Every year we celebrate the day we became a family with each child on the anniversary of the day we spent our first night in our home together. If the day is a free summer or weekend day, we plan a simple outing to a park or maybe the zoo to spend time together, but the celebration really ramps up for dinner. We go out and have a meal at a Ethiopian or Thai restaurant, invite extended family, and of course, have a dessert. Today, for Suki's first Family Day, it was cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles, with a bonus chocolate treat from Grandma Sally.
Tonight we had a Thai meal at a local restaurant, Sen Yai, Sen Lek, with Grandma and Grandpa, to celebrate our one year anniversary as a family. This culinary tradition is a reminder of our connectedness to our children's cultures, a reminder of the commitment we made to join our lives to these beautiful children, a reminder of the rich flavors and joys that have permeated our lives with each passing moment to make us into the family we are today.
One year ago today our family became complete as we stepped off a plane with our youngest son, Sukris John, and thus began the most complex and complicated relationship of my life. The last year has held a roller coaster of emotion and experience, but here we are a year later, and I know this for sure:
Twelve months ago an apprehensive little toddler followed me up onto the back of an elephant with the spirit of adventure in his eyes and in his heart, as if he was acknowledging, 'So this is what life is going to be like with my new mom.' He has gamely been along for the ride ever since, sometimes with me urging him forward, but sometimes he has been the one to reach out his little hands to pull me close.
It's been bumpy and messy, but we've held on tight because in the end I love this boy and he loves me back, as he loudly declared his evening for the world to hear in a public restroom. Sukris surprises me, and one of the most wonderful surprises of all has been uncovering all the layers of his little personality that I have fallen in love with one silly moment or spontaneous hug at a time.
I've been very honest in my blogging about the challenges of this last year, and tonight my mom asked me what Suki might think of them someday. I hope that he sees that I didn't just bare my soul for all the Internet to see, but I bared my soul for him. Because I want to be the best parent I can be for him, and I am committed to working through any challenge we face, not just survive as a family, but to thrive together in mutual love and respect.
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