Hanging with Uncle Josh

Christmas Lights

We went to the Garden d'Lights exhibit at the Bellevue Botanical Garden tonight and it was absolutely amazing. We were so impressed with the displays - you have to go check it out if you're in the area. The event is free on M, T, and W nights during the holidays.

Look at the different types of flowers in this garden display.

Here is a lake with a swan, fountain (the lights are actually moving in person, so it looks like water), and beautiful plants surrounding the water.

The Vision is Still On!

I don't often talk about my health much any more - here or in "real" life. This isn't because I've given up hope or because I have accepted my current circumstances.

It's really because:

1) no one wants to hear about other people's health problems.

2) I am fully confident that this is not permanent and I'll be up and walking again. I have resolved in my mind and my life that this is something that I am going through, not something I am stuck in forever. I don't spend time thinking about my current paralyzation (is that even a word??); instead I focus on the other wonderful blessings that are in my life and the promises that God has given me in the Bible.

So if you have questions about how I'm doing, you can always feel free to ask, though I don't have much new information to share. But do know that I am still very hopeful, very optimistic about what is to come. And until then I am doing what I hope is my best to have a normal life and give Jared and Anthony a normal life.

I feel so much pressure from people, society, to "accept" that I'm paralyzed and that I'll be this way forever, and to move on with my life. To those people I'd suggest that they become paralyzed and then see how they feel about "accepting" their situation. One must always remain hopeful, for when you give up hope, you have given up everything.

As I've made new friends at the women's Bible study I've been asked questions like "how do you shower?" and "how do you drive?" and it's then that I realize that there is so much I haven't shared with you, my friends. Please feel free to ask me any questions at all about "how" I do things now....before this happened to me I would have never known how someone in a wheelchair showered, other than imagining them getting hosed off in their chair outside. Which is certainly not how we do things in this house!

Christmas Tree

Helping Dad with the lights

Hanging ornaments with Mom

Our finished tree! The Norway Spruce is my favorite tree, and that's what we ended up with again this year. As you can see we are testing out one present under the tree to see how Anthony does. So far he hasn't touched it - it's for Jared, and every time he sees it he points and says "Daddy's." We are really hoping that Anthony doesn't attempt to pull the tree over. So far he is doing really well and leaving it alone.

Snow

Bath Time

Advent Activities

For my own memory, this is what we did for our 2010 Christmas advent activities!

Open small gift
Decorate mini Christmas tree
Bake Christmas treat
Watch Christmas movie
play date with Uncle Josh and Gavin
Look at Christmas lights
Open new Christmas book
Dinner with Steve & Kendra
Decorate Christmas ornament
Gingerbread house
Christmas pictures with Lucas
Bake gingersnaps
Make Christmas cutout cookies and deliver
Hang candy canes on Christmas tree
Pillow pile
snowflake lane
Finger paint with pudding
go to a Christmas party and play with Grandma and Grandpa
Picture with Santa Clause
Make Christmas craft -reindeer paddle
Eat a candy cane
Drink hot chocolate
snowman activity day
Christmas pajamas