i wonder how long

With David’s placement now occurring as early as Monday afternoon, I find myself pondering how long.

How long will we find his hiding places in our home? Places where he has hidden things that he has taken from others.

How long will we wonder at some item that we have found and who it belongs to?

I wonder how long he will believe that we still love him and want him to be a part of our family?

We don’t place him in a residential facility on a whim, and it seems to me that there are people who don’t understand how we reached this decision.

David suffers from a mental illness that can’t be corrected with medication, or punishment. In time, it is our hope that he will learn to behave in a fashion that is appropriate for society. At age 11, we are not ready to give up on him. We are moving to the next level of care, because we have exhausted resources that are available to keep him in our home.

If you are a praying person, we would appreciate it if you would add David to your prayers. If you aren’t, just keep him in your thoughts.