I’ve written about it before. But there are days when my heart is so full of gratitude that I think it might burst.

God graced me with a group of women who have enriched my life as a result of my mission trip. I have a text strand with a few of them. We send out prayer requests, God praises, worries and celebration to each other. I know when I text them that they will hold my needs in prayer, or celebrate my praises as their own. And I have another beautiful soul from my trip who Tommi has taken to. She has a granddaughter with special needs, so she just “gets” Tommi and she loves on me and Tommi in a beautiful way. There is never judgement. Just love. We have had lunch with her twice since my trip and Tommi asks for me to schedule those lunches and interacts with her during our lunches with ease. It just makes me smile.

God is continually growing our village. Giving me people who share my faith and grow my faith and love on us; giving Tommi examples of strong, Christian women who show him love and grace. Thank you, God, for these new friends.

And then there’s my core group: Ali who doesn’t mind the days (sometimes frequent) when Tommi tags along to work with me and who talks me through the storms and off several ledges, Tosha who listens and advises and has become a safe harbour for Tommi and Stacey who shares his interest in crystals, saints, and spirituality and invests herself in him. And my roomie Stacy who is my constant prayer warrior no matter the praise or need she is there sending up the most faithful prayers. I think you four know my unending and overwhelming gratitude and love, but it never hurts to remind you.

Brad. Anyone who knows us or reads my blog knows my eternal gratitude for him. Even when he asks me to do the hard thing (step away, let Tommi self-regulate, ask my MamaBear to back off) I do it because 1. I don’t want to disappoint him and 2. I know he’s giving me good advice/strategies.

Mom, Dad, Tina and Kyle who love him and us in spite of the hard (or harsh) moments and who never waiver in their love and support.

And Jackson. Who is sometimes brutally honest in his assessment of the situation, but always has my best interests in mind. He is my heart and soul and he has put up with a lot of shit in his life as a result of Tommi’s needs. It’s weird when your first born gives you advice at 20-something years old, but I often listen because his advice is usually spot on.

It’s almost the 16th anniversary of Tommi’s adoption day. January 28, 2007. It’s not easy raising a child period. It’s really not easy raising a challenging , neurodivergent child. It has caused many a disagreement between Todd and me, many a harsh word or thought. Many things not shared. Many nights of tears. But honestly just as many successes and celebrations. And many times when I questioned God. But as I look back on the last 16yrs, I consistently see God showing up in the hearts, prayers and actions of our village. And I see such growth in the three of us. I sometimes worry about the future, and then I remember this, that one of my mission sisters has said to me multiple times since I met her: Matthew 6:34: Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself…