One Year.

I remember pulling into our first night of training.  It was early October, crisp and cool outside.  I pulled into the parking lot at the local group home, stepped out of the car, and looked around.

My child lives here.
I'm coming to get them.
And the weight of it seemed overwhelming and honestly a little surreal. 
What are we doing?

Fast forward four months.

It was a cold and rainy Wednesday night, one year ago today.  We pulled into that same parking lot, hurried inside to beat the rain, and packed up our kid to bring him home.

I remember that I had envisioned so much pomp and circumstance.  This was it!  This was THE day!  And then, after all, it seemed so ordinary.    We took down posters and folded clothes.  We went through papers and packed a few boxes.  He said goodbyes to the last year and a half of his life.  The counselors cried and struggled to say goodbye to our boy.  Because that is the kind of impact he has on people.

We loaded everything into the back of my car and drove home.

As we rushed inside carrying as much as our arms could handle, we were humbled and awed.  Our family had remembered that this was not just an ordinary day.  We entered to balloons and decorations and signs and love.

We had spaghetti for dinner.

We packed lunches for school the next day.

We did homework.

Oh how easy it is to forget. 
The ordinary is where the extraordinary so often hides. 

And so here we are. 
One year ago we became parents.
One year ago we began a great adventure.
One year ago we wondered,
What in the world will this really look like?

Calvin,

How much you have grown and changed over the past year.  How proud we are of the man you are becoming!  It has been so fun to walk with you as your parents over the past year.  To help you become a student.  To teach you to drive.  To celebrate with you over your first job and the A/B Honor Roll.  To see you grow in faith and desire relationship with the Lord.  To watch you become part of our family and for us to become yours.  How blessed we are by your presence in our lives each and every day.  By your sense of humor, your love of people, your sense of family, your strong values, and your willingness to grow and change and try new things. 

 

We are praying for you. We love you!

Love,

Mom and Dad