It's Christmas!!

Just wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!!
Aaron comes home for 11 hours today. Can't wait!!

A great day!!!

Aaron called Friday afternoon and asked me what I was doing on Saturday. I replied with "picking you up?"
He was able to come home from 10am until 6pm. Saturday was his grandfathers birthday and my mother had planned a little get together with cake and ice cream. While driving back to the house after picking Aaron up he asked if I had let them know he would be there for the birthday party. I told him no that I thought we would surprise them, so we came up with a plan. We went by their house with Aaron ducking down and dropped him off at the corner. His sister and I proceeded to the house and went inside. Aaron waited a couple of minutes then came to the house and started knocking. He didn't stop knocking and annoyed the hell out of my mother who was starting to cuss before she could reach the door and make whoever was there stop that damn noise. My daughter and me were nutting up of course knowing who was on the other side. Mothers reaction when she finally got the door open and seen Aaron standing there was priceless. She was so happy to see him. She told him she was ready to beat some ass for that knocking.

Aaron looks great!! He sounds great!! He made the comment that if they told him he could go home tomorrow and not come back that he is not ready. He knows HE IS NOT READY!!! It was so great to hear him say that. He is actually "getting it"!!! I don't think I could have asked for a better Christmas present.

I will not allow it!!!

Aaron received some mail from the county attorneys office. I wasn't going to open it but then decided that I should in case it was something that he needed to know about before his visit on Christmas. It's about the eighth bad check. I knew there were eight, but he has only been charged with seven. The letter shows it was from back in May. Why was it not presented with all of the others? So he has until Dec. 27th to pay it in full or they will issue an arrest warrant. It really pisses my off. The CA knows Aaron went into drug court, he himself had to approve the deal. So I will be making phone calls today to see how to take care of this. As a retail business manager I have gotten to know the woman that runs the bad check division very well over the years. Hopefully she can help me. I WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO TAKE HIM AWAY FROM REHAB!!!!!

Regarding my post asking for opinions. Yes, I asked for opinions on buying a gift, but no where did I ask for opinions on religion. I have always tried to keep an open mind about a lot of things. Religion included. I'm not catholic, but who is to say that Aaron will not pursue that direction as his mind is opened up in rehab? The comments actually served as a reminder as to how closed minded people can be when it comes to religion. Their religion is the only one allowed and all others are going to hell!! Not in my world!!

St. Maximilian Kolbe

I picked up the medal yesterday. The picture really doesn't do it justice. The woman working at the store was very helpful. I told her I had seen her advertisement as a sign to get the medal. She thought it was great. Sadly she is in the same boat as us. Her 25 year old son is an addict. She said she wishes he would go into rehab but he has never wanted to try any type of help at all. 

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Thanks to all of you that replied with your opinions. Although I seen the ad as a sign I don't think I would have bought the medal without your positive opinions. Now to get it blessed.

I need opinions!!

While I was doing some online Christmas shopping I came across a St. Christopher medal. Seeing the medal made me look up saints out of curiosity. Yes, there is a patron saint of addiction. St Maximilian Kolbe. Of course the thought of getting Aaron a medal for Christmas popped into my head. I have played with the idea back and forth. I've really been unsure about getting him one. I think that it would make a nice gift but then I think I might be pushing the fact that he is an addict down his throat. Today I went to lunch with my husband at a favorite Chinese restaurant. At several of the local restaurants they have TV screens mounted in various places with local business advertisements flashing on the screen. This particular restaurant also has them. During lunch between chatting and eating I look up just in time to see an advertisement for a bookstore in a neighboring town. The name of the bookstore happens to be Saint Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Books and Gifts. So I say to my husband, wow, that is really weird and explain to him about the medal and what I just saw. Is it a sign that I should get him the medal? I think so, but I'm still unsure and would really like your opinions on this one.

Fear has subsided.

Within a few hours of my last post, worrying about Aaron, he called. It usually happens that way.
He got a 10 hour pass to come home for thanksgiving. I had all 3 kids with me for the day and it was so nice. Since my husband had to work I didn't cook the usual big dinner. We decided to try a buffet. That was a big mistake. It seems everybody else in town had the same idea.
Aaron was telling us some of the day to day operations of the place he is at. According to him the "residents" are divided into teams for kitchen duty. He said they had been having fish and chicken and some other nice meals but when it came to his teams turn they had hot dogs and mac and cheese. We had to laugh at the way Aaron told it. I know Aaron can cook a little more than that, but he loves mac and cheese.

Aaron called last night. It's always great to talk to him. I really do miss him. They had just gotten back from church. They had gone to a pentecostal church which was a new experience for him "it was different" he said.
He graduates to the next level sometime next week. As a reward he will get a 24 hour pass. He also stated that they have really opened his eyes. I hope that he keeps them open and fully sees everything that he has done and needs to do to become the man that I know he can be. He will get a 24 hour pass for Christmas also.

It is amazing how the fear subsided after talking to him and finding out in his words, "the place isn't to bad"!