Hardest Thing I Have EVER Had to Do

Tuesday was one of the hardest days of my life.

We woke that morning expecting to go to work and for my husband to head out of town, but instead we dealt with our oldest son stealing our iPad. My husband was able to track him down, but he denied having it or taking it. It was less than 30 minutes from the time we discovered it missing and we found him and he didn't have it on him. We then realized that when he came home at 4 AM he could have easily swiped it and given it to whoever brought him home.

This is not the first time he has stolen from us. A few years ago he took our daughter's iPod and last year he stole another iPod from her, video games from my son and money from all of us. Things have been going missing from our house for 5 years and we have never pressed charges until now.

It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I had to press charges. He shows no remorse even when it was revealed that he had also taken jewelry from my mother as recently as two weeks ago and has been using my husband's ID at pawn shops to pawn other stolen items. It is not just about stealing from his family anymore. It is about so much more and we have allowed it to happen for too long.

A few months ago he registered for school and apparently the semester started this week. He is now begging us to not have him arrested, but with his current charges he is also in violation for his probation conditions. I do not necessarily want to see him get arrested at school, but he needs to have consequences for his actions.

My parents, whom he normally stays with when he is not running the streets and sleeping in cars, filed a petition with the courts that when he is picked up that he will be taken to the hospital first for a psychiatric evaluation. He has been diagnosed with a mood disorder, but has been self medicating with drugs and alcohol. He needs help, a lot of help.

I am praying more now than before that this would be a drastic turning point in his life. He is only 21 and has two small children. He needs to get himself back on track for himself and those babies.

I just pray I did the right thing, because it was the hardest thing for me to do.