Updates

The check: A little investigating with the bank revealed the check to be a duplicate and therefore definitely no good. It drove me crazy wondering how it could be part of a scam that would benefit the sender in any way, until Dave received an email two days later, detailing how he was supposed to cash the check, keep a percentage, and wire the rest of the money out of the country - after which I presume we would be left responsible for the whole amount plus fees. Now THAT I have heard of, and I can't imagine how we could be expected to fall for it. But that's that, at any rate.

Ryan: He did not go to VBS the next day with the same enthusiasm for independence. He asked me to stay, and even then wasn't as happy and confident as he had been even on the first day. I wasn't too surprised at this, so I just went with it. He's such an intense little fellow, and I believe he wants to reaffirm (almost constantly) that he can trust those of us he loves. If he pushes - hard! - will we still be there? I know that eventually he will feel comfortable and secure enough to take more lasting strides of independence, and that, as Tracee said, I'll think back with amusement at how clingy he once was.