Cole
PARENT QUOTE
The very first time we met Cole was at our Placement Ceremony. He was born at 35 weeks and had been in transitional care for six days. I will never forget the moment he was brought into the room by his birth mom and she handed him to me! He was so tiny and amazing! Words can't describe the feelings we had for him, our birth mom and her family, and our transitional care family! It was a very emotional moment for all of us and the joy that was in the room that day was overwhelming! There were no words, only tears of joy, happiness, and gratitude, to explain to our birth mom how grateful and thankful we would forever be to her for gifting us with a son!
FROM THE GRADUATE
There has never been a time in my life where I did not know I was adopted! My parents told me Gladney's advice was for an adopted child to never have an "AHA" moment of figuring out they were adopted. I think being adopted as a newborn gave me a different perspective because I have only known life with my adoptive family. I can't imagine my life in any other way, but I do believe that being adopted gave me a unique way to see the world and how to empathize and understand and accept all those around me. I don't feel different being adopted and I hope to use my adoption story as a positive experience in the classroom when I become an educator/teacher. 
ABOUT COLE
Cole will be attending McMurry University where he received a Step Up merit scholarship and will be a member of the men's swim team. He plans to major in education with a possible specialty in special education or physical education. He attended The American International School of Muscat, Oman, for two years and spent his junior and senior years at Kingwood High School in Texas. He was a member of the men's varsity swim team and an officer in Best Buddies/Mustang Pals. He actively participated in UMARMY mission work and held a job as a lifeguard and swim instructor at the YMCA.
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