Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Hello everyone! 

We were very late (or not at all) on our Christmas cards this year!

Hopefully a virtual one with make folks happy!

Way Back Thursday

Someone asked for some of our family photos, so I dug these up from my archive.  Enjoy!

First Communion Photos

We did the kids first communion in April, but I'm just getting around to posting the photos.  I hope you enjoy.

Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Photos and Videos!

Over the weekend, we went to the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, CT.  It is truly a special place on earth for special families.  We were lucky enough to participate in the first Rare Disease Family weekend.  It was tremendous fun for the whole family.  I think the photos will show!

Jessica never passes up an opportunity to be a cat!

Alexis relaxing after lunch on Friday.

Dad and Jessica fishing.  I had hoped to get a natural photo, but instead Dad told Jessica to smile - so I got the corny silly faces from Jessica and Dad.

Alexis and Dad makes silly faces at the folks dancing in the circle!

Last day - Jessica sad about having to leave the baby dolls at camp. (She had adopted them for the weekend)

Our 'fake Chowdah' - tribute that I painted while we were at camp.

Alexis was not interested in the fish that Dad caught. At All.

And it wouldn't be all done without some videos!  Sorry for the shaky / unfocused  -- I have other talents. :-)

Alexis performs with Julian, the Music Director at Camp.

Jessica reads a story to the baby dolls on stage.

Kids & Matt & Julian in Jam Session in the Sound Studio before the Stage Night.

We made kites!  Proof that they actually fly!!

Matt has the videos of the zip line on his phone.  Jessica, Matt and I participated - but I swear Jessica made the climbing wall look a lot easier than it was!

Catherine

Someone(s) Special Dance

Tonight, Jessica invited me to her Someone Special Dance at school.  It is meant for the kids to invite a grandparent or parent or family friend or someone in their life who is special.  Well, I got to see first hand who is the really special one.

Most folks know how special we consider Alexis, our miracle girl (who just turned 10 - a topic for a different post).  But most don't know much about Jessica - other than her open heart surgery - now 4 years in the past.

But you haven't heard much of her learning struggles or her struggles at school. But let's just say between repeating kindergarten and being diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder, she's been working tremendously hard to make up for the fact that her first words weren't until age 3. Her IEP is nearly as long as Alexis' and both are making tremendous progress this year.

Let's set the stage for the night - Jessica in her fanciest dress (from Christmas party times).  Me having come literally from the construction work-site, changed into a dress - as Jessica requested.  We left for the dance, as we're going in - Jessica skipping and giddy.  Then does some self talk (out loud) "Jessica, Calm down, don't hurt your friends when you get inside!"  I echoed that's a great idea - I'm very proud of you for remembering to prepare yourself.  

We danced for a little while, took a cookie and water break to regroup.  Then we went back in, Jessica noticed a little boy and mom.  The mom was holding the little boy because clearly he was overwhelmed.  We danced some more.  Probably an hour went by.  We noticed the little boy crying - shoulders shaking and all.  I thought - Jessica has an incredible visual memory.  I remembered seeing the little boy with his mom, but I didn't remember anything about the mom.  I asked Jessica if she could tell me what the mom looked like - she did say "she's wearing a gray sweater."  To get us closer to finding his mom to help the boy, I said "Jessica, can you walk around with me to find his mom."  I knew she would be able to figure this out quickly.  2 seconds later, we're taking the mom to her son.  He was so relieved.  

Jessica is my someone special.  She noticed him originally with his mom.  She noticed him crying uncontrollably.  She used her spectacular visual memory to help us find the mom and rescue a very anxious and concerned kid.  Jessica struggles with so much that others take for granted, but she has empathy beyond her years and awesome skills to be extremely helpful. I was so proud.

We returned to dancing but Jessica really didn't want to leave my side (which also meant that I had to continue dancing-no skills at that). During the last 15 minutes, Jessica's friends ran up to her and asked if she would like to dance with them.  She wanted to but was extremely concerned about leaving my side.  But when she finally ran off with them, she was smiling and happy. Those little girls were truly the "someones special" to my dear Jessica.  Jessica was over the moon that one of the last songs was the song she had requested earlier from the DJ -- Taylor Swift "Bad Blood".  I couldn't have been happier and proud that my someone special was seen as someone special by her classmates.  

Jessica is fast asleep and I'm ready to decompress from a full day at work and then 2hrs of K-5 dancing!