Red kettle ringing

Our annual red kettle bell ringing brought in the visitors again this year. This crazy group of girls sang their carols and smiled their brightest in hopes of spreading Christmas cheer and racking up a few donations this year! It warmed our hearts when the man who came to pick up the kettle commented on our group and how it is one of the best groups he has that rings the bell. Nice work girls!

At 28 degrees they had to stay active to stay warm!

Nutcracker ballet

Since Grace was 3 we have spent each year kicking off our Advent season with the Nutcracker ballet together. It has become a tradition that the girls and I look forward to each year. There are few things more magical than watching their faces light up as the snowflakes dance at the end of the first Act and the snow magically flutters from the ceiling over top of them. On the way to the theatre today they took bets that the Rat King would be a Rat Queen this year and I love that they know the performance well enough to have favorite parts. Emma loves the snowflakes. Grace loves the Arabian dancers. And Norah...well, she doesn't want to miss the Sugar Plum fairy.

During intermission we stretched our legs and snapped our annual photo in front of the Christmas tree. Act II opens up with the Sugar Plum fairy and Norah was not happy about being out of our seats in fear that she would miss her favorite part. :)

Spreading GoodWill

I just realized that I promised to post updates on our 25 days of GoodWill and, though I have been writing, I haven't been posting. It is hard to believe that it is half over already. I have found such joy in doing this little project and I am so thankful for the people I have met and the amazing good that is happening in our community. We continue to miss Will everyday, which I'm sure won't change any time soon, but knowing that he continues to impact the lives of others makes his absence hurt just a little less. My girls know just how to keep this mama busy and help a heart heal. So thankful for family and thankful for these organizations that have welcomed us in and let us share a little piece of our GoodWill with them. These are in no particular order...just random ramblings of what each day has entailed up to this point.



- Salvation Army's Red Kettle Bell campaign received our GoodWill tonight. It was a cold night of bell ringing, but much warmer when you're surrounded with friends. Who can resist 10 adorable girls singing Christmas carols and spreading good cheer? The girls teachers were also good sports and came out on this cold night to support their efforts. We live in such an awesome community. 

- Today's GoodWill came full circle as we donated Will's medical supplies to His Hands Free Clinic. After dropping supplies, they offered to pray with me and expressed they were in need of more volunteers. I'm your girl. As I was getting a tour of the clinic, she mentioned that I probably wouldn't know the doctor that is on the exec board as he is through Hospice. How about that? I do know him. Dr. Bell, who we so loved, was now receiving back the very supplies that he gave to Will. I shared Will's story with her and it just felt like God had guided these supplies home to where they were desperately needed. 

- We spread GoodWill at Northbrook Manor Care today by delivering flowers. We have an abundance of gorgeous bouquets sitting on our counter right now, so we decided to share the beauty. The girls and I stopped off and dropped these fragrant flowers for the residents to enjoy. It felt good knowing that their beauty will brighten someone's day on Will's behalf. 

- Our GoodWill today was shared with...William. Today I dropped off more flowers at the nursing home (I won't post which one for my new friend, William's privacy). I asked if there was anyone by the name of William that would like a little pick me up and as luck would have it, I spent a fabulous afternoon learning all about this amazing man. This was way more fun than just dropping flowers at reception.

- Birthright was our focus of GoodWill today. I cleaned out a lot of our baby supplies while the girls were at school for another mama to be able to use. I took the girls with me to do the drop off as today's task was a real challenge for me. 2 huge totes were filled with baby essentials that I know I can't use anymore and need to part with, but it still stung to get rid of. Onesies, diapers, bottles, blankets...I spent the day washing and folding these items preparing them for their new home. I pray they comfort the next baby as much as they have comforted ours.

