2006 - Shelby... we'd hoped to adopt

One day Tam and I were approached about taking Shelby. My wife was extremely attached to Shelby when she was a babe. She's come into her teen years since then. She's quite the handful now. Her aunt has her in Sweeden and needed help - their medical system didn't seem interested in offering medical help...

We thought hard on the idea and realized that adoption was the best thing for her. We didn't want her tossed around and only wanted to stabilize her by not allowing her aunt or mom to try to jerk her out of our home on some kind of impulse.

Well it didn't work out. But we did lots of reflection when we had to consider what kind of home we could make for a troubled kid.



Of course, the first thought was of Tommy. What would an unstable gal do to our son? He was just getting his feet under him, finally making friends, not having a temper tantrum every other day any more.



Shelby was the child we never had. She was a blessing in our lives though. She made us consider ourselves in a way we never had before. We looked at ourselves - where were we, what had we accomplished, what were our shortcomings, what did we have to offer another little one... It was ... enlightening. Thank you Shelby.