Letter to Friends and Family

Dear Friends and Family,

Ty and I are so grateful for your love and support during the adoption of our son.  We are so thrilled to bring Jace home!  Ty is leaving this Saturday and they will be home next Friday, September 5.  I will remain home with Lainey, and our close friend, Brian, graciously agreed to travel with Ty.  (We are calling him Ty’s caddy.) :)

Because it has been a couple years since we brought Lainey home and international adoption is not a common occurrence, we thought it would be helpful to give you an idea about what the next month or so will look like for our family.

If you put yourself in Jace’s little shoes for a moment, you can imagine how difficult this transition may be for him.  Though a joyous celebration for us, to Jace we represent yet one more separation from caregivers.  In his 16 month life, he has been separated from his birthparent(s) and nannies who loved and cared for him in two different orphanages.  

Coming home, he will experience a whole host of stimuli he has never experienced before, including strange people, an unrecognizable language, unknown foods, and a dog! 

We will be doing everything we can to ease this transition for Jace.  We plan to significantly simplify and slow down our pace of life during the next several weeks.  We will not be having people over for extended times or be out and about very often. We welcome brief visits - we are excited to introduce our friends to our son! - but please drop us a text or call first.

We will be “cocooning” at home in order to form healthy bonding that is crucial for Jace’s development.  Because Jace has experienced multiple caregivers in his short life, he has not learned the concept of “Mama and Daddy.”  We want to teach him that we, his family, are different than other caretakers who came in and out of his life. To this end, Ty, Lainey and I will be the only ones who hold, snuggle, feed, change, soothe, or otherwise care for Jace for several weeks.  Please know that we mean no offense if we ask you to refrain from holding or hugging or giving Jace a snack. 

We have been so blessed by the love and kindness our friends have always shown Lainey.  She, also, will be transitioning. Lainey is certainly social and loves her friends, and it is our goal to balance the fostering of those relationships with, as much as reasonable, including her in the cocooning process. When you see us, we would be so grateful if you continue to show her the same interest and attention you’ve shown in the past.  She will likely appreciate conversation and questions that do not center solely around the arrival of her brother.

Please, if you have any questions about all this, feel free to ask!

Finally, thank you for praying for Ty and Brian as they travel - that their journey is safe and without complication - and for Jace - that God gives him peace and contentment with his Daddy.  Thank you for praying for us girls - Lainey and me - while we prepare for Jace’s homecoming. The best gift you can give us is one of prayer.  We also welcome your encouraging words and patience.  We trust that God has chosen Jace for us and he will continue to guide us as we learn what it is to be a family of FOUR!

Sincerely,

Ty and Rachel 

Parenting out of Fear

Inconsolable Tears.  Tantrums.  Self Pity.  Lack of Confidence.  Lack of Self Control.  Doubt. And most of all, Fear.

And those are just my emotions.

Our sweet, smart, happy three year old is struggling.  Hitting, kicking, screeching, clawing, throwing, etc.  These past weeks in our house have been as close to hell on earth that I can imagine.  I don't use that term lightly.  Knowing that there are many people in worse predicaments than we are in, I feel a little shame admitting to feeling this way.  But seriously.  I've never felt so hopeless, out of control, depressed, anxious or fearful in my life.

How can I blame my daughter for her behaviors that are directly mimicking my own emotions?  God is not-so-subtly revealing to me that I am parenting out of fear rather than faith. 

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." ~Isaiah 41:13

Fear of Losing Control
I so long to be in control.  In control of my finances, my eating habits, my marriage, my household, and, most importantly, my daughter's behavior.  Well, there is nothing like a three year old's behavior to prove that I am not in control.  No matter how rigid, strict, structured and legalistic I aim to be, I absolutely cannot be in control.  My daughter can choose to eat or not eat, sleep or not sleep, be calm or scream at the top of her lungs, hug me or hit me, and there is not a single thing I can do to change a decision that she has already made.  The punitive measures I have used as consequences do absolutely nothing to teach her.  They are only my attempt to feign control, thus instilling further fear in my daughter.  I am ashamed.

