Oh my goodness! Ryan turns 30 this Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Yes, this is impossible for me to truly believe.  30 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 the blink of an eye, the next 30 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 2023! 

Between working at Bello’s and BNI, exercising at Planet Fitness, swimming at the Y, skiing at the Peek  in the winters and golfing at Kahkwa in the summers, I am trying, usually unsuccessfully, to keep up with him! 

Ryan’s most favorite activity is reading to our Happy Hearts preschool children.  He will tell you that he is a teacher because he” reads to the kids” and “cleans their classrooms.”  Those are his 2 jobs and with Bello’s he has 3.  He firmly believes that he does not need more! He will also tell you “Mom and I are not retiring. We are planning on working at the Barber Center until we are 90 and then we will work at the Center in heaven, and he will read to the kids there.” 

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 and adults 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!”