A Year of Firsts

Today is Will's Gotcha Day - the one year anniversary of his arrival to our home.  Over the course of the last year, I've tried to pen the emotions (flavor even) of the whole experience.  We've shared joy, hope, excitement, frustration, sadness, happiness, exasperation, fulfillment, commitment and peace in a decision that couldn't have been more right.  But most of all, we've shared love.  We always knew we would love the child we'd adopt, but we had no idea just how deeply that love would run.  In this short year, the richness of it all influences our perception of events to the point of having us believe he's always been with us.  All things reduced in the crucible of truth, Will is our son, he'll always be our son and in many ways has always been.

As a part of the celebration and reflection this weekend, I've assembled images of firsts:

Will's first trip to the pumpkin patch which just happened to occur in the first week he came to live with us.

His first ride without training wheels.

The first sledding with mom...

...and first cookie making.

The first Christmas complete with...

...the first gun, courtesy Grandpa Ken.

The first solo around the barn.

The first spring break.

The first mustache and 'cigarette'.

The first Tigers' game.

The first 4th at the lake.

The first birthday with his school friends.

The first day of kindergarten.

The first AYSO game.

The first cast. *sigh*

  

His first gavel as an official Vomastek.  

(image courtesy Kent Whistler)

Most importantly, the first family photo.

(image courtesy Kent Whistler)

Sarah, Will and I can't thank all of you enough for the support, thoughts, prayers and most of all love through all of this.  The journey, while absolutely worth it, was hard.  We couldn't have made it without you.


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