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:4-7

Fear of Losing Face
I long for my daughter to be the most disciplined, best behaved and advanced child on the block.   My friends will read this and cringe.  (Give me grace, friends, I beg you.)  Truth is, I want people to look at her and see what an amazing parent I am.  What is wrong with me?  I now realize it is more important Lainey possess Godly traits such as peace, self control, Godly confidence, empathy and forgiveness.  How will she learn these if I am not modeling them? If instead I am modeling impatience and arrogance?

"There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love" ~1 John 4:18

Fear of the Future
Daily, I concern myself with how Lainey will be when she is a teen.  I've convinced myself if I don't teach her to respect authority NOW, she will grow up to be a terror.  To that end, I've adopted an authoritarian parenting style rather than attempting to understand her.

"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." ~Matthew 6:34a

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." ~ Psalm 55:22

"For I know the plans I have for you,' declared the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

Fear of Losing Myself
I am so selfish.  I frequently put my own sleep, time, hobbies, desires before the emotional needs of my daughter.  Oh, I justify it:  "This will teach her independence." or "It is good for her to learn it isn't about her all the time."

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." ~Philippians 2:3-4

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." ~John 14:27

My sweet daughter.  I'm afraid I owe her BIG.  Because of my fear, we both have healing and misconceptions to overcome.  We need God.  I can only overcome this fear by giving up control, my image, the future and my desires to him.  And what a relief it is to turn it all over to him!  What an amazing God that He will still take me and love me in spite of my weakness.

I cannot raise Lainey the way she deserves without God's grace and guidance.  With this realization, I am filled with excitement, rather than fear, about the good works God will work in Lainey.  I am humbled with honor to be tasked to raise her.  God chose her for me and I will give him my love and trust in return.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." 1 Corinthians 5:17

Letter to Lainey

Daughter of Ours,

You are asleep on Daddy's chest in our bed right now.  That's been a habit for quite some time now.  Around 6 AM, you crawl up the stairs and run in our bed to settle on one of our chests for some more shut-eye.  This morning you are sleeping a particularly long time, probably because of a late night playing and watching football with us - another habit we've formed in the past couple months.

At 2 years and exactly 8 months, you are the perfect combination of spunky and loving.  In one word - independent.  You like (demand) control over every situation and it runs this Mama ragged deciding which battles to choose.  Last week we were at the brewery with you (yes, they allow minors and it's NOT a bar) and you insisted you could go potty by yourself.  In your words, "It's private time, Mommy.  Go see Daddy."  I never thought I'd allow my 2 year old that freedom, but I stood just outside the bathroom door and you rocked it!  (What you didn't know was a friend of mine happened to be in there making sure you were okay for me.)  You refuse to hold our hand (unless crossing a street or in the parking lot because I've managed to put the fear of God in you over getting run over.) You pour your own milk, dress and undress yourself, and much much more.  "No, I can do it!"

You certainly don't lack in personality or energy.  You are stubborn and competitive.  The sure way to motivate you is with a challenge or a race.  And you surprise me everyday with what you retain and how much you're learning. You know your abc's, how to count (recite) to twenty and actually count ("one to one correspondence," as we call it in my teaching world) anywhere from 4 - 10 objects, depending on your mood.  You're learning your letter sounds and I'm excited to start teaching you letter recognition.  You repeat everything you hear and most of it makes sense.  You impressed me with this conversation yesterday:

"Mama, the polar bear says 'RAAAHHHHR."
"Oh, yeah, did it say that at the zoo today?"
"Actually, it didn't for real."

Yep, you used the word "actually" in true, correct context.  And then there are those moments you just repeat something and it isn't in the right context but still so stinkin cute.  As you were combing my hair today, "Oh, mama!  Look at all these curls!  So tangly!"

While I'm telling you about the crazy, funny things you say, there are a few more you can brag about later in life:

"Mama, maybe if Daddy drives a little faster, I'll stop whining." I hear ya, kid.  I hear ya.

Instead of "yesterday," you say "yestertime."

"Mama, don't say shut-up!"
"I didn't, Lainey.  I said 'shut off.'  As in shut off the TV."
"Oh."
next day...  "Mama!  That's stup-off!"

