Oh my goodness! Ryan turns 24 tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, this is difficult for me to truly believe and accept  — 24 years have passed since he came home from the hospital!

I still remember it like it was yesterday… We were living in North East and, of course, we were in the midst of a snow storm.

I recall turning up the heat to make sure that his bedroom was warm.  My brother, Joe, who lived next door came by and said that the house felt like a steam room. I turned the heat down, needless to say!

Jeanne and Dianne came out to assist with his first bath. Dianne, the oldest in her family of 12, had lots of experience with bathing babies.  So I entreated her to help – everything was so new to me! We even did a video of “Ryan’s first bath” which I still have today.

In a blink of an eye, the next 23 years have passed. There have been peaks and valleys in this journey but I am truly proud of Ryan’s many successes. He has had a GREAT 2017!

Between working at Bello’s and BNI, exercising at LECOM, skiing at Holiday Valley in the winters and golfing at Kahkwa in the summers, I am trying to keep up with him!

As I look back over the years, I know that I have so much to be grateful for: family, friends, outstanding staff, and the Erie community that welcomes children with disabilities.

And the future???? My expectations continue to be high and who knows what the future will bring.  He has accomplished much more than even I would have dreamed!

I continue to believe that nothing is impossible and as Audrey Hepburn so simply said, “the word itself says I’m possible!”