It's Time

When Mike came back to Clark County he had a plan.  Or at least he said he did.  He intended to find a temp job, celebrate Audrie's birthday and possibly his own if time allowed, help us move and then he was going to turn himself in on his warrant that he has had here for a couple of years.
And the very first thing that happened is my creepy neighbor upstairs who deals drugs was waiting outside, as if he knew when Mike would return.  And so it began.  Just a Xanax to get past the cravings.  And a Xanax doesn't make anyone high.  Yeah right...
As long as we had family outings planned he was fine and participated.  And then when we didn't he got all rolled up in the quest for drugs.  I'm not sure it is just the drugs he craves.  I think it is the whole ball of wax.  The things he does to get the money to buy the drugs, the secrecy and fear of getting caught buying the drugs and then the drugs themselves.  For that matter he might even like the coming down and starting all over.  Me, I don't like any of it and we lived through two sets this time and was at a point of making bigger boundaries.
Now obviously Mike didn't give any of my boundaries a second thought.  They did not mean anything to him.  He fell into old patterns and I did too.  But I was at a point of calling the cops and turning him in on that warrant.  If he wouldn't leave voluntarily then he was going by another means.
But I hadn't yet.
So we had to get some milk....we have went through so much milk this month it is annoying...and so we drove over to Walmart.  The littles and I picked up the milk and few other things and Mike went off to look at something else......Turns out he looked at a bb pistol, co2 cartridges, bb's and then pocketed them.  We finished our shopping and we all returned home.
And about forty five minutes later here comes the cops.  Mike was on videotape stealing those things and he was followed out to the car and my plate was ran.  The cops talked to me in the parking lot.  Didn't tell me anything that surprised me.  And then they ran his name.  Turns out there a couple of warrants and away he went.  I'm happy.  He is again given the opportunity to assess his life and choices. He will be in jail long enough to get clean and start thinking straight.  He is safe and he is out of my house.  If I would have known it was this easy I would have taken him to Walmart a week ago.
It is always amazing to me how easy it is to fall into old patterns.  I had told Mike when he was in Wenatchee that I did not have any more energy to deal with someone using.  My plate is completely full and getting fuller all the time and that is so way beyond me.  Well I was wrong.  I did have to deal with him.  And it always amazes me how he has no qualms about using any of us when he is in drug mode.  But I always hold out hope that the next time will be the one when he figures it out.
Elizabeth asked if I thought he would ever stop and I told her yes, one way or another.  We just hope it is him deciding he wants something different and better.  But it is all up to him.