"We can't take Daddy's car today, Mama, because YOU made a mess in it!"  (Sold out, Daddy!)

You're getting to be quite a big girl, too.  You are solidly in 3T clothes right now.  All those cute 2T clothes?  Packed away.  You sleep in a "grown up bed" (when you decide to sleep) and you're pretty much potty trained.  You are good at using your spoon and fork consistently.  You insist on drinking from cups without a lid and you prefer to sit in chairs without boosters.

But some things haven't changed one bit.  Your favorite things to do are still jump and climb.  A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G.   It seems you haven't developed a healthy fear of anything yet and you sure keep us on our toes.  Several times every week, people will comment something along the lines of, "Wow, she sure is active!"

And you know how to love.  You snuggle with us to read books and drink milk from your sippy cup.  You put your hands on our cheeks and say, "I love you soooo much."  You run to us when you are hurt and you love to snuggle under a blanket with your Daddy when you're watching a movie.

In short, you're perfect.  You are ours.  And we love you to the moon and back!

Love Always,
Mama

I Was Never Going to be the Mom Who...

let fish crackers litter her car day in and day out.

ate the fish crackers for her own snack!

let her kid watch Elmo, especially before age 2.

poured a cocktail before 5PM because it's nap time.  (ok, maybe I should've seen THAT one coming.)

only thought and talked of her child when she is away from her.

discussed poop at the dinner table.

considered actually hanging up that home-made ornament on the Christmas tree.

took her kid in public wearing jammies.  (The kid, not me.  I'm not there...yet...)

would let parenthood keep us from "living" - that is, traveling, eating out, etc.

said, "Because I'm the Mom, that's why."

let her house look like the zoo was let loose in it for multiple days in a row.  (Thanks to an amazing husband, that rarely happens.)

honestly believed her child is the smartest, most beautiful girl in the world! (I am much more sensible than to believe that.)


Never say never...

(Comment if you'd like to make me feel better!  What's surprised you about the person you've become as a parent?)

October Thirty-One, Twenty Twelve

I am joining the masses...blogging about their child's Halloween adventures.

For the first hour of trick-or-treating, I was fighting back tears.

Every year since Ty and I have been married, we've been going downtown Gig Harbor.  We get to see many of our students and it's such a feel-good community event.  The past several years have been especially difficult - infertility and then the waiting game of adoption. But we stuck with it.

 

And this year, finally, it feels like our year. 

After one "trick or treat!" (which we've been practicing for weeks) rewarded by candy, Lainey had it down.  You should've seen her, marching from vendor to vendor.  Claiming downtown Gig Harbor as if it were named after her.

Yes.  It was our year.

Our first stop.
Immediately after this, Lainey put her purple
pumpkin down to dive into the candy basket with two hands.

Our second stop.  Began at the Brix for candy and ended at the Brix for drinks.
Love!

"I got this, Mom."

Watching the flash mob.

18 Months Old

September 22, 2012

A year and a half.  Perhaps because we missed Lainey's one year birthday by just three weeks, today seems like a big milestone.

I'll be honest; until recently, I've not thought much about what could have been.  What could have been for us or for Lainey.  I try to avoid jumping into her sad story or our sad story because I don't want people to pity. Her, or us.  I don't want folks to think Lainey is lucky to be "saved."

Truthfully, she saved us.  This little girl who, eighteen months ago was abandoned by ber birth mother, saved us.  Saved us from heartbreak.  From lonely.  From a gaping hole in our hearts.  From wondering.

Indeed, her story is heartbreaking. And lately I've shuddered to think what her fate could have been. What a loss it would have been had she not been found by the young woman on her way home from a funeral.  Had she not cried at that moment and been heard.  No one would learn how smart she is.  How cunning she can be.  How coordinated she is, how much she loves to climb, and no one would know her infectious laugh.

And I shudder to think what my fate could have been, had she not been noticed.

I wouldn't know the sweet feeling of her playing with my hair and saying, "Detty, Mama.  Detty, Mama."

I wouldn't understand the pride when she reaches her hands out to us at the dinner table, lowers her head and mumbles words to God, mimicking Ty as he prays before dinner.