- Kiwanis received our GoodWill today in the form of books! It is an understatement to say that we love books at our house. Each girl has a bookshelf busting at the seams, in addition to 2 more bookshelves in the basement and a couple of totes of books as well. Will's bookshelf in his room...also full. Most of these books Norah has long outgrown, but we were hanging on to them to read to Will. It was time to let them go. I kept a few important ones (Goodnight, moon...a definite keeper) but the rest went to the Kiwanis. 

- Today was spent delivering more flowers to spread a little GoodWill. I had so much fun at the nursing home the other day, that I was really excited to see if I could find a new William at a different nursing home today. My new friend was non-verbal, and it was just the peace and calm that I think we both needed today. It was reassuring to know that he felt calm in my presence and I felt at ease knowing that there weren't going to be any questions that would catch my emotions off guard.

- Meals on Wheels was the focus of our GoodWill today. We purchased some holiday meals for families to be delivered for Christmas. So much of our social gatherings and celebrations revolve around food that I often take for granted that food preparation can get really expensive around the holidays. As much as I want to see families enjoying delicious meals, I also don't want the social stigma of that food expense to discourage people from getting together.

- My GoodWill today is going to ensure that I use every ounce of #WillPower I've been given. After a few years of thinking I would overcome the lottery to run the Chicago Marathon, today all the signs directed me to run this one-and-only marathon for Will. But, not just William Everette, also William Richard. I will be running for the Will Cure team which runs to raise funds for the Foundation for Myotubular Myopathy, a rare genetic disorder. Though a different genetic disorder than what our Will had, it seemed all too coincidental in timing that this link found its way to my inbox. As I was checking it out, I came across a picture on their blog that stated; "Running teaches us to keep moving forward, one step at a time, especially in the most painful moments." I knew then, I would run with my Will alongside me every step of the way, so that another mama would be able to keep her Will alongside her. I coughed up the entry fee and started a CrowdRise page to meet my $1500 minimum. Chicago, here we come. God bless my sister for running for charity with me, she's definitely got the #WillPower. Any other takers?

- We're saving lives with MVRBC for today's GoodWill. Mark's too proud to brag about his 3 gallon donor status (that's 72 lives he's potentially saved), but he doesn't miss his opportunity every 56th day to save a life. Today, I jumped on the bandwagon. I'm not a great donor. I usually get deferred either for travel or medical reasons, and I have yet to meet anyone who gets excited about my tiny veins, but this week I pumped my iron (pills, that is) and crossed my fingers I'd be able to donate. I made it through the first round, but once I got hooked up, my stupid veins couldn't pump blood fast enough to make a pint before it clotted. I'm riding the coat tails of my awesome husband today since, although I couldn't save any lives...he sure did.

- Today we spread GoodWill through Olivet Neighborhood Mission by fulfilling Angel tags for their giving tree. We chose a 2 year old boy to shop for and dreamed that just maybe his name was Will. The big girls were great at picking out all the coolest trucks and trains, and Norah painstakingly combed through every inch of clothing to find the perfect clothes for this little guy to wear. Top it off with some great books to read and hopefully this little guy will be feeling pretty special at Christmas.

- Spreading GoodWill at Xavier today I know made Will smile. Today I stopped by to drop off the memorial money from his funeral and discuss a plan for its use. Though we hope to use part of it to establish scholarships for students in need, we also wanted to see if there was anything that the building and grounds needed. Coincidentally, the Angel of Hope statue (for grieving the loss of children) is in need of a light. This beautiful statue was dedicated nearly 5 years ago, and the funding to put a light on it just isn't there. It seemed so meant to be that all those that loved Will contributed to possibly spread light in his honor. *Update* After attending the prayer service the following week, it was so apparent that this was a need, as all night people were tripping over the makeshift lanterns that were used to light the statue. 

- Our GoodWill today was spent at St. Matthew. Our church hosts a luncheon for families who are in need of assistance during Christmastime. They shop for families, provide gifts that are wrapped and ready and families can come, eat lunch together and take their gifts home all ready to be opened at Christmas. We brought chili and rolls and stayed to helped serve today. The girls rocked the beverage table and carrying food to tables for guests. As an added bonus Santa was watching the whole time to ensure a job well done and rewarded them with a candy cane at the end of the day. Thanks, Santa!

