Our Letter of Appreciation To Springboard

This is a letter I recently wrote on behalf of our family for a Springboard Fundraiser. I thought I would share it with all of you. We are getting ready for graduation day for Taylor this Saturday. We are all very excited. It will be so nice to go back and see those who have helped our daughter.

Please say a prayer for us this Saturday as we journey down to Tucson.

Have a wonderful day!

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." James 1:5

The Letter:
When our pastor came to us and recommended Springboard to us, at the time I did not realize how it would impact my family. Springboard quite literally saved my family and my marriage. Taylor has always been a joy but over the past few year we saw her heading into the wrong direction. Nothing major like drugs and alcohol that we know of. But disrespectful, defiant, low grades, lack of respect for other adults and would not take on any responsibility that was asked of her. My husband and I tried everything. Giving her more attention, goals, church everything. Nothing seemed to work.

So the night that was our turning point was when our pastor came to visit us and told us, he really thought we needed outside help. He told us of Springboard. On Monday I place the dreaded call and talked with Elaine. She faxed me info and I told her our situation. We read over everything and decided this was what we were going to do. It broke our hearts in one sense but gave us renewed strength in the other. I never expected it to happen so quickly. We were just trying to figure everything out when Elaine called and said can you be here on April 19th. I said yes. At this point I had no idea how we were going to pay for anything. But someone out there that believed in the program was generous and we received a scholarship. I knew we could do this. We sent out letters to friends and family. To our amazement people we hadn’t even talked to in months sent us sponsorships. I get goose bumps just writing about it. They showed such amazing love to us. So because of our family and friends our cost was now affordable.

The days leading up to Taylor’s admission were stressful. Lots to do and it seemed every way we turned we had road blocks. But we slowing climbed over each one of these and we made it to Tucson on April 19th 4 days before Taylor’s 15th birthday. Thankfully my mother in law was able to be there for all of us. She has been a huge part of Taylor’s life and Taylor loves and respects her Nanny. To have here there was a wonderful gift and I really don’t think we could have done it with out her.

Here we met everyone and our counselor Trisha. Jamie and I have never experienced such heartache as the heartache you feel when you are leaving your child. But we knew that she was in the hands of some amazing people and that she would be safe and taken care of it. We also had God behind us. Holding us up and showing us that this was the right thing to do.

In the end we have our girl back. We have the Taylor I met 6 years ago when I met Jamie. We overcame so much as a family in the 4 months that Taylor was there. She learned so much. Not only about herself, but about her relationships as well. Her relationship with God; her mother, me (the step-mother), her father, her brothers and her friends. She is truly a transformed girl and has upheld her contract and teachings at Springboard. We have moments where we remind each other of things, but we practice and work at everything she learned over those 4 months everyday.

There is not a day that goes by that I do not pray for the girls at Springboard or the counselors. Trisha, our counselor is truly an angel and really was a major part of Taylor’s transformation. To have a counselor that you trust, respect, can be a friend and know that truly wants what best for you was the most precious gift of all. Upon Taylor’s return home our hardest goodbyes were to the staff and house parents. You were all such a big part of our daughters healing that we can’t even begin to thank you enough. Our daughter is back and that is because you give so much everyday impacting these girls lives. We also have her back because of strangers like you. People who give to the AZ Teen challenge. Your donations helped my family do something that we would have NEVER been able to do on our own. To all the strangers who continue to support Springboard and the other facilities thank you so much. You save my family. Really you did.

To the staff, counselors, house parents - We are forever grateful and thank you will never be enough to say for saving my family. You all have been given such special gifts. God Bless you all.

Jenny Hines

Being a Princess / Prince:

Being a princess is so much fun, wish I could be one!! My niece who is in kindergarten got chosen to be the princess next to the newly crowned King and Queen. She looked so very cute with her crown on. As you can see…..

Being a Prince is so much fun…I have three princes! They are Andrew, Adam & Alex. My knights in shining armor. As you can see they needed there pictures taken too!!! They are so very handsome!!

I love you all! Auntie Jenny

Life – And the choices you make…

Well I am sure in LIFE I have made my fair share of good choices. Good choices that continue to blessings in my life. These choices are ones that I continue to pull strength from when you have “one of those days”.

