Special Sisters Series: A Christmas Wish

*Written by Tracey Christensen

This is our daughter.  In this image she's receiving physical therapy for her cerebral palsy.

When I see this photo, I'm overcome with sadness for her pain - both physical and emotional.  And I'm overcome with love and pride because of her determined and brave spirit.

The man who took this picture has dedicated hundreds of hours to telling the story of these little fighters with special needs.  It means a lot to me, because he didn't have to do it.  And he didn't have to love the kids.  But he did.

Mike Ririe is trying to publish a beautiful 120 page book with images of 18 children and submissions from several parents.  I believe it will be an inspiration to many, and will also provide opportunities for Now I Can to help even more children.  I want people to have the same opportunity to feel what I do when I see these images.

If you will visit www.nowican.org and click the link on the home page, you can see more kids' images, and learn how you can pledge just $1 or more on Kickstarter, to make this book happen.

Mike only has until December 31, 2011 to raise the funds needed to make this happen.  I am hopeful that 'what goes around will come around' - and that his good works will be rewarded with much support.  Thank you for any help you can give.

I know there are so many worthy demands for your resources and I think you in advance for your consideration, and also for passing this on to your contacts.  If many of us give a little, the $12,000 goal can be reached and this "Now I Can" book will become a reality! Merry Christmas!

Click here to help with our Kickstarter project by December 31^st!  

Watch a short video to learn more… or just pledge $1 or more.

A Temporary Solution

Dear Big D,

I know I called you around 4:45pm in tears.  It was a rough moment because our boys were fighting relentlessly and I was getting pinched and hit in the middle of it.  I felt completely frustrated and helpless as a mother.  What was I supposed to do?  After we hung up, I went downstairs and found a temporary solution.

Here it is:

T Bear was quarantined to the couch and Cub was left on his own.  This did temporarily eliminated the fighting and allowed me to at least load the dishwasher.

After a day like this I wonder, "Why did we have more than one child?"  and "How did my mom have 6 kids?"

Finally bedtime rolled around and I snuggled each one of my boys.  I read to them, sang to them some songs and told them how much I loved them.  Which I really do love them, even when I wonder how I am supposed to be a patient mother to these boys.

I am doing much better now that the boys are asleep.  Tonight I will get on my knees and pray for more patience.

Love,
Miss T

Who Needs Toys For Christmas?

KK -


Who really needs toys for Christmas when you can have some cardboard boxes?  My boys love playing with boxes.  They make trains, cars, houses and even TVs out of boxes.  Tonight they just spent a good 10 minutes hitting a box with a paper towel roll.  They thought it was hilarious (me too).

T Bear is beyond excited for Christmas.  He talks about how he is going to get a "beautiful" present from Santa because he is being so nice.  Although he is excited about Santa, his most favorite thing about Christmas is Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.  He sings this song about 10,000 times per day.


Last Sunday, I took T Bear caroling with some of the older kids from church.  The kids were singing "Away in a Manger" when T Bear started singing "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" at the top of his lungs.  He would not stop trying to sing over everyone else even as I pulled him away from the group.  All the kids giggled, and T Bear loved the attention.


So for your personal enjoyment, I have recorded T Bear singing "Rudolph" to Cub.





And if you want more T Bear, Rudolph, and Cub, click here to watch.


-Miss T

Destination Wedding

 KK & Mr P were married today in the Laie Hawaii Temple.  It was beyond beautiful.

Love from Hawaii,
-Miss T

Trying to Make Grandma Katie Proud

KK -


I was glad to hear you had a fun Thanksgiving, even though we were not together.  This year we hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our home with some friends.  In an effort to make Grandma Katie (she is the QUEEN of classy entertaining) proud, I set my table the day before and made little treats as place cards for all of our guests.  I used baby food jars and filled them with candy.  Then I glued on paper and wrote "Thank you" in a different language for each guest (17 total languages).  In my head, it was incredibly simple and cute.  Unfortunately the simple part remained true, but the cute part did not.  They did not look very cute at all but they worked.  Needless to say I will not be sending them in to Real Simple Magazine.  


Sally made the extremely long table runner and then I added candles, but candles make everything better right?  For a beginner I think it turned out nice.  We'll have to see what Grandma Katie thinks.

I would like to extend a couple of "shout outs" to our guests.


