Yeah...so many people awhile back were so sure Grant "needs to get a job!" or "should be working to support us!" I didn't know how to explain to people who said we'd be homeless if it weren't for our father in law that, no, G actually works his ass off and makes a hell of a lot more than they think...food for 3 adults, two teen boys (ok, one is 12, but they eat significantly more than the 3 grown ups), and 5 kids, a van payment, insurance and gas for it (over a thousand dollars a month alone), his student loans for his MCSE certifcication, our water filtration system, clothes/shoes/school supplies for everyone, doctor's visits out of pocket as they come up, birthdays and Christmas - it adds up to a crazy shitload of money. He brings in several thousand dollars a month. We're grateful to Grant Sr every day because without him we would have to get a crappy vehicle that would break down all the time but be payed for, and eat less organics and less "fancy" stuff (blueberries, pulpy orange juice, yogurt), and we'd probably have to move away from our support system and social lives, to a place where it was easier to live. We couldn't take as many road trips and we might not have a big back yard with a trampoline. But I think it's a wise choice to live with him instead, so we can spend more time with our kids, they can be close to a grandparent, and we all enjoy a better standard of living...especially as he feels good about helping us this way and tells us he would miss us like crazy if we moved out. But to some all-too-vocal people we're "kids" and G isn't a man and "Sr is raising our children"...because he pays the mortgage O_o

Also: I'm sorry YOU don't have more of a support system :/ I've been thinking of you a lot lately, trying to be a good single parent and your hard past and feeling ostracized from the faith you grew up in. Egads, I wish I could hug you! If we lived closer I would definitely want to get together. I keep having this urge to ask, What can I do for you? But over the internet, I feel so helpless. Yet, many many people have helped me over the internet...so...is there something I can do for you? Does your son need a young penpal? Do you need handed down clothes in his size? Are you trying to think of new things to make for dinner? Or anything?