Anybody else raising their grandkids?

Not raising grand kids, but we raise our neices. Same basic deal though. Former brother in law / former best friend skipped town after getting fired from job and burning eveery bridge in town leaving sister in law with nothing but a worsening drug habbit depression etc. Had to go get the kids off of the floor of a ****** dealers house. It got crazy to say the least. Been through all kinds of DRAMA. We went to court to get custody and won easily.

Not having any kids of my own and still trying to grow up myself (32 y.o.). It has been nothing short of the most trying timeof my life. They see thier dad every couple of months and thier mother every day after school. It is hard to teach them because the rules of my house are not shared at other places. We have had them for 3 years now. They are 13 and 11. We did have the oldest one too for a while but she decided that she could do what she wanted when she wanted if she moved in with her mother & grand mother. She missed 12 times more school in the first 3 months afterwards than she missed in the 2 years she lived with me..... She is a senior now and if she misses many more days, she will not graduate with her class..... Sad really. But she is an "adult" now so she owns her decisions.

The other 2 are difficult at times as one could understand after all they have been through. But my wife and I do the best we can. They now do well in school and are growing up so fast...

I wish all of you who are these kids in need the best of luck. In the end, all the hard work and sacrifice will be worth it.

Here is my Family: Front: Angel & Ally Rear: Myself and My wife, Rachel.