This is kind of a long story but, I will try to make it as short as possible. Also please excuse my spelling errors as this thing has no spell checker.  About six years ago I got a devorice.  Ever since then I have been on a financial roller coaster.  It seemed that every time I found a job I would loose my transprotation, which in turn would cause me to loose my job which would cause me to loose my house which would cause me to....well you get the idea.  I was what you would call a displaced housewife/soccer mom.  Well, while I was great at keeping everyone's life in order I was not so good at keeping my own in order.  I found my self between homes more times than I care to remember. 

     During this time I had the last of my childern living at home, my 16 almost 17 year old son.  During those in-between times I would send my son to go live with my mother.   This was understandably, not my son's most fond memory.  Grandma treated him like a baby.  Well this went on for about 2 years, until my son finally gave up trying.  I feel so bad now for not seeing it but, he didn't care if we were on the streets he just wanted to be with me.  But, as it happened his girlfriend's father took a speical interest in him.  At first I was glad for the man as he offered my son a male roll model,  something of which he sorely lacked.  It was all going fine untill they suggested that my son move in with them.  Now, I know what you are thinking, why not let the boy move in nice stable home and he likes it there right? Yea.  If you remember this was my 17 year old sons 16 year old girlfriend's father.   

     So, in essence what my son was asking me was can he move in with his 16 yearold girlfriend.  My, first and only response was NO, over my dead body. My straight "A" student of a boy was starting to feel his oats and I would be damned if I just let him move in with some girl no mater what kind of adult supervision there was.  Well none of them liked this answer.  So they went to the court house and filed for guardianship.  The judge denied that petition but assigned my son an Ad-litem which is a lawyer/guardian to "investigate"  why this 17 year old boy needs a guardian.  Well the ad litem found that mom had no stable home and has left the child with his grandmother and they don't get along.  So the ad litem made a recomendation to the court that he become a ward of the state and that cps take over. 

     I stipulated to the dependency on the case plan of guardianship with a close friend of the family.  Before I go on I should mention that my son graduated 4th in his class with honors, and was only in the system for 11 months then he aged out. By dependency standards that is barely long enough to reach the permancy hearings.  Now for future reference if you are ever in a dependency case.  Fight it every step of the way.  DO NOT STIPULATE!!  This is the same as pelading no contest in a criminal court, and it will stick with you for 25 years after your child turns 18.  In other words CPS can and WILL deny you any rights to any childern for the rest of your life. because you stipulated.  Well, back to the short long story. 

     In August of last year my daughter got mixed up with the wrong people and ended up getting prison time for it.  Her son came to live with me.  Charlie is my grandson.  His dad is a real piece of work but I saw no harm in allowing him to visit his son.  Now I know that sounds cold but this man beat my daughter almost every day. Several times I have chased him off my property with a two foot pipewrench. But, I did not ever see him harm his son.  Besides he only came by once a month or so and picked him up for a week at the most and them drop him back off with us.  Well it was on one of these visits, March 2010, that CPS was called on the dad for neglect.  Because, we were waiting for my daughter's final sentencing we had not filed for guardianship yet, and then it was too late.  CPS took custody of the child and because I only had a power of attorney I did not have a leg to stand on so into the system he went. 

     Now, I have less than a snowball's chance in hell (according to the lawyers I have spoken to) of getting him, because of the dependency of my son. You remember him the one who graduated with honors and 4th in his class.  Now anyone who has raised an honor roll student knows that it is a team effort of parents and child and teachers to aquire that kind of achievement, and not 11 months in CPS care.  But, still I am not allowed to have my grandson.  I have done everything I can think of to conviene the judge that the child needs to come home. I have given him house payment reciepts for the last 3 years showing that I have not moved.  Tax returns for the last two years, showing my income is stable. 

     I have filed for guardianship twice only to be denied.  I have given letters from my neighbors who have seen me interact with the boy and were willing to testify that the child was safe with me.  All have failed.  This petition is my last chance because they are moving him out of state in January to  be adopted by a second cousin in Iowa.    I have never hurt a child in my life.  Not intentionally or unintentionally.  We only love this baby who is now, as of this writing, 3 years old. 

     It is so hurtfull every time he asks me if he can come home with me, and I have to tell him "not yet Charlie, you go play with your new friends a little longer".  The picture attached to this petition is of Charlie and his mother.  She so loves him.  He is her world.  I am hoping that this along with the stack of letters from everyone I know giving charter references (abot 30 in all) will help the judge see things a little diferently.  What is the worse that can happen, he would tell me No again?  It is worth a shot, as it is our last stand.  This all happens in JANUARY so please if you could help it would be greatly appreicated.  Thank you.