It's that time of year again when we gather around advent wreaths and decorated trees and retell the most beautiful story ever told. When we get to drink peppermint mochas religiously and quote Buddy the Elf. It's also that time of year when Christmas parties dominate the schedule and we trade homemade meals for Children's Christmas program practice. We buy a fridge full of groceries and then realize there's nothing to eat because we're saving all those crackers and marshmallow fluff for our Christmas eve celebration. But this year's a little different. I'm not going to worry about not baking sweets that will go to waste, I'm not putting out more decorations than we have furniture to hold and I'm not even trying to send out cards. I don't feel like a failure for this because NOT doing them was completely intentional. Maybe next year but not this year.
Sadly, we rang in the new year, with a devastating loss as Dan's Grandma Katherine Scott's soul was finally free to go on ahead of us to heaven. Despite her age and her declining health, Grandma Scott had remained such a huge part of our lives. She never missed a thing, from kids' programs to family dinners. She'd remained just as sharp as she'd been all her life and shared deep conversations about the best-selling books or her favorite paintings. Her presence has been missed around every corner this past year.
2016 marked a year of No Evidence of disease for Moses. We embraced his role as a survivor with a trip to Washington D.C. for Melanoma Research Foundation's Hill Day. We joined forces with old and new friends, many of which we'd met online in our support groups and also at Great Wolf Lodge for the pediatric melanoma summit. We spent most of one day hearing other's stories, learning about advocacy and taking a crash course on government and proposed legislation. Then, the next day we dressed our boys up in their most uncomfortable clothes and we did some crazy cab hailing, dress shoe running and stair skipping around Capitol Hill in order to do what we'd been commissioned to do. We met with our house and senate representatives, or rather the staffers who are the real arms and legs of Washington. And we told them our story, the facts about melanoma and the asks we'd come for. Our children participated in our unique government, created for the people, by the people as we told them about the need for melanoma research and restrictions on the tanning industry.
But it wasn't all work. We met with old friends and cousins for a day at the National Zoo. In Virginia we visited the Air and Space museum and historical Alexandria. And of course we saw the white house, the National Mall, Ford Theater, and some museums.
We also found ways to support Make-a-Wish by sharing our story. Moses was invited, along with his family, to help judge the car show at the Biltmore where we saw Michael Phelps himself!
We shared with a sweet team of supporters at a local Jack-in-the-Box, at a Sears leadership meeting, Christmas on Comstock and even at my Alma Mater, Mountain View High School, an experience I will never, ever forget.
During the spring, Daniel played his second season of Little League Baseball. He's always had a natural love for the sport just like his daddy, Dan, but we had the proud-parent opportunity to watch him really come to life as a player this year. He was given the chance to pitch this past season and shocked us all with his passion for this as well as the team's turn-around, underdog success in post-season. They went from the last seat of the playoffs to winning second place in their division after a nail biting game. I've never loved baseball so much in my life!
Over the summer we enjoyed time with friends, with weekly play dates and unfortunately way too many farewell parties. Within a few short months nearly our entire hang-out friends group moved to the north west. So very strange to be left behind so abruptly. But we savored some wonderful memories and are oh-so-grateful for technology. And I guess God's trying to teach us to share.
In August right before school started, we took a trip to Green Bay with most of Dan's family as a way to honor Grandma Scott's memory. It was a time of bonding with aunts, uncles, cousins and second and third cousins at the lake cottage she'd loved so much.
We also spent some time in Chicago, showing the boys all the best of Chi town, including bringing some good luck to the Cubbies by taking in a game at the bricks and ivy stadium. You know that's why they won this year, right?
Two days after we got home the boys started a new school and I started a new job, as the new part-time Children's Director at the church where I've attended for over 25 years. Was this something I saw coming? Not at all. But it felt obvious God had seen in coming as I started putting together the pieces that led up to this decision. And while like any job, especially one that the enemy hates, there are both good days and bad, it's been fulfilling and meaningful. And it's kept me too busy to freak out TOO much about my baby being in school full time. One of the best perks has been being a part of both boys' baptisms in October.
However, not so many days after all those lovely changes, with our vacation laundry only mostly put away, we began three of the worst weeks of our life. Daniel came home sick, annoyingly early in the school year. It was inconvenient, frustrating and baffling. But he got worse, and worse and worse. Headaches turned into throwing up, fevers, extreme lethargy and a terrifying neck ache. After being sent home from the E.R. a few times with different diagnosis' he finally ended up admitted with acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis for five days.
For days he wouldn't eat or speak. He slept 80% of the day and it scared us all a lot. The great team of doctors got him back on the path to healing eventually and while there were some aftershocks and ripple effects, especially having missed about three weeks of the beginning of the school year, but we're so blessed to have our old Daniel back.
The fall went quickly with so much to keep us busy. Moses played soccer and let us know he'd been waiting his whole life for that first game. I suppose he'd spent long enough in the stands watching big brother and was ready for his own chance.
Moses has also loved starting Kindergarten, being the social butterfly that he is, and also kind of found his niche in wall climbing of all things! Apparently he's drawn to anything that his mother has a phobia of.
As a family, we've decided that our favorite thing to do together is to go have an adventure. Sometimes our adventures are terrifying and sometimes they're beautiful. Sometimes they involve sharks and sometimes they involve senators. But, whatever adventure we're on, it's better together!
We wish you all a blessed Christmas and a happy New Adventure!
Dan, Christy, Daniel and Moses
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