Very sporadic blogger, that would be me...

When I checked the date of my last blog, I was embarrassed...I apologize... I am not too consistent with this blogging thing! And yes, Brittany does live in our house too (hard to tell because there are few pics) but she will never let me take her picture! We did just order her graduation pics and I promise to post one as soon as they come in. There were 94 proofs and they were phenomenal!! Funny because people always tell me that she looks so much like me but I have never truly seen it... until I went to get her proof book! Unreal! Almost scary actually!

A little on Brit - I am so proud of how far she has come... it has almost been six months since "the incident" and she truly has come a long way. AND she has done it almost all on her own! Next week she will go for her drug and alcohol assessment FINALLY! How frustrating - you would think that in a world of so many messed up kids, there would be an urgency to get them in a program or to get them some help but the system takes forever! BUT she has had two random tests recently and has tested clean, has almost paid off all her fines, has completed her community service, has all A's and a C in school (MUCH improved from last year), is applying to college and continues to work almost full time at Shopko in the optical dept.
But most importantly, I see signs of the Brittany that we knew before the drugs and rebellion. Somewhere that little girl is still in there - the one that always had to have me kiss her good night, the one that had such a "special" relationship with the grandma and grandpa Mattison, the one whose smile could light up the room, the one who loved to color... I see glimpses and each day she is softer and more able to open up!! And each time I see her make these small steps, my heart gets a little softer and I am better able to forgive her for what she did and the heartache that resulted. We are still dealing with court dates and fallout from the events so it has not "gone away" and won't for awhile BUT we are closer and for that I am so thankful!! I still pray every day (sometimes a hundred times a day) for strength for both of us to make it through - one day at a time!! (And to be honest, sometimes... one minute at a time!) I am hoping that her progress continues. Each day, I try to reinforce how proud of her I am and how much I will always love her... no matter what!
She will get it... I have faith!