and me. Last September, when I went away to South Dakota, Lindsay and Jerome were kicked out of the trailer court for driving the neighbors crazy screaming at each other. Living with them, I would say that it was equally their fault.
They moved into an apartment, lost the apartment, crashed on people's couches and finally had their kids taken away. Last month, Lindsay signed off on her parental rights; she's met someone new and either doesn't have the ability or the will to jump through all of the hoops to get her kids back from foster care.
For a while, about 3 months or so, we all talked about Mike and me adopting Trentyn and Zari. Mike and I knew that Lindsay was going to give up custody of the boys, and we were afraid that Jerome wouldn't be able to get them back from foster care.
But do you know what? Jerome has not missed a day of visitation, and has so far accomplished almost all of the requirements of his child protection social worker. He now has some unsupervised visitation, and is looking for a larger apartment. I have to say that I'm glad that he's had to go through this process. He's a much better parent and the counseling has made a real difference in how he deals with stress.
Last week, Mike and I asked Jerome if he would let us adopt him. His eyes got big and he gave a little grin and said yes. Then he looked down at the ground and shook his head. When he looked up, his smile was huge and he said, "Hell, yes!"
We thought that we were going to have to go out of state to adopt Jerome, because I'd read that Michigan did not allow adult adoptions. But it does! So now we just have to save up a little money and jump through some easy hoops.
Of course, we aren't as close as the boys I've spent a lifetime with, but that's ok. We love Jerome and Jerome -- well, he really wants to love us. He says that we've never let him down, and no one else in his life has ever been that way for him.
So, here you are internets -- my seventh son, Jerome:
Jerome's sons -- our grandsons Trentyn and Zari
July, 2012
Back in August of 2010, Lindsay and her baby Trentyn came to live with us. In September, Trentyn's dad, Jerome, moved in, too. Lindsay was pregnant with their second son, Zari. During that time, we also had Michael and Mel and their girls living with us and then we had Sam and Kayla and their daughter Torrin.
It was not an easy time. But over the last two years, a strong bond has grown between Jerome, Mike and me. Last September, when I went away to South Dakota, Lindsay and Jerome were kicked out of the trailer court for driving the neighbors crazy screaming at each other. Living with them, I would say that it was equally their fault.
They moved into an apartment, lost the apartment, crashed on people's couches and finally had their kids taken away. Last month, Lindsay signed off on her parental rights; she's met someone new and either doesn't have the ability or the will to jump through all of the hoops to get her kids back from foster care.
For a while, about 3 months or so, we all talked about Mike and me adopting Trentyn and Zari. Mike and I knew that Lindsay was going to give up custody of the boys, and we were afraid that Jerome wouldn't be able to get them back from foster care.
But do you know what? Jerome has not missed a day of visitation, and has so far accomplished almost all of the requirements of his child protection social worker. He now has some unsupervised visitation, and is looking for a larger apartment. I have to say that I'm glad that he's had to go through this process. He's a much better parent and the counseling has made a real difference in how he deals with stress.
Last week, Mike and I asked Jerome if he would let us adopt him. His eyes got big and he gave a little grin and said yes. Then he looked down at the ground and shook his head. When he looked up, his smile was huge and he said, "Hell, yes!"
We thought that we were going to have to go out of state to adopt Jerome, because I'd read that Michigan did not allow adult adoptions. But it does! So now we just have to save up a little money and jump through some easy hoops.
Of course, we aren't as close as the boys I've spent a lifetime with, but that's ok. We love Jerome and Jerome -- well, he really wants to love us. He says that we've never let him down, and no one else in his life has ever been that way for him.
So, here you are internets -- my seventh son, Jerome:
Jerome's sons -- our grandsons Trentyn and Zari
July, 2012
(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-31 06:04 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-31 12:29 pm (UTC)And your incipient grandkids are gorgeous.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-31 03:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-31 06:05 pm (UTC)