My adopted stepson is going to his first Lock In this evening. It is with the AFJROTC, and I don't think that he could be more excited if he tried! For the first time in his life, he finally feels like he belongs and is accepted, not only by his family, but by his peers as well, and the change in him now that he feels that stability and security is absolutely outstanding!

He is more confident, as well as more relaxed and easy going. He is able to brush things off now, and not take absolutely everything as a personal attack, which is a nice change. He is also able to make new friends with his new found confidence, and actually keep them, which has always been the hard part for him. And not only is he going to his first Lock In tonight, tomorrow night he will be attending the homecoming dance as well, and having two social events lined up in a row has sent him into a giddy tizzy that is just wonderful to see.

His social schedule has always been pretty open, as in he has had nothing planned for quite some time, so to go from that to two whole events back to back is quite the accomplishment for him. He is getting braver, and able to put himself into new situations and confront his fears of rejection, instead of allowing those fears to run his life.

He no longer pushes others away, either from the get-go or when he feels that someone is getting too close. He is more open, more honest, and quite frankly much happier. His fears of rejection and anger over the past are melting away, his hard outer shell has been cracked, and day by day more and more of the true him that has been hiding deep inside for so long is emerging. He has fought a long battle in his short life, and there was a time when it looked as though he was finished fighting and ready to give up. Yet he kept pushing, with a little help, and now he is breaking free of those chains from the past, and beginning to see the potential in not only himself, but his future as well.

I couldn't be prouder of him right now if I tried. He is truly growing up to be an outstanding young man, and I am the lucky woman who gets to call him my son, life can't get much better than that!



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