But then there are the choices that you no were a flat out mistake. The ones that you try and make the best of, but it seems so matter what you do it never turns out right.

Whether the choice you made had to do with your career or family. Sometimes you know that you were flat out wrong. And you wonder. Why did God put this choice in front of me knowing it was going to be a bad one? Was he tempting me and obviously I didn’t see it as a temptation? Or was he testing my strength, courage and other attributes that he thought this challenge would give me?

I guess these are questions one will never have answered.

I know that a choice I made back in 2006 was maybe not the right choice. I was hopefully that this choice would allow me to grow and build on my skills and abilities. But I think the only good thing out of this choice is that I have made several friends and learned more about what not to do in certain areas. I have to be careful how I tell you what my bad choice was because you never know who reads your blog. But for those of you who know me, I know you know what that choice was.

Hopefully in the next five months I can move on from this choice and try and make the right one. So I am asking the Lord to guide me in that direction so that when the choice is laid in front of me I will make the right educated choice.

Resting in his arms....Jenny

God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change…Courage to change the things I can and Wisdom to know the difference…

Little Boys and “The Temper Tantrum”:

Replay from last night…

Location: DAYCARE

Mom: Hi baby, mommy is here..

Jack: SCREAMS, lands on the floor, hits mommy

Mom: Now Jack that is not nice.

**Attempt to talk to the teacher, only to find out he wouldn’t eat lunch, tried to take his nap at 10:00 and basically was a little out of sorts all day. That is putting it lightly.**

Location: CAR RIDE HOME

SCREAMING the WHOLE way home. Not part, the WHOLE way home. Asking for “gogert” aka Yogurt, his “baby” aka Nukker in between outbursts. None of which I had “handy” in the car!

Location: THE DRIVEWAY

Getting Jack out of his seat. Normally he holds my hand and walks into the house. Tonight we decided to through our body on the sidewalk and scream as though I am torturing him. I then attempt to pick him up as he hits me and proceeds to try, I repeat TRY to bite his mommy.

We finely make it in the door.

Location: KITCHEN – HIGHCHAIR

Jackson: We eat our yogurt as if I have STRAVED you for 3 days, play with our pancake and proceed to throw it on the floor.

Location: PARK

So thinking that getting outside would do him some good we head to the park to wear him out. He plays with his ball and slides and swings and is having a grand time. But as we know all good things must come to an end and it only stays light for so long. So we head to car with him once again SCREAMING and KICKING. We make it home and he throws himself in his wagon and demands to go “outside”. Not, I repeat NOT going to happen.

Location: THE TUB
So I proceed to think. Oh a bath. This should relax him. Long story short after he throws water out of the bath tub and then proceeds to throw the rag at mommy we are done and headed to get PJ’s on. At this point I have called in reinforcements. Jamie is attempting to diaper him. I pick him up to put clothes on him and proceeds to swing his hand across my face and knocks the glasses right off of my face. So he sits in his crib for 20 minutes SCREAMING yet again.

FINELY after I am about ready to pull my hair out, I take him outside and we talk about the moon and he drinks him milk. We then proceed to the rocker where he humbly lays in my arms and falls asleep. That is when you think, “Oh what a wonderful cute sone I have” I have obviously lost my mind because I have forgotten at that moment about the above. Then I snap out of it, lay him in his crib and take a big sign of relief.

Lets hope that tonight is a better night. My plan of attack:
DINNER
PARK
BOOKS
BED

Any comments on the terrible 2’s at 18 months are more than welcome!!!! BEFORE I LOOSE MY MIND

Just Stuff

Well On Friday 9/14/07 our little man had to be picked up early from Daycare. Mommy went ahead and took him to urgent care. Only to find out that we had Strep Throat. So my weekend was very busy taking care of my boy. He becomes a mommies boy when he is ill...

Sunday we went to Church and Taylor headed over for the Teen night rally. She had tons of fun hanging out with everyone. I will be teaching 3rd & 4th grade with my friend so that will be fun. I am looking forward to the adventure!

Sunday we also watch our Phoenix Mercury WIN the WNBA PLAYOFFS against Detroit. Of course we ROCKED there house down by beating them!!! It was very exciting and I can't wait to see them play next season. I wish I had the money to get season tickets as the games are TONS of fun for the family to go to.

