If you read my post last year about the little boy who was moved away from his current living situation and into his family home, you will be pleased to hear how he is doing.
What I didn’t write in the post last year, is that Jordan, the little boy, is my nephew. His father is Sly’s next oldest brother after him. He has gone through a lot in his life and just can’t seem to pull himself together. So this precious little boy isn’t just someone I met, but my husband’s own family. I didn’t want to announce that until he was settled and doing well in his new home.
The Jordan I met last year is a totally different boy than the Jordan who excitedly greeted me this year. He is happy, he is healthy, his behavior has improved, he is doing great in school, and he smiles… all the time. Gone is the serious, worried, sad little boy that I once knew. I could not be more proud of him.
The doctors say his levels are improving, probably because of the nutritious meals he is eating with his medicine and the proper sleep he is now getting. He is having less side effects from his medicine. They used to make him tired, hungry, and irritable but now that his life revolves around a normal schedule it seems to not affect him nearly as much. He is helpful around the house, doing dishes or running errands. He plays nicely with his cousins and seems to be genuinely happy there. He now shares a room with several of his cousins and sleeps in a bunkbed. We brought him plenty of clothes and he has a backpack to keep them all in. It seems very important to him that he has his own things. I think it helps him to feel like he belongs there. He is a talented artist, and at the top of his class in school. He’s struggling with his multiplication and division, so he sits at home and works on them. He was so pleased to see that I had math flashcards. Several people donated them for the school and I had purchased a few packs as well. The entire family has been meeting in the living room for flashcard math games. It’s a great way for the entire family to encourage the kids to learn!
We had been out of town visiting other family recently. When I returned from our trip, Sly’s sister Lillian was excited to share a story with me. Lillian had left the house and accidently dropped some money on the way out the door. Jordan found it on the ground and when Lillian returned he was waiting to give her the money. This may not seem like such a big deal to you, but this is a huge step for this little boy! He came from a place where he was expected to work in a bar. He was surrounded by drunks, liars, thieves, and people with no real morals. He was taught to take things if he could or do anything that would benefit him no matter the consequences. For this little boy to find the money, and decide to give it back… to give all of it back, really shows how much he has grown and how much respect he now has for others and himself. When I got back into town and came into the house, Jordan ran to me and gave me a hug… and didn’t let go. He stood there and hugged me seriously for like 3 minutes. If this child only knew that I have no will power with him, I would be in real trouble. Seriously, he could easily talk me into just about anything, and I’m usually a tough nut to crack, just ask my kids. #proudauntieproblems
What I didn’t write in the post last year, is that Jordan, the little boy, is my nephew. His father is Sly’s next oldest brother after him. He has gone through a lot in his life and just can’t seem to pull himself together. So this precious little boy isn’t just someone I met, but my husband’s own family. I didn’t want to announce that until he was settled and doing well in his new home.
The Jordan I met last year is a totally different boy than the Jordan who excitedly greeted me this year. He is happy, he is healthy, his behavior has improved, he is doing great in school, and he smiles… all the time. Gone is the serious, worried, sad little boy that I once knew. I could not be more proud of him.
The doctors say his levels are improving, probably because of the nutritious meals he is eating with his medicine and the proper sleep he is now getting. He is having less side effects from his medicine. They used to make him tired, hungry, and irritable but now that his life revolves around a normal schedule it seems to not affect him nearly as much. He is helpful around the house, doing dishes or running errands. He plays nicely with his cousins and seems to be genuinely happy there. He now shares a room with several of his cousins and sleeps in a bunkbed. We brought him plenty of clothes and he has a backpack to keep them all in. It seems very important to him that he has his own things. I think it helps him to feel like he belongs there. He is a talented artist, and at the top of his class in school. He’s struggling with his multiplication and division, so he sits at home and works on them. He was so pleased to see that I had math flashcards. Several people donated them for the school and I had purchased a few packs as well. The entire family has been meeting in the living room for flashcard math games. It’s a great way for the entire family to encourage the kids to learn!
We had been out of town visiting other family recently. When I returned from our trip, Sly’s sister Lillian was excited to share a story with me. Lillian had left the house and accidently dropped some money on the way out the door. Jordan found it on the ground and when Lillian returned he was waiting to give her the money. This may not seem like such a big deal to you, but this is a huge step for this little boy! He came from a place where he was expected to work in a bar. He was surrounded by drunks, liars, thieves, and people with no real morals. He was taught to take things if he could or do anything that would benefit him no matter the consequences. For this little boy to find the money, and decide to give it back… to give all of it back, really shows how much he has grown and how much respect he now has for others and himself. When I got back into town and came into the house, Jordan ran to me and gave me a hug… and didn’t let go. He stood there and hugged me seriously for like 3 minutes. If this child only knew that I have no will power with him, I would be in real trouble. Seriously, he could easily talk me into just about anything, and I’m usually a tough nut to crack, just ask my kids. #proudauntieproblems