they're ours!

It's been next to impossible to find computer time this summer, and I keep forgetting to make posts on my phone. I know I'll be back making regular posts again once school starts, but I've missed being here too.

@spiderdust Fro the little one it's surely a bit harder, he surely misses his mom. When school starts and he will be busy, things will get better. I am sure he will make friends in school.

@LadyDuck I hope so. We were hoping to get him into the same elementary school that my youngest daughter goes to, but they didn't have any room in 2nd grade.

I think at least for the older two, they don't want to go back to living with their mom. They have stability here and have been putting down roots. They're making friends and have figured out where they fit in here. With her, they didn't have that stability at all. The younger one, he does miss his mom and hasn't been able to make many friends yet. I'm hoping that will improve for him when school starts. They all love living with their baby brother (and their stepsisters, to a certain degree), and he adores having everyone here too.

It sure is!

@spiderdust See you are already instilling values.

@andriaperry I sure am trying.

We definitely try. I think they feel it's more stable too. Sometimes they're not crazy about the rules, but at least the rules are consistent and they know that I'm not going to randomly make things lax one day and impossible the next. The older two are able to find stuff to do to help out around the house without my asking them to now -- 4 months ago, that wouldn't have happened! My kitchen has never been so clean!

SO. RELIEVED. When I saw their mom at the courthouse, it was obvious that she's been living out of a backpack. I hope she gets it together, but she's got to stop drinking so much and to do the work she needs to do.

@thislittlepennyearns Yeah, I know. And the more she continues on like this, the more bridges she's going to burn. I know she's been thrown out of at least one place where she was staying because it was a dry household and she couldn't avoid getting drunk for more than 1 day.

@spiderdust I know you are..and I am so glad that the kids finally have a stable place to be. It's sad that it had to come to this. But it's the best place for them to be. I'm actually kind of surprised she showed up. And I hate to say this and I know you already know. But she's not going to change and get stuff together unless she wants to. And sadly it's not seeming like she wants to currently.

Oh, I'm sure she'll still try, but she will have a harder time doing so now. Maybe she'll finally get her act together and straighten out her life.

It is a massive relief. I know family courts tend to favor moms, but I'm glad that didn't happen this time.