A Future Marine

Shawn is our youngest. Last night he graduated from the eighth grade. I took him to school this morning to attend an 8th grade day at Six Flags and realized that this was the last time I would drive a student that lived in our house to middle school. Shawn is excited to attend high school. He is determined to get the highest GPA possible. He also has determined that when he graduates from high school, he is going enlist in the Marines. Here his plan has a couple of options. Last night he was suggesting that maybe he would make the Marines a career and attend college in midlife to train for a second career in law enforcement. He has also talked about getting out of the Marines after the initial commitment and going to college to train for a law enforcement career. Shawn is determined, he has been that way since being very little. When he focuses on a goal, he usually meets it. Very early he expressed his likes and dislikes. He always likes to do well, but not necessarily in front of a group. He is very athletic, but sometimes shy in being seen participating in a sport. Shawn has expressed an interest in trying out for football as a freshman. I hope he does it. He'll do well.

Shawn had a tough start as an infant. He was born addicted to a couple of drugs. Kathy held Shawn almost non-stop for two weeks as his little body cleared itself of the drugs. When we expressed an interest in adopting Shawn, the social services department of the county we lived in made sure we knew all of the possible problems that would likely come as Shawn grew up. After hearing all the disclosures, you would have thought we were buying land in a nuclear disposal site. We dedicated him to God and have prayed him through his 14 years. Most of the problems Shawn could have had, never surfaced. Shawn has great plans and we're praying that God will help him achieve them. Next stop, high school. Go Shawn...