 - GoodWill was shared at the Catholic Worker House tonight. The whole family was in on this one as it was a perfect way to humble ourselves during the hustle and bustle of what often times becomes a very materialistic time of year. We delivered food to the Catholic Worker House tonight and as we were leaving, a woman stopped Grace and said, "thank you for feeding us tonight." The wording struck a chord with her. It resonated with Grace that the woman didn't say, "thanks for the food." It was obvious to her that it wasn't about the enjoyment of having food and camaraderie, it was about the necessity of having food and shelter. They were able to see the tight living quarters, shared spaces with strangers, and need for basic necessities that all-too-often our family takes for granted. As with all the GoodWill we have shared, we received more from this experience than those we were serving. 

The tradition continues

For the past 8 years the girls and I have kicked off our advent with a trip to see the Nutcracker. It is one of my more anticipated evenings of the winter as I love the ballet and the looks on the girls faces when it starts snowing on the snowflake fairies. It's pure magic. This year, we met some friends downtown for dinner before the show to get as much out of our girls night together as possible. 

These three. When did they get so grown up?

The "Inn Crowd"

Tuesday afternoon was spent in the front row at the "Inn Crowd" performance courtesy of my cute kindergartner and her classmates. This adorable play put me in the Christmas mood, and though Norah doesn't like to be in front of crowds, she did a great job singing and remembering all of her words and actions.

Middle row, white shirt, spreading peace to all. :)

Tuesday evening was her big concert. She was so excited to wear her 'floofy' dress and spend the evening with friends. As much as I hated missing her evening concert, she said she wouldn't mind if I snuck out and spent the evening at the Angel of Hope statue so I could hear them read Will's name and light a candle for him. 

I was so thankful my friend Barb picked me up as I have a feeling I would have sat in my car with my coat on, keys in hand, never making the drive. It was one more step in healing, I know, but it was all a little too fresh for me this year. When we got there, I couldn't move. I stood in the same spot the entire time, could barely give the sign of peace and left feeling like I was probably pretty rude to some people. I couldn't muster up many words. The things I did say, didn't really make any sense. I was thankful for the cold as I couldn't stop shaking, but I'm not sure the cold had anything to do with it. It was a beautiful service, and I am thankful that I went. I am thankful that this statute is at my school so I can see it every day if I'd like. I am thankful for friends who know what I need even when I don't. I was thankful that Norah understood that this was the place that I needed to be Tuesday night.

GoodWill

It's Tuesday and all I can think about is, "Happy 8 weeks, Will." Though today marks 11 weeks, Will is forever etched in our hearts and minds at eight. I seek comfort in the fact that his birthday and his funeral were both on Tuesdays, so that when I wake up on Tuesday mornings, I can cancel out our goodbyes with thoughts of our hellos. I can think of the joy in hearing his first breath and his most beautiful first cry.

We are getting back to 'normal' at our house. The girls are back to school, Mark is back to work and we are figuring out nighttime, which was a bit of a struggle for a while. We have conquered late night anxiety, and all three girls are falling right to sleep. I no longer have to walk the girls into school in the morning, they go on their own. We still are battling nightmares, but they are not every night now, so I feel like we are making progress.

Now that the girls are back, I find myself with no one to take care of. The school days are long. Though I wish I were back to work to keep myself occupied, I know that walking back into school 2 weeks before finals would not be fair to my students. I also don't want to look back on this time and feel like I jumped right back in. Though I hate being at home, I am sure the quiet and the pain of being here is probably good for me. I want to be able to look back on this time and remember how much it hurt. What a void he left in our lives. That he was worth taking time to grieve.

