I need to put some positive posts up, to remember that my job is to encourage families in the adoption of older children, even when I’m in the midst of wondering why I’ve even tried.

Norman Vincent Peale suggests that we, “formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture...Do not build up obstacles in your imagination.”

I’ll buy that, and I agree wholeheartedly. I lose that thought at times, when I have someone behind bars or failing in school…just sitting there and refusing to do their work. I sound like every old pooter when I say, “well when I was in school I’d have died before I’d let myself get a bad grade. I sure didn’t want anyone to think I was incapable.” That argument holds no water here. The kids just stare at me like I’m way off base as usual, bringing a basketball to a hockey event, isn’t Mama clueless?

I keep telling all the kids that they were called out for a reason. That millions of children will not be adopted, will not have parents nor any sort of emotional support ever. This discussion is almost as effective as the ‘clean your plate because there’s starving children somewhere.”

I have one son now, once a feces smearer, now a right popular, been-through-therapy, good-natured teenager who still fights the temporary bouts of ill tempered behavior, but overall he’s worked five years here within our family to pull it together. He’s the oldest in his particular sibling group and has felt the weight of the leadership mantle heavily enough to make positive changes in his life. Taller than me now, he’s looking at a successful school year and the ability to be a star on the sports teams.

Overly polite out in public, he still sometimes struggles with his behavior, but has overcome so much. His caseworkers, back in Texas, had some huge hesitations about this fivesome’s ability to succeed in a family, at times I also have been deeply concerned, but again I keep plodding away, holding everyone accountable, and keeping a memory picture in my mind, that indelible impression of their successes.

Getting it through to them has been the real hurdle to jump.