Yesterday we celebrated the one year anniversary of our arrival in New Hampshire. After a year, it’s still surreal. Every single day I’m grateful that we’ve moved here.

I’m also grateful that I’m still so connected to South Florida through work and long-standing relationships. It’s awesome that you can move 1,700 miles away and still have a sense of closeness through technology and being a remote worker.

I think one thing that we’re most grateful for since we’ve moved to Laconia is the way the community has embraced our family, especially Allie. Allie received state-of -the-art attention at her school in South Florida; she went to an amazing school set up to lovingly serve and care for children with unique special needs. Here, there isn’t anywhere near the kind of infrastructure in place to meet the needs of physically and mentally challenged children. But what they have done is custom tailor programs, education, transportation and empower staff and therapists to meet Allie’s unique needs. And the kids in school - Allie’s peers - go out of their way to include, befriend, and protect Allie.

Allie celebrated her eleventh birthday last month. We’ve had her as our daughter for 10 years. Unbelievable!

In this post in our book-blogging project, we write about Allie’s first birthday. We could not be the parents we are to Allie without the support and prayers of those who’s love and lives have intersected with ours. You all have been amazing and we are so thankful for you.

Please click through and read post 17.