My Treat

 

Last Saturday was Halloween and for some reason, I neglected to take a single picture (the one above is from 2019) - which is too bad because, for the first time ever, Sam went Trick-or-Treating with a friend. 

I can't tell you how happy this made me - not only because it made Sam happy ("It's a lot more fun with a friend"), but also because, when moments like this come along, I find myself thinking back to not-all-that-many-years-ago, when Sam didn't even like leaving the house. 

And I think about all the intervening years, each moment filled with coaching and encouraging and making it safe for him to be who he is - and to be proud of it. And I think about all the microscopic baby steps, each one feeling like a milestone, to get to where he is.

And I'm glad he has a friend.