Well done....

Good Morning Company Girls!!

Our son decided to re-enlist after nearly a year and a half of civilian life.....

This Is Paul......and his girlfriend Sara....and this picture is taken just after he re-enlisted in the Canadian Army.

This momentous occasion occurred while I was in Bermuda....I was disappointed that I would miss it this time...I WAS at the first time....about 4-1/2 years ago.....but this time he just found out at the beginning of April that it was happening and of course, my mother's trip could not be changed. Hubby was there of course and took pictures.

The next day Paul said a sweet good bye to his sweetheart and flew to New Brunswick, where he reported to Gagetown, for artillery training. The first enlistment, those years ago, was in the infantry. This time the infantry was full up and they had an opening in artillery.
Now , it's hurry up and wait...in true army fashion......his artillery course doesn't start til July! So, for now, he's in a holding company...which means he sits around all day, doing nothing...and getting paid for it! He says some other guys are grumbling about it but he's just smilin'.....he's been through this before...the first time through he was grumbling too...but now,...he's just smilin'....he's glad to be back.

People have asked me how I feel about it all......I feel just fine about it......really,..he's happy...isn't that what it's all about.....of course I don't want him to be put in harms way, of course, I wouldn't want him to be injured..or worse.....but...all mom's want their kids to grow up and be happy in what they've chosen to do...this is his choice and I support him.

Paul is a wonderful young man...I still remember vividly the day he walked up the steps of our front porch, holding the hand of the social worker...looking very apprehensive....he was 3-1/2 years old.....when a foster child comes to your home, most times, you really don't know just how long they will be staying with you....in fact Paul, only stayed a few months...the first time....then a judge said he could go and live with a 'quasi' family member...also for a few months...then one September day...I received another call....Paul was back 'in care' and he was asking to come back...to come back to our home. Memories come creeping back as I recall Lauren and Corey coming home from school,..walking up the road, and when Lauren saw Paul from a distance...she let out a holler and started running and when she reached him she gave him a huge hug. What a reception!

His name was actually Justin at that time....of all the kids we've adopted his case dragged on the longest...there are some cases that 'fall through the cracks'...through legal mumbo-jumbo, he was 16 years old before his adoption went through! Yes, unheard of now....but that's the way it unfolded in the life of Paul.....

When hubby and I have adopted our children....they're quite a bit younger...Paul knew that when they were adopted, Corey and Lauren...that their names were changed...we always kept their birth names as their 'third' name...but like every mom and dad we wanted to give a name of our choosing to our chosen children....up to this point they were young enough that they went along with it.....When Paul was about 8 years old, it was summertime...he said to me one day...'mom, when you adopt me....are you going to change my name?' I was taken aback, but quickly recovered and said..'well, you are older, I really think you wouldn't want to do that...would you?' 'yes, I would'...he said...well, you could have knocked me over with a feather....but, as usual...I did an excellent acting job...stayed cool.....'Really', I said.....'If you were going to change it...what would you change it to...?', he asked...'well', I said.....'you have three names....Justin Paul William...I think we'd probably just change them around.....you'd be Paul William Justin'...traditionally putting his first 'birth' name as his third.....he thought about that a moment and seemed pleased. 'You'd like that?'...'Yes, I would'. "well, we'll keep that in mind for the future", I said. A few days later, we were driving in the van and Paul spoke up...'mom?'...'yes'....'when are you going to start calling me my 'new name'...'when would you like us to'....'now'..'now?'....'okay...well, keep in mind that we might slip up and call you Justin'...'ya, I know'...'okay, will give it a try'....I had no idea whether he would continue with it or not...but a few days later he was writing his name down on a registration card for a local V.B.S....I observed him write Paul instead of Justin...I thought..well, I guess he's serious about this....fortunately, since it was his legal name, just switched around... the social worker didn't have a problem with it!

He quickly became Paul to everyone and Justin was the scared little boy that came to my home all those years ago....and also came into our hearts.....his growing up was not without trials and tribulations....but he's now a young man, a son whom we are very proud of for the good choices that he has made.

Well done Paul....