-B Family - Thank you for letting us take over hosting this year.  I think it was a full and fun day.  There was a spontaneous jamming session (piano, guitar, hand drum, maracas), puzzles, murals made, ornaments painted, pool games, thank you cards and more.  Most importantly, thank you for letting us participate in making the bracelets with your family.  We made 85 bracelets to give the patients at Seattle Children's hospital.  Claire received a beaded bracelet at one of her visits and loved it.  This time she loved making the bracelets to give to other children.   The day after Thanksgiving, we asked T Bear what his favorite part of Thanksgiving was, and he said making a little bracelet for a tiny baby.  


-Higg Family - Thanks for the delicious food.  T Bear was thrilled that your little guy came along to play.  They obviously are close friends because when I went looking for them at dessert time, I found them in the bathroom.  T Bear was doing his business on the toilet and your guy was just sitting on the edge of the tub chatting away.  Also, Big D could not stop talking about Jed being amazing when they played Scum on the pool table.


-Newm Family - Thank you guys for doing the TURKEY!!!! It was delicious.  Did I tell you what T Bear told me about turkeys?  He said that first you "die" the turkey (I think he means kill it), then you take off the eyes, rip off the feathers and ground up the brown part.  Was it really like that?   Either way it was delicious and we owe you big time.


-Jones Family - I can not stop thinking about those sweet potatoes.  I need the recipe.  I want to eat them all the time.  Seriously, they were good.  Please share the recipe.  And besides bring great food, you were all great company.  Every time I turned around you were holding or helping one my boys or the other kids.  Your kindness is priceless.  Also, you also win the award for making the cutest bracelets.  

The men doing dishes so they can head downstairs to play pool.

Women and children making bracelets.  

Just hanging around with friends

Initially I was sad that I couldn't be with family on Thanksgiving, but as our day progressed, I was really thankful to have friends that can be our family.  Our boys played like they had cousins, and I chatted with my "sisters."  At the end of the day, our stomachs were full of delicious food, and our hearts were full with gratitude.


Lovingly,
-Miss T

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Miss T,

We played some wicked tomato ball today. Be excited for amazing pictures to come. :)


So, in other news, I'm not with you this Thanksgiving. I'm not grateful for that. BUT I am grateful that you are my sister. And today when Mr. P and I were talking about some of our personal successes (and failures) in life, I thought of this blog.

I feel like this blog is an accomplishment that I love (that's the success). I only do a moderate job at contributing (that's kinda the failure), but truly it is something that I love to be a part of, and I love to look back at and read. As I look back and read, I can't help but be grateful for the good memories, funny stories, hilarious pictures, classic moments, horrible experiences with good endings, and so much more. What a way to be thankful.

What have you been thankful for in your heart today?

Love, KK

Happily Engaged

As many of you know KK is preoccupied with her engagement so I thought I would write an update about my life her life.


Tonight is the Engagement Party for KK and Mr. P.  It sounds like it is going to be wonderful.  I guess when you do a destination wedding without a local reception, you get to have Engagement Parties and fun things like that.  I will not be going.  If I were going I know exactly what I would wear.  My black and white striped dress with leggings, tall boots, and a cute salmon colored cardigan.  I would look so hot that Big D would want to have an Engagement Party with just me!  


Next Saturday is my birthday KK's Bridal Shower.  Our lovely aunt is hosting a huge bridal shower in Utah for her.  I will not be able to go because I will be at home celebrating my birthday with my boys.  What should I wear on my big day?  


Every time I talk to KK, she is getting more and more excited to go to Hawaii.  Every day I am getting more and more excited to go to Hawaii.  I have ordered this dress for me to wear to the wedding.  Hopefully I will look as good as that South Pacific model...... it's questionable. What I am worried about is looking like a sparkling white vampire in Hawaii.  My white, vitamin D deficient skin is going to experience the harsh beautifulness of the sun in Hawaii.  Should I go tanning before we go?  No, I will just put on my swimming suit and be proud of my blinding white skin as I run around the beach.  But trust me, I will be using massive amounts of sunscreen so that I do not burn while I am there. 


Big D and I have started talking about things we would like to do in Hawaii.  I think we would be happy to sit on the beach and read a book most of the days.  We would like to snorkel, hike, go to Pearl Harbor, Temple Visitors Center, and eat some shaved ice.  Mostly we are excited to escape the grey weather of Seattle.  An ugly storm moved in last night, and it is supposed to rain everyday for the next week.  Boo.


Well, time to get off the computer and get dressed for the day.  What to wear.... most days I wished I had someone to just dress me in adorable clothes.  That is why I love this blog: The Cardigan Empire.  Check it out!


-Miss T


PS - You can get 15% off a dress at Shabby Apple by using this link.  Happy dress shopping!