Adopting Alex is now Hold On Tight!

Alex wearing his "Hold On Tight" t-shirt, given to him by his bus driver (right).

Just a quick note to let you know that we're updating the Adopting Alex blog and Facebook page. A good eighteen months after actually adopting Alex, it seemed like it was time to move on.

But as we contemplated how to do that, we realized that people are still interested in Alex's story -- the old friends who helped us adopt Alex in the first place, the new friends who have helped with his transition, and people we don't even know who have stumbled across his story online. So rather than delete the old Adopting Alex blog or let it go stale, we decided to give it a facelift.

Besides giving the website a new look, it now has its own address: www.holdalex.com. (Don't worry, all your old links will automatically redirect.) We've also started a dedicated Hold On Tight! Youtube channel for people who want to follow Alex's progress that way without being subjected to random video of our family birthday celebrations. Visit the channel to subscribe.

Those few hardy souls who are braving the wilderness of Google Plus can subscribe to the Hold On Tight! Google Plus page to get updates from this blog.

We'll try to update weekly for as long as people seem interested.

Oh . . . wondering about the name change? Over the summer, Alex attended an extended academic year program through the public school system to help him catch up, academically and developmentally. Well, his bus driver during that month-long program was so tickled that Alex would shout "Hold on tight!" every time the bus went over a bump, he actually had a t-shirt custom-made for Alex with that phrase on it. It was an endearing gesture . . . and an apt description for the amazing journey Alex -- and our whole family -- has been on.

Hold on tight, folks -- here we go!