A New Son (well sort of...)

Yesterday I got a second son. Well....sort of. The two guys in the picture are my real son Ryan (the one on the left). The other is Steve, my son's buddy. Steve has been in a kinda bad foster-family situation. He has about three weeks until he can be declared independent. We made an arrangement a few months ago, so that Steve could stay with us during the weekends and find some time away from the difficulties he was having with his foster mom.
This picture was taken after their high school graduation ceremony. Steve was in the process of getting set up for a new apartment of his own, but due to circumstances with his foster mom, he felt he could no longer stay there - yet had no other place to go. He legally was supposed to stay with his foster mom until the apartment was ready for him to move into (beginning of July). However, seeing that there would be serious stress in this arrangement, my wife and I wanted Steve to come stay with us in the interim. My wife went to court yesterday to seek out a way to allow Steve to live with us until he could move into his apartment. Long story short, the judge decided that Steve would be granted a 2 week visitation with my family and I. So, Steve has moved in and will become our responsibility.
I am very pleased to have Steve here with us. He is a great guy and a good man. He has a grand sense of humor and a caring heart. I believe that he is going to be a man who does great things in his lifetime. Welcome to the family Steve!