Other than that, still no word on my job. It is very frustrating not knowing what is going on and being in limbo. I am sure everything will be fine, and I have to put my fate in God's hands that he will provide for us and lead me on the right path. I am sure he is watching out for us. So continue to pray that If I loose my job, I will find a new one very quickly. Also pray for all my co-workers going through the same frustrations that I feel.

Also say a prayer for Jamie. He has a HUGE shoot coming up at a big resort here in Phoenix. We are really hoping that it turns out to be BIG and full of many referrals for him.

Taylor: Pray that she continues to do well. She has 2 big events coming up. Springboard graduation and her confirmation. Both very exciting things for her and we are so very proud of her.

May God continue to bless each and everyone of you! Have a wonderful week!

Our Love, The Hines'

Garage Sale & The Thief

So this weekend Taylor and I (Mostly me) did a garage sale to benefit Springboard. She wanted to raise money to buy yarn, new shower curtains and orange shirts (this is for a later blog). We we venture out at 3:30 AM (me) to put up signs and pull out the tables. We are ready to go by 5:20. Customers come and go and things are going well. Taylor is helping and bring me Ice tea when i request it because it is so blasted hot.

These 2 couples come up and start taking to me about springboard and I still have one other customer in the background "shopping", when all of a sudden the one Lady says she just took your purse and left.

I waste no time, RUN to he pimped out Tahoe and grab onto her door handle, bang on her window demanding our $15 prices fake LV purse back. She looks at me as though she can't speak English when I know she can, and drives away. While driving away I hear the men at my garage sale yelling let go lady. So I let go and she sped off.

I was mad to say the least, and since I try and keep this as clean as possible I will refrain from using the words that were in my head.

In the end she will be punished for her sin. She knows she stole, she got caught and she knows we know that she stole. Still makes me mad. We were just trying to raise some money for a good cause and it takes one bad person to try and ruin your day.

Our day ended up being fairly successful. So we have purchased our "stuff" and will bring it down on the 29th.

Springboard Graduation

Well on September 29th we will be heading down to Tucson to attend the annual graduation for Springboard. Taylor is very excited to go back and see her counselor Ms. Trish, the house parents and others from the house. Of course all of the gals that she met on this journey as well.

We are also very excited as this will a big part of Taylor journey. To get the recognition of completing this program and making all the changes she has made. We have also been given the honor of being selected to give our testimony about how Springboard has impacted our lives /family. This is a huge honor not only for our family but especially for Taylor. She really impacted so many people and touched so many people’s lives. I am really proud of all that she has accomplished.

You will have to stay tuned to read our testimony. As for now, we are hoping we don’t get rained out this weekend. We are holding a garage sale in honor of Springboard. We are going to buy items for the house and hopefully give a donation as well. So pray that we have lots of traffic at our sale!!

Have a wonderful Weekend!

"Get Together at the Fair!"

Vacations:

Well we just returned from MN for the Labor Day weekend. On Saturday we ventured to the MN State Fair. We really had a good time eating our way through the fair. The picture below will also show that Jackson just LOVED going on the slide. He kept doing the sign language for “more” so we went on it at least 7 times. But the smile on his little face was so worth it…










Then on Sunday we all gathered at Chrissy’s house and had a BBQ. It was fun. The kids all had a blast and I have a picture that was taken of all the kids. Now not everyone is happy in this picture but we got the picture with all the little rugrats. Everyone if growing so fast it was just fun to see and play with them all.



Monday we heading to Harmony and I met up with the girls in Cresco. We ate Pizza, breadsticks and laughed. However me loosing the diamond in my ring was no laughing matter. But Chirssy came to the rescue and by an act of God found it at my moms. This is after I had ridden on the tractor, shoveled sh@t, dug flowers, and went to Wal-mart. But my diamond was found and being re set as we speak.



Tuesday and Wednesday we hung out and just had fun in Harmony. It was a nice trip but it is good to be home in my own bed. This weekend will be busy and we will be having our garage sale for Springboard. Taylor is very excited. I just hope that we don’t get rained out this weekend.



Must run! Enjoy the photos!!