Gotcha Day Celebration!

I can not believe it was at the airport on June 4th that Tristan was handed to us. In the adoption world, this is known as a “Gotcha Day!” So… June 4th is special family day for us. Many years ago…We were about to embark on a parenting journey that we could have never imagined. Interesting. Lively. Heart-wrenching. Abounding in miracles. Empathy. Compassion.

This year we took Tristan on a day trip to Sandy Acres Clydesdales for a VIP Farm Tour. It was a lot of fun. Tristan got to feed the goats and the miniature donkeys slices of carrots. Tristan played on the goats’ toys! There was a toddler-sized slide that he kept eyeing. I told him he was too big. He still inched his body toward it and stood at the step. I told the owner, “Tristan thinks he is a toddler.” She gave him permission to slide down. However, his legs extended to the bottom. We all laughed. Down the slide, he went. (Don’t tell him he can’t do something! He will find a way.) Tristan seemed to enjoy petting the Clydesdale horses. In the end, we went into the barn and brushed a horse. Tristan was content with this activity. It was great to have a private VIP tour—lots of good family memories.

15 Years Ago…Our Journey Began

Today is the day our journey with Tristan began.  Finally, all the preparation had been done. Paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork!  Waiting, waiting, and more waiting! Of course, we had no idea how the road would bend and curve.  We would climb uphill and enjoy the glide down! We did not have much knowledge about autism.  In little ways, God had prepared our hearts.  Given the choice I would do it all over again.  We are blessed to have been gifted with Tristan.  I hope one day to write this all down.

Enjoy a glimpse into the early days of our new adventure!