Fruition

I've always said by the time he's 12 years old, he'll be living with my sister. He made it to 13 before we shipped him off.
I've got a child who is "not easy". He's often referred to as the kind of kid you have to raise everyday. Smart yet unwise (not that youth and wisdom go together). Friendly but to a fault, as friends can distract him from what's important. Strong willed but it often slides into the realm of stubbornness. The bottom line is has the potential for greatness, with the ability to make a huge mess of his life. And, he walks a fine line.
Thankfully I have a sister who is cut from the same cloth. Our mother has spent the last 13 years looking him in the face calling him by my sister's name. He'd get so confused when he was younger. "How can she confuse me with a girl" , he'd say. "Because you act JUST like her", I'd reply.
I didn't want to send him. My husband didn't want to send him. But we did. It takes more than parents to mold a well rounded successful child. We have to seek out others who can give valid input. We have to find others who care enough to invest a positive impact.
I'm looking forward to input when it's time for him to come home. I'm prayerful that he will walk away with a mind to choose success. God knows he has enough people in his corner, willing to help him get there.