Day 36: Sweet, Snarky, Sixteen

Time has flown by since the last time I wrote about Madelle.  A lot of things have happened, both good and challenging. Last week, the poor kid had to deal with her mother after we had a therapy session together.  The blow up was both of our faults. For a year and three months, we were with each other twenty-four seven. Sure we hired a woman to stay with her one weekend.  Clay was a dear and took her to Bozeman when we traveled to West Virginia. I have taken a day here or there. But where most parents have those beautiful eight hours a day for school and social events for their darlings, we have had nothing.  The situation has taken a toll on both of us.

Madelle still isn’t going to school fulltime.  She goes from 8-11. She has been blossoming, though the days are taxing for her.  The program she is in keeps the kids from speaking to each other. She continues to be very lonely.  All but one of her friends has pulled away from her. We hope she gets into the fulltime program at the semester and can start interacting with her peers.  She wants me to fill the void which gets us into a lot of trouble. But, hopefully two more months will find our situation better.

As for the blossoming, the teachers say she is doing wonderful.  Because she is ahead, hasn’t missed school, and is reliable (a few of the kids are discipline problems), one of the teachers has invited her to work with Toys For Tots for four to five days, for five hours a day.  She will get to work with at least three other students. I am hoping the four of them do well and can all start the semester in the next class. She needs more friendships.

The other day, one of the teachers teased her.  He told her she needed to start getting some of her problems wrong.  She is doing everything they can toss her way including all the extra credit.  She has a 106%. To say I am proud of her, would be an understatement.

Today, my baby turns sixteen.  I would say sweet, but there is also some snarky in there as well.  She wanted to celebrate with her grandpa, so we went to Billings over the weekend.  Grandpa can’t talk but he beamed when we sang her Happy Birthday. We gave her a St. Joan statue.  “Please, St. Joan, pray for our girl to have a warrior spirit in her battles with mental illness.” Grandpa also gobbled up his coconut cupcake.

Tonight we celebrate with family game night.  Her friend can’t come. However, one or two young men she considers her big adopted brothers will be over along with an adopted sister she adores.  These three have helped her by sticking by her side through thick and thin.

Happy Sweet, Snarky Sixteenth Birthday, my Madelle Antoinette!!!