I wouldn't know the joy when she runs so fast toward me that she tumbles into my lap or legs, knowing I'll catch her.

I wouldn't know the laughter I am capable of by making her laugh.

I would know the feeling of her sweet little fingers on my cheeks, turning my face toward hers so she can kiss me, snuggle me, snot me or forehead bump me.

I can't imagine this world or my world without our little Ethiopian daughter in it.  As she grows, I am more and more amazed by her beauty, her personality, and that she is ours.  I am more and more in love with her, even when I can't believe it's possible.

18 months ago, God gave me a gift.  As I live in awe of our daughter, I am reminded to give the glory to God.  He created Lainey - the beautiful and wonderful little thing she is.

God calls us to care for the widows and orphans.  I'm ashamed to say His calling is not why we adopted.  We adopted because we desperately wanted to grow our family.  How amazing that God took the greatest desire of my heart and matched it with His calling, teaching me more about who He is and who I am in Him along the way.

18 months old.  18 months.  Crazy to think where Ty and I were 18 months ago, probably just living a normal day, unsuspecting.  Crazy to think that God knew exactly what was going on.

I wish I could talk with Lainey's birth mother.  I wish I could understand her and help her.  I wish I could meet the woman who gave me the gift of a beautiful, smart, funny daughter.  I wouldn't judge her the way I might [shamefully] judge others.  I would just want to know her.

And the woman who found her.  She could've just kept walking and it is probably no one would have known any different.  I wonder if she wonders about the baby she found whose umbilical chord was still attached.  Does she have any sense of her awareness and strength? What it meant for my life?

18 months.

Because She Melts My Heart

August 13, 2012

Five Months Home

Almost 18 Months Old

Dirty Laundry

"Maybe you should blog on a [miserable] day like today so people don't think your life is so perfect."

Only a mom could be so honest, right?

Some time back, I posted this status on facebook:  So, instagram and Facebook help make everyone's lives look perfect. I'm here to honestly say that though our pictures are gorgeous, especially in Maui right now, and though life is sweeter than ever with our daughter home, life still presents challenges. I never want to make others feel down or negative with my posts or pictures. We all have celebrations. We all have struggles. (Ty's response is, "Preach it, Sister.")

We were in Hawaii, having a less than stellar time, and I just felt like all the cuteness and smiling and tan faces were so misleading for how I really felt on that trip.  And after my mom's comment, perhaps my blog appears that way, also.

I want to be real with others, but I also am a very private person with my struggles.  And, to be honest, if I don't feel a connection with someone, their struggles make me uncomfortable.  The whole "don't air your dirty laundry in public" rings true to me.

At the same time, I do not care for fake. The result is my reserved personality, and, as it seems, a reserved blog.

In an attempt to process this dilemma, here is my dirty laundry.  You were warned.

Two nights ago, through tears, I said to Ty, "I miss our life before."  I meant "before we had a daughter," but I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence.  It just felt so wrong to voice that.  The truth is, I am grieving for the way things used to be.  I miss who I used to be, who my husband used to be and what our marriage was.  It's just all so stinkin' complicated now.  Nothing seems simple anymore.  We don't seem to laugh together as much.  The ease of being together is no more.

It's been four months!  The pieces of this life should just all fit together nicely by now.  I should be looking at my husband with our daughter in his arms and be so much more magically in love with him because he is the father of our child (instead of thinking, "will she stay with him long enough for me to shower?").

After four months, I should know how to put Lainey to bed so she falls asleep peacefully and without drama.  I should know if she is throwing a tantrum because she is a spoiled child or because she is constipated.

Because Lainey has transitioned smoothly to our home, the pressure is colossal.  The pressure to have this mothering thing perfected is heavy.  It's hard to let myself off the hook when I read about the grief adopted children go through because Lainey seems to be doing fine.  (It's me who isn't always fine!) I read and hear stories about the struggles other adoptive families go through and I think, "What the heck do I have to complain about?" And yet, I've managed to ramble my way through four paragraphs of complaints.

