A Month-by-Month Recap
Time seems to be flying by, especially during the past several months with our move to KY and start of the homeschooling season. We've posted regularly of Hudson's journey in our private Facebook group, which you can request to join here. For those of you who haven't followed the journey so far, here's a recap. We've also included some info at the end about the next steps and one more fundraising effort.
(If you’d like to start at the beginning of this adventure, here’s our original post with more details about Hudson enrolling in the program at Master’s Ranch.)
December:
Hudson was both excited and nervous as we packed his bags and headed to Missouri. He smiled as he met the staff and toured the grounds. He was still smiling when we said our goodbyes. We were SO thankful that he was onboard; it definitely made the transition easier for all of us!
Hudson started out in the "Orange" level, which is (relatively) similar to being a new recruit at bootcamp. They have several hours of Physical Training each day, and must be accompanied by their higher-rank "buddy" at all times. Hudson definitely didn't enjoy those weeks, but he persevered and cooperated!
Christmas was a happy time at the Ranch. We had left a stocking and box of small gifts for Hudson to open. They had a Surf 'n Turf feast outside in the sunny, 70-degree weather!
January:
Hudson was SO excited to rank up to "Yellow" this month! He started settling into the daily routine at the Ranch. His biggest struggle during this time was learning how to get along with 40 other boys, some of whom were not very friendly. He learned he needs to find better ways to control his anger when someone does or says something that he doesn't like.
February:
This month Hudson ranked up to "Green" and was able to try various jobs on his "work crew" days. He thought he would enjoy working on vehicles, but decided it's not for him. He earned perks like movie nights and dessert, which made his Ranch experience more enjoyable. He also started testing boundaries, and found himself getting into some trouble. He ranked down to "Brown" for a few days and decided it's worse than the original Orange level.
March:
I had a phone conversation with Hudson's teacher this month and was happy to hear that he was quite dedicated to getting his schoolwork done. They use an accredited program that is online, and he's able to work through the classes at his own pace. While I don't think computer-based learning is the most effective for him, I'm glad he's putting effort into passing each of the classes.
Hudson also got into some more trouble this month, and began picking up some bad habits from the other boys. We prayed a lot.
April:
We were able to visit Hudson over Spring Break! We spent a weekend together exploring southern Missouri. We visited a zoo, saw one of the largest natural springs in the U.S., walked around some parks, and took Hudson to buy some new clothes because he had already grown SO much. (A little TOO much! LOL). We had some great conversations and some difficult ones. He is making progress but still has so much to learn.
The Ranch also had a "Challenge Week" this spring, where the boys help build obstacle courses and participate in physical activities as well as church meetings. Hudson said it was quite challenging, so I guess it lived up to it's name!
May:
This was a quieter month with fewer reports of trouble, so we were thankful for that. Hudson's weekly phone calls mostly consisted of hearing about his schooling and work crews. He fed cows, watched the guys pour cement, and began helping to turn an old outbuilding into a rec room. The boys enjoyed a Memorial Day feast of crawfish!
June:
We received some phone calls in June that were really painful to hear. Hudson had gotten into some serious trouble, instigated by another kid (who ended up getting sent home). We were very discouraged, and it was a heavy few weeks as we tried to walk through this with Hudson despite the distance. He had clearly hit rock bottom and wanted to give up. He was mad at himself, and tired of the whole program. Fortunately, we understood that this followed the normal timeline for the kids at the Ranch. They tend to put a lot of effort into being really good (or really bad) in the beginning, and then they reach a breaking point. Usually it's after this point that the real growth and change can begin to take place.
July:
Thank the Lord, Hudson made it through the valley and decided to jump back in and continue to work on reaching the next level at the Ranch! Our phone calls became much more positive, and he was keeping out of trouble. Huge relief!! He has been enjoying some of the summer activities at the Ranch.
August:
Hudson finished his first year of schoolwork this month, and immediately asked to begin the next round of classes. He is determined to graduate "on time" (around age 18) and knows that he has some catching up to do. But we're confident that we can help him accumulate the number of credits he needs by finishing up any remaining classes via homeschool when he gets back. He's trying to narrow that down as much as possible!
Hudson also won a Chess Tournament at the Ranch this month, and was very proud to be undefeated! Way to go!
September:
This month Hudson leveled up to "Acting Burgundy." This is a trial period between Green and Burgundy, and he hopes to soon be an official "Burg." It's a high rank at the Ranch and will bring some new privileges, including Hunter's Safety! He's been waiting for this!
While he isn't getting into trouble often, he does crave attention and will do whatever it takes to make a group of boys laugh. The staff is trying to teach him some more appropriate social skills.
What's next?
Hudson may have the opportunity to come home for a visit during Christmas Break! This would be a good time to talk about his progress and maybe see where he's at. He's eager to see our new place in Kentucky, and to catch up with family.
Based on our conversations with Hudson and his leader, we do believe it would be best for him to continue the program for a few more months beyond the one-year mark in December. (I’m keeping this section updated as the weeks go by, and it looks like we might be narrowing his end date down to early spring!)
We
have been setting aside a monthly amount from our own budget, but with
tuition being $3,800/month we know it won't get us very far. It's been a
humbling experience to ask for (& accept) help from others, but
it's also been an overwhelming blessing to be surrounded by your
generosity. You are a part of Hudson's life story now, and God is going
to use these chapters to prepare him for the next.
This
will be our final fundraiser, and we will assume that whatever support
comes in (or doesn't come in) is part of God's plan for the remainder of
Hudson's stay.
If you're interested in being a part of Hudson's remaining months at the Ranch, there is the separate blog post with more info here: "Helping Hudson, Part 2". I'll be keeping that post updated with our fundraising total!
Meanwhile, please continue to PRAY!
-For Hudson's emotional & spiritual growth
-For wisdom regarding the timing & preparation of his return home
-For complete healing & forgiveness in the hearts of everyone in our home
Thank you to all of our amazing supporters who have prayed, cared, given, and encouraged. We really couldn't do this without you!
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