Here we go again - another one...

Unfortunately with lots of joy also comes some pain.  Like sunshine and rain.  We found out lately that my stepson A is taking narcotic pain medication prescribed by his doctor for Sclerosis.  He is on our health insurance and I became suspicious of the EOB's emailed to us by the insurance company.  I told my husband that this does not look good in my opinion.  A has had some trouble from the start of high school due to smoking and selling pot.  He has done some stints at the county jail and one at a rehab.  He has done community service, lost his driver 's license and his truck due to trouble with the law in the past.  He is 20 years old and since graduating from the alternative high school ( the normal one was too strict and his mother could not get him out of bed in the morning to attend regulars classes) he only held a couple of odd jobs.  Right now he has a paper route.  Anyway, it seems that he goes to the doctor once a month and he is on prescription lortabs, klonopin, relafen and wellbutrin.  It makes me sick to my stomach.  Unfortunately there has never been much communication between my husband and his son, neither one of them is a great communicator.  I was always the evil stepmother who tried to teach the child some manners.  But I digress.  This morning at 8:30 the phone rings and it's A calling.  That has never happened in the past, because he did not get out of bed till noon on a normal day.  I suppose the paper route has changed that somewhat.  A was chatty like I have never heard him before.  From listening to him talk to my husband I could tell that he was high as a kite.  My husband inquired a little about the prescriptions and A volunteered that yes he takes all these pills every day and yes he knows that he is not supposed to sell them, there are flyers all over the doctor's office telling patients that. And yes he goes once a month because doc does not give refills and he is being drug tested to make sure he takes the pills as opposed to selling them.  Yes, his mother nags him every day about quitting the pills, but, hey the doctor prescribes them and they do help with his back pain and his anxiety.  It's nuts!  My husband is dumb founded.  He has gone down that road with me dealing with my daughter.  And now we have another one headed in the same direction....  He lives 2 hours from our house and we have not seen him in a couple of years.  It seems that all we can do is wait for the inevitable or ?  Half of my heart is heavy and the other half is overjoyed...because.... see post below.

Birthday Party for my Granddaughter

Today was my youngest grandchild's fourth birthday and my husband and I were invited to her pool party.  This day can only be described with one word:  epic.  Who knew?  This marks the first time that I have been able to celebrate one of my daughter's children's birthday with them.  I can hardly describe the joy I carry in my heart and the blessing that has been bestowed on us.  We have been settling in a vey comfortable routine with my daughter and her family visiting us about every three weeks.  Every time they come to our house it feels like Christmas to me.  They always spend the night and I love how I get to spoil them while they are with us.  Since the very first time I met them back in January, they have easily been able to relate to me.  I think they sense the love I have for my daughter and vice versa and that makes it easy for them to trust me and my husband.  My son-in-law has had made a remarkable discovery from his almost fatal bout with colon cancer.  My daughter is a loving and caring mother.  The children are a pure joy and enrich our lives beyond belief.  I know I am gushing, but I just can't help myself.  We love seeing them grow up. There was a time not too long ago when I doubted that that would ever happen.   My grandson will be in Kindergarten in a few weeks.  My daughter found a job working for the public school system, starting in a couple of weeks.  We feel so incredibly blessed.