Guilt is a heavy burden, isn't it?  Guilty for enjoying and sharing a great life.  Guilty for struggling and baring weakness.

I know guilt is pretty typical for mothers, but what about comparing?  I find I'm always comparing our situation with Lainey to other families.  Traditional and adoptive families.  Sometimes it feels like I'm in a race.  Always looking ahead and behind me for others.  My competitive nature, I suppose.

Well, that's it for now. Except, I'm asking for grace as you read this.  I'm taking a risk and not re-reading this post to edit before clicking "Publish." :)

Four Months Home

August 13 found us at Banks Lake enjoying time as a family and with family and friends.  We mentioned the four month mark and laughed about how quickly...and slowly...time goes by.

• Lainey was four months old when we received our referral for her.  
• Four months after our referral, we met our daughter for the first time.
• We waited four months after meeting Lainey until we were cleared to bring her home.  That was the longest four months of my life, yet now I hardly think about that wait.
• When we brought Lainey home, Miles Robbins had been home from Ethiopia with his family for four months.  I recall reading her "four month home" post thinking it sounded like such a long time. I learn so much from her experiences and her wealth of knowledge. And now they are back in the Pacific Northwest! Family and friends re-united.

At four months home, there are so many things Lainey does that I want to remember.

She LOVES to flush the toilet.  She has learned, "Just once," and looks at me with such proud eyes when she resists the urge to bang the handle.

Shoes.  Wow.  Currently she is trying to put on Ty's flip flops and walk with them.  A couple mornings ago I was watching her run around the bedroom from bed.  She brought me my purple keen, disappeared and came back with the other one.  "Mama's," she said.

She climbs.  Everything.  Her latest discovery is that she can climb the kitchen chairs, which she often does.  She won't sit long, though, anywhere.  She climbs the big toys at the parks and keeps up with the five year olds there.  I was shocked when she went down the big tunnel slide last week.

She seems to fear nothing.  Maybe it's just the lack of knowledge to be fearful, but she isn't scared of water, heights, the dark.

When I am near, she is so independent.  Wants to eat without help.  Climb without help.  Turn the pages without help.  Tries to change her own diaper and bats my hands away.  But the second I walk away from her, she often yells, "Maaaaaaama," and all that independence goes out the window.

The rate of her vocabulary development shocks me.  All done, eyes, nose, ears, water, milk, coffee, hot, airplane, close...so many more.  The words she knew are becoming more easily understood (at least by the trained ear).  With prompting she is starting to put two words together much more clearly.  I laugh each time I witness her learn something new. 

She loves to dance!  

One of her favorite games is to push my face away and say, "Stop!" knowing I'll kiss her neck and cheeks.  

She gets SO FRUSTRATED (as do I) when she wants something and can't communicate what it is.  She bangs her hand against her chest - signing for "please" - while I fumble around trying to figure out what she wants or needs.  Yesterday, she was pointing and saying "water," but I didn't pick up on it until she reached for the sippy cup on the counter.

We've started using Time Out.  Lainey picked up on it quickly and for the most part, it's effective.  The dog dishes are her kryptonite.  So we use time out if she touches the dog dishes, the oven dials, or is mean to Boone.  Sometimes she goes to Time Out on her own.  She sits down and says, "time out."

She loves calling Boone.  She pats her legs and calls, "BOOO, BOOO."  Sometimes she gets the "n" sound on the end.  When she sees other dogs, she pats her legs and calls, "Roo, roo, roo," translated means "roof, roof, roof."  She isn't scared of dogs, big or small and loves to pet and hug them.

When she doesn't want to go to sleep, she pulls out all her tricks that she knows will make me laugh.  Points to my nose, eyes, hair, ear and labels them all.  My favorite is when she puts a hand on each side of my lips and kisses me while trying not to laugh.  Then I laugh, she laughs, and we get serious about going night-night.

I know I mention it often, by my love just continues to grow for this little one.

Letter to L: You Belong

Sweet Daughter of Mine,

I naturally begin all my letters to you in that way.  And, I hope and pray, as you grow older you will KNOW, WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, that you are my daughter.  OUR DAUGHTER.  You were actually conceived out of love between your daddy and me.

