This Is Josh

This is Josh, whom we refer to as "our other kid." We met Josh last November. At the time, he was homeless, sleeping in the courtyard at the church during the day, and washing dishes at a local restaurant at night. Our church offered a place for him to live and Sid gave him a job.

Very quickly, Josh became a part of our family. Emily almost immediately started calling him her big brother. Keith would scream with joy every time Josh walked through the door. He ate lunch with Sid on the job site and dinner with us almost every night. Let me just say that Josh could put away some food! Sid and I made sure he had clothes, food, dental/medical care. I'm ashamed to admit there were times when I felt taking care of Josh was a chore. But inevitably, something he said or did reminded me that we were Josh's only family.


A few months ago, Josh announced to Sid that he wanted to join the National Guard and be a medic. He went through the physical and academic aptitude testing and was told last week that he had a training date. He leaves for Fort Knox this afternoon for Basic, then to Fort Dix for specialized training, and then he'll serve the Guard full-time for three years. For the first time in a long time, Josh has a plan. A plan that he primarily directed. One that makes me proud to have been a part of the process.

Now for the fun part! Josh's hair yesterday:

Josh's hair (or lack thereof) this morning:

Josh with his fan club:

Josh's hair...long enough to be donated to Locks of Love. I'm mailing it this afternoon.

It was with great pride and sadness that we said goodbye to Josh this morning. I know he'll be a good soldier and am confident he'll serve our country well.