No Twenty Years Ago Today…

threeheartskeepsak
Jul 2
2 min read

☕️July 2, 2026

Good morrning, friend,

Some mornings are hard to put into words.

This is one of them. Twenty years ago today, I held my son for the very first time. Even after all these years, I can still remember every detail.

After six years of praying to become parents, we began the adoption process. Then came another season of waiting. For five months, our world revolved around photographs and written updates. Every new picture of Clayton became a treasure. We studied every smile, every little expression, wondering how much he’d grown and wishing we could reach through the photograph and hold him. The hardest part wasn’t waiting. It was loving someone so completely while being thousands of miles away.

Thankfully, God had already placed someone in

loved from the start and still — Vilma and her husband holding Clayton on his Gotcha Day.

Clayton’s life who loved him deeply. His foster mother, Vilma, cared for him with such tenderness. To this day, knowing he was surrounded by love brings me so much peace.

Then came the call.

Ironically, we found out we could travel on the very day we were supposed to already be there.

If you’ve followed our family’s story, you’ll smile knowing Garrett’s adoption unfolded with the same kind of last-minute rush.

We packed quickly, made our travel arrangements, and headed to Guatemala with hearts full of excitement. On July 2, 2006, everything changed. I finally held my son. No photograph could have prepared me for that moment. No amount of waiting could have lessened the joy. He was finally in my arms.

We spent the next week in Guatemala, soaking in the beauty of the country that will always hold a special place in our hearts. We experienced its culture, met wonderful people, and reflected often on how God had been at work long before we ever arrived.

Want to see the video from our trip check it ➡️https://youtu.be/C0La5VZXYK0?is=wWan9hAjEEuJlGk8

Today, twenty years later, my heart is overflowing with gratitude.

Clayton,

You’ll always be one of God’s greatest miracles in our lives. We love you more than words can ever say. We Thank the, Lord, for writing a better story than the one we could have imagined.

❤️ Happy Gotcha Day, Clayton.

Love,

Mom & Dad