You have never been our second choice.  You have never been a last resort.   You came to us in a different way than traditionally happens when mommies and daddies want to have a family, but YOU are PERFECT in this FAMILY.  We chose you and anticipated your arrival with the same love and anticipation that every loving mama and daddy experience.  We went through hell and back, as many expectant parents do, awaiting your arrival, our only wish being you'd be with us sooner.

I fear what others will say to you about your place in our family.  What little girls will say when they're mad at you, or jealous, or just being girls.  I fear what you may overhear said to your Daddy or me by our friends, family, or acquaintances.  And I hope, with everything in me, that no matter what you hear, no matter what anyone else assumes or thinks, that you never question OUR LOVE FOR YOU by our actions.  It's my deepest desire that you'll know that YOU BELONG TO US, not because you have the same nose, eye color or hair texture, but because YOU ARE LOVED beyond measure and because we PRAYED for YOU. Before you came to us, when we pictured our daughter, she had kinky hair and dark skin.  She didn't match my pale face and blue eyes.  She was little, but mighty in personality.  And SHE IS YOU.

I want you to live in the security that we WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY. There is no child, not one who could've come from my tummy, not a boy, not anyone from a different nation, who would give us more laughter, joy, purpose and fulfillment as YOU. You, my dear, are OUR firstborn, and we can't imagine this life right now without you.

We are not missing out.  We are not in lack.  There isn't a hole in our lives. We do not need a baby of "our own," because you are OUR OWN.  You - my sweet, spunky, spitfire, smart daughter - are OURS. The magnitude of that truth overwhelms me with joy.

Everything in me loves everything in you.

Your daddy loves you and wants to protect you more than one can imagine.

You belong to us.  And we belong to you.

   

July 2012 in Photos

4TH OF JULY: It was a low key, perfect day with the sun shining.  We went to 7Seas during the day and had a small cul de sac party in the evening.  

Love the playful spirit of our neighborhood.

It's a party!

Thad and Kenzie, lighting up the fireworks.

LAKE ROOSEVELT: Super-friends, Greg and Kim, have a family home at Lake Roosevelt.  Being in eastern WA, the sun is guaranteed to shine. The weather and surroundings were beautiful.  Relaxing time with friends and much needed bonding time for Lainey and Tyler.

Kim, Tyler, and Greg

bald eagle

Tyler, being such a helper for Lainey, carrying water to the shore.

Throwing rocks together.

Yes.  We are that cute.

Watching Daddy swim in the cold water before cliff jumping.

tickle, tickle, tickle

bubble fun

That's exactly what it looks like.

Boys and their beer growler.

Ready, set, go!  Kim & Tyler

CHAD & MARYN'S WEDDING: Ty's long time friend, Chad, married Maryn last weekend.  The ceremony was a small affair on the beach, so beautiful.  The reception was at Chad's parents place. Great reason to celebrate, and a fun party!

The Groom.

Bride and Groom.

Chad's kids & Maryn's older.

The Wedding Party.

Sealed.

I can't even come up with a caption worthy.

\

LIFE: Just so it doesn't pass us by.

Lovin' on Daddy.

Girls Night.  Gotta have 'em.

First car date with Teegan.  His mom, Tammy, said,
"Well, at least there isn't a back seat!"

Brave little girl at the park!

Life is getting a bit more complicated now...

We shaved Ty's head after Lainey went to bed.
The next morning he went to get her and she laid back down in her crib.
Didn't want anything to do with him.  Silly girl.  Handsome guy.

Daddy and Lainey with their new styles.
Lainey's braids only lasted a day because she self soothes by playing with her hair.

Helping Daddy wash the car.

Date night at The Tides.

Still find time to tend to the summer blooms.
Love them.

Little stinker climbing the fence at the zoo.

Baby toys are for babies.

Checking out the walrus at the zoo.
(Of course it's at the zoo.  Like you were thinking it was in our backyard...)

Daddy & kid time in the hot tub.
(Read: Mommy time relaxing on the deck.)

Ashley and Lia.

Ty started his new position as Minter Creek Elementary Principal.
His 4Runner looks good in front of his new building.