I am Eva Vega, founder and co-owner of THYME and play, a concept that my husband Henry and I have been dreaming about and developing for several years. By trade, we are Navy Veterans and American Certified Culinarians. We enjoy experimenting with new foods, discovering new culinary techniques, and hosting get-togethers but our passion is truly for serving families with different types of “abilities”. 

 

A little bit about why we started THYME and Play:

In 2012, after returning home to the states, our oldest child Alex received an unexpected diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. At first, we battled with the idea that the diagnosis was our fault. We assumed Autism was just a negative label our child would have to endure for the rest of his life. We quickly realized it was the exact opposite. Autism wasn't a disease to be cured. Although it can be tough to deal with we now understand it's beauty. 

 

In 2013, our family suffered an embarrassing and traumatic event in a local establishment. We were "asked" to leave a restaurant before we even got our food solely because our son was "different". Up until that point, we had never been kicked out of a place because of Autism. Many times we have experienced stares, comments, and judgments, however, on the day, the only reason we were kicked out, was solely due to the fact our family was different. No family should ever have to go through that.

 

My husband and I made a decision that day, our son deserved better. That type of experience would never happen to our family or another family if we could help it. Fast Forward to 2022 and we now have two kids on the spectrum, 1 boy and 1 girl. 

 

THYME and Play is our vision for what a better tomorrow looks like. Families, Veterans, and individuals living with disabilities should never feel like they aren't valued or important. If all my husband and I ever do is connect with just one or two families and help them realize they are worth it, then we have done our job. Being "atypical" is not a curse, it is a blessing. If we can encourage our community to understand this and accept "atypical families" more open-heartedly, then we have done what the Lord has called us to do.

 

 

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it."

- Psalms 139 13-14