Though the girls were worried about heading back to school, I think they were more worried about leaving me in an empty house surrounded by all of his things. So, they have put me to work. They have created a list of 25 days of "Good Will" that I have to carry out in December. These girls continue to amaze me with their big hearts.

My days have been filled volunteering at different non-profits around town or donating his things to people who need them. My favorite so far though has been delivering his flowers. We received some absolutely beautiful flowers for Will's funeral. Though I hope not to offend anyone that sent these beautiful bouquets, I have given most of them away so that someone else can also enjoy their beauty before the die. Flowers to me have always been more about the sentiment than the flowers themselves. So, I have spent a few of my afternoons taking flowers to area nursing homes and finding a "William" to spend my afternoon with. I'll keep you posted on my adventures over the next 25 days, but I can already tell you, so many of my encounters have had God's hands all over them. 

Holiday party

The Johnson's holiday party was, as usual, a great time. In all the fun, the hours slipped away and I forgot to take many pictures, but we all enjoyed seeing our friends, indulging in yummy treats and celebrating the upcoming holidays.

Gingerbread House

More Advent fun...decorating our Gingerbread house! The girls didn't waste any time dripping our gingerbread with loads of frosting. Each one took a side and helped decorate. 

Norah did a little more licking than decorating, but she had a great time!

Mr. and Mrs. Gingerbread are excited to move in to their new home!

Red Kettle Bell

With the hustle and bustle of the "Christmas season" it seems to be easier each year to get wrapped up in the commercial of Christmas. I saw my first Christmas tree in stores this year while I was shopping for school supplies to head back to school in August. Mark and I really wanted to make sure that we didn't exacerbate the 'receiving' end of Christmas through our actions and tried to set an example early for the girls that the 'giving' side of things is just as fun.  About 5 years ago we started  an 'active' Advent Calendar to make sure that relationships were the main focus of our Christmas preparations, not things. As hind-sight is 20/20, looking back, I think this may have been one of the best decisions we could have made for our girls regarding Christmas. As they get older and question things like Santa and the North Pole, it is easy for them to see that, regardless of their thoughts on Jolly St. Nick, there is so much more to Christmas than just a day of gifts. As fun as Christmas morning is to exchange presents, the things we hear them reminisce about most from previous years are the memories made with friends and family.

One of our favorite activities is always ringing the bell for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign. Our group grows each year now that we ring it with our Adventure Guide group, (much more fun than when we first started ringing the bell) as more is definitely merrier when you're singing Christmas carols. :) Plus, it's hard not to throw a little $$ in the kettle with these adorable faces caroling you and wishing you a Merry Christmas. 

With temps in the upper 40's it was our warmest bell ringing night ever! Followed up by Christmas shopping for our sponsor family, this night is always one of my favorite Advent Calendar activities. 

Nutcracker

Each year one of our Advent activities has been to go to the Nutcracker. For the past 6 years the girls have rotated who gets to go so that it's a special night, just the two of us. This year, I had to be at a conference for school, so I missed out on the Nutcracker when it was in town. However, one of our favorite people lives in the Quad Cities, so we hit up the Adler so we could keep our tradition alive. With a delicious dinner just down from the Adler at Urban Bowl (seriously, so amazing) we enjoyed being able to check out a new theater and have a fun girls night out.

It was exciting to be able to watch the ballet from a different theatre. I love checking out new, beautiful places so to be able to experience the same great performance with a new spin was a fun adventure. 

It was also Aunt Nisa's first Nutcracker. I think she equally loved the performance.

Norah loved  her first Nutcracker performance. I wasn't sure she would make it through the whole show since it was so late, but she did a great job. She was especially excited to be included in a "big girl" activity.

After the performance, Emma dreamed of becoming a ballerina. Good thing she wore her 'especially twirly' dress. 

