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 1:5The 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
