Happy New Year!

 I cannot believe it is January 1st already! The last few weeks flew by as we prepared for Christmas. It was a few weeks filled with Horseback riding and family time. 

While 2020 was not the year any of us hoped for or expected, it did have some real positives for us! The biggest and best blessing has been Mimi and PopPop moving to Texas. It has been even better than any of us expected. Mom and I love running our errands together, we have weekly family dinners that often include game night and the kids love being able to pop over or ask Mimi and PopPop to come over here. In a season that can be lonely with quarantine, it has been amazing to have loved ones to share life with. It has also been a year where I have watched Maddy blossom. In school, ballet, and horseback riding she continues to grow in skill, in confidence and joy. 

Maddy loves the staff and volunteers at VTC

A quick outdoor visit with the Glenn's. 
We have missed them SO much!

Maddy in her happy place.

In the Sleigh PopPop built

Christmas Eve looked a little different this year

Christmas morning

New Year's Eve Games

2020 had its hard times as well with a major surgery for Alex, some medical issues for Maddy and Bruce's cancer diagnosis and treatment. We have also watched friend's struggle. having medically fragile kids is an isolating life that not many can understand. Because of this reality we have made friends all over the country who share similar experiences and offer support. We are a small close knit community. Many of us have been friends for years and we have often connected in person on occasion. We share in each others joys and sorrows and unfortunately through the years that has meant the loss of many children I have grown to love. This week we lost yet another warrior too soon (not Covid related). It is heartbreaking on so many levels. I grieve for a mother who has to say goodbye to soon, for siblings who lose their best friends, for a loss of dreams, but I am also forced to imagine a reality I try not to think about. As we all live in these scary, uncertain times of Covid-19, please offer grace to those of us who have medically fragile family members who may have to make different choices than we would otherwise, those who can not so easily join in outings or go to a restaurant for fear of the ramifications. 

As for a medical update...the kids are pretty much status quo. We have a HUGE number of appointments in January and February so more to report soon. Bruce saw the pancreatic specialist the week of Christmas. He is scheduled for an endoscopic ultrasound to look more closely at the spots and potentially take biopsies. Please continue to pray for all of us.

My kids would tell you that the two phrases (other than I love you) that I say to them most often are be kind and choose joy. As we move into 2021 may be do so with Kindness and Joy in our hearts.

Ali