wow, thanks guys! So far so good, but still too soon to tell. We had a easy peasy one yesterday and we brought him out. Did great. Kid could handle nasty brush pretty good, which we all know is a skill in of itself. He didn't have much clothes and we were getting ready for a garage sale. My kids GOTTA have name brand, so we had piles of Hollister, Aero and Ab and Fitch. Tons of jeans and shorts. He was in shock when we told him that he could have anything he wanted out of it. I gave him a company shirt and some combat boots, digi style. He shaved his head, had a mow hawk type of thing. Kid looked totally different and you could tell he felt good. He eats like a rabbit, which I guess he is used to. Keep telling him "EAT BOY, EAT!" His name is Austin by the way. I have the fear of god in him, always have. So I hope I don't have any problems as stated above, I don't think I will, but only time will tell. He told us that he had stolen from friends, but I believe it was a sit where he needed to eat and was too ashamed to say it. Take that need away, I think he will be fine. He liked working, ran him all day. Paid him and my middle boy took him to the store. Instead of buying junk, he wanted new underwear and socks. I wish he would have told us, I would have bought him that, but thought good on him for not blowing the money and using it to help better himself, even if it is just underwear, which made me realize what I take for granted............clean underwear. Drinks soda like a fish, gotta fix that, bad for his health (yes I am a hypocrite there!) I will say this, although I thank u guys for all the "ada boys" I throw this to my sons, they have really impressed me with their concern and patience. But most of all, their compassion. Austin would still be on the street if it where not for them. So the plan is to teach him the way of the Jedi, he wants to run a saw real bad,"in due time padawan, in due time!" He was beat up alot, ALOT. Kid has been jumped by his own thug brother and friends, that we can fix in the pit. I have my own in the basement where Brock, my youngest trains, being top kid at Miletich, Austin is in good hands, soon, no one will hurt him again. Already have a Gi.
I also had a crap childhood, mom is a drunk...........bad drunk, dad ran off and then died. I was heading down the wrong road and was in the same sit that he was in, living in a flop house with a bunch of "lost" kids. The Marines saved me. Kinda looking at the same thing for Austin. Army or Navy, get him out of here and give him purpose.