Since the show went so late and we ditched Mark so he could hang out with Mitch, we spent the night at Aunt Nisa's house. As much as we loved catching up with them, getting lots of love from Dalton was definitely the highlight for the girls! :)

Advent

Each year instead of filling our Advent Calendar with chocolates and other treats, we fill ours with an activity each day. The girls race each morning to open the drawer of the day and see which activity awaits them. We shop for our Adopt-a-family, ring the Red Kettle Bell for the Salvation Army, make a list of what we're most thankful for...it is a great way to keep in perspective what is most important during Christmas time. 

The girls always love shopping for our Adopt-a-family and it is a great reminder of how fortunate we are. 

The girls love ringing the Red Kettle Bell and with their Christmas Carol singing they always rake in the dough for this awesome Charitable Organization!

Who can resist this face asking for a donation! :)

What a fun way to spend time with friends and help others!

My favorite gifts...

These three make everything about Christmas amazing. 

There is something about watching them enjoy Christmas that makes me enjoy it even more. 

Our advent calendar said the girls could open one present early! Lucky for them they each got a Wii game, and were super surprised to see there was a Wii all hooked up for them in the basement!

Reindeer food

Anyone else feed Santa's reindeer?! The girls love making "reindeer food" and sprinkling it in the back yard so that the reindeer can snack while Santa is busy doing is duties. A little oatmeal with a sprinkle of red glitter ensures that Santa's reindeer can see our house from the sky and get a little thank you from us for bringing the jolly guy our way. 

Spreading a little food in the backyard right by the chimney! :)

Downtown Festival

One of our Advent Calendar activities each year is to go to the lighting of the downtown Christmas tree. With carriage rides, meeting Santa, and visiting his reindeer lots of people crowd the downtown. The line for Santa is always around the block, but we like to go just to see the tree and reindeer. We met our friends at Tomasos for some pizza and enjoyed the night walking around down town and then back the the Lakes house to play for the night. Such a great, relaxing night with friends. 

Gingerbread Houses

The girls love building gingerbread houses each year. A few years back Santa told them that he likes gingerbread cookies, so the tradition of making a gingerbread house and leaving it with milk for Santa to eat when he comes was born. 

Piping on the frosting for the roof.

Each girl took a side and decorated til the hearts content!

Our gingerbread village and milk all ready for Santa.

Tiny the elf

Tiny the elf has returned!! The girls were counting down the days until December 1 when Tiny came back to live with us for a month. He was pretty mischievous this year; zip-lining across the living room, leading parades throughout the house, and having marshmallow fights with the other toys. It was so much fun to watch the girls search for him each morning and tell him about their Christmas wishes.

Tiny even transformed our photos in the living room turning Emma into a magician, Norah into a witch, and Grace into a pirate! Silly elf!

Meet Tiny's big sister - Norah Elf. The cutest little elf I've ever seen. 

Holiday DeLight Parade

Our Advent Calendar led us downtown on Saturday. We look forward to the Holiday DeLight Parade each year and with the warmer winter weather (30's is a huge improvement from the last few years) it was a fun night out. Since Grace and I were already downtown from the Nutcracker performance, we met Mark and the little girls at Jersey's for a bite to eat before we hit the parade. Our favorite once again was Santa and his reindeer...it's hard to top the big guy...but the lighted horses were also a big hit. With a quick parade, fewer people and wind-free weather it was the perfect dose of holiday cheer. 

Advent - Day 15

Todays tag - "Make Christmas cards to share with friends"

Advent - Day 14

Todays tag - "Paint everyone's toenails red." The girls LOVED this...and everyone was a good sport. Each person got a chance to paint and be painted. Grace and I painted each others toes and Emma and daddy painted each others toes. The girls did a really nice job and it is was just one more reminder of why I love Mark -there is nothing more attractive than a man who will do anything for the women in his life.

Advent - Day 13

Today's tag, "Eat dessert before dinner." Do I need to write anything more than that? I'm sure you can guess how thrilled everyone was for this tag.