Christmas Eve

December 27, 2010

Christmas Eve

Here are a few photos from Christmas Eve. We took the kids to a service at a church that has a children's program for kids with special needs. Waverly & Oliver had a ball.

Comments

Amanda said…

They look so cute in these pictures! That's so fun that there was a children's program and what's even better is they had FUN!!

December 27, 2010 at 2:49 PM

Laura said…

Waverly is beautiful in these pictures - so so beautiful!! I'm glad the photos worked out. Goodness knows it can be such a challenge to get a picture that really reflects how lovely our kids are.

December 27, 2010 at 3:46 PM

The Leivas said…

They look adorable! I especially love waverly's dress! Merry belated christmas!

December 27, 2010 at 3:49 PM

Kim said…

They are both so adorable! Waverly's dress is precious. Merry Christmas to you all!

December 27, 2010 at 5:13 PM

camille said…

They look fantastic. The pics of Waverly are amazing, she is such a sweetheart :)

December 27, 2010 at 9:28 PM

Erin Kathleen said…

Waverly especially looks beautiful in these photos - you captured her spirit and loving heart beautifully!

December 27, 2010 at 10:14 PM

Joanne Huff said…

I just love these photos, Shannon. Waverly's outfit is simply smashing! So glad it was a nice Christmas and we're wishing a most special new year to you all! XOXO, Joanne

December 30, 2010 at 3:47 PM

Welcome to Holland

By Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland.""Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.