Christmas Adventures

Just a few pictures from some of our adventures and happenings during Christmas break.

 Jonah's class getting ready for their Christmas performance.  Jonah is the cow on the far right.  

Julia is so excited for Christmas morning she can hardly stand it!

Happy Birthday Baby Jesus!  This year we celebrated with a peppermint cake.

Cracker crowns are a Christmas tradition!

More Christmas cracker crowns.

Anna was admiring her hair in the reflection in the sliding glass door.

The whole crew at the Harlem Globetrotters!  Uncle Peter bought 2 bags of cotton candy, so the kids didn't see all of the show because they were focused on who got the most cotton candy. (In case you were wondering - it was Uncle Peter)

Julia signing her heart out during her Christmas performance at school.

The family after Christmas servics.

Anna working on Christmas cookies.  She didn't get to do it with the rest of the kids because she was at gymnastics, so she was making up for lost time.

The family after the Christmas performance at Noah's Ark.  This was a such a special year - it was so wonderful to have Jonah back in the Christmas performance.  It seemed only appropriate to allow Noah and Anna to come and be in the audience.  As a family, we're going to celebrate whenever possible and this performance was a perfect reason to celebrate.

The rest of the crew working on Christmas cookies.

Benedictine Basketball

Noah & Jonah signing their letters of intent to be part of the Benedictine Basketball team.

Julia & Anna also got to sign letters of intent.  Julia got a little extra help from one of the coaches.

Now that the kids are part of the team - here is a team picture!

Coach Bukenburg explaining the levels of commitment to the kids.  The boys may be "fully committed", but as Anna's posture shows, she's only "moderately committed" as best.

Cool Benedictine chairs that were set out for us to watch the team practice.

Jonah and Coach at center court with a Benedictine basketball signed by the team.

The kids signed letters of intent.

Today was a super fun day!  We went to Benedictine University and met the men's basketball team.  Through an organization called Friends of Jaclyn, we were paired up and adopted by the team.  The team was exceedingly gracious and toured us around their facility, had the kids sign letters of intent, gave them signed basketballs and shirts, let them sit in on practice and even take a few shots.  It was so much fun all around, and we can't wait to get to spend more time with the team!  After the new year, we're planning on taking in a game or two and cheering on our new friends!

A Memory Redeemed

It was there in the background, each and every one of us remembering - none of us wanting to talk about it - to remember.  The last time we were meant to be together, celebrating years of friendship - through many seasons of life - that was the day that changed everything.

July 22, 2015 - a day that was like many other summer days.  We knew that something wasn't right with Jonah's health, but we were working out a plan. In the meantime, Simon was at work, the kids  had swim lessons and pool time and Simon's high school buddies and their families were coming to dinner.  Although the Andrewses and Hamiltons live nearby, we never see them enough, so having the Vorels in from out of town was a excuse to get together.  After a late location change, we were hosting the gathering and couldn't wait for everyone to arrive.  This is of course, the afternoon that Jonah started talking in "world salad" - stringing words together that don't relate.  The word salad led to an urgent doctors appointment which led to an MRI.  By the time we got to the pediatrician's office though, Jonah was coherent again, so I wasn't too worried. (In retrospect, the fact the pedi had me come straight in without an appointment and then almost insisted on a same day MRI should have been big warning signs, but who expects cancer?) I called Simon at work to give him a heads up regarding the MRI.  He offered to meet us at the hospital, but I told him to finish his day at work and then go home to meet our friends - I figured Jonah and I would be shortly behind him.  Simon couldn't stand the thought of not coming to the hospital though and was quickly on his way.  We intentionally waited though - waiting until it was too late to reschedule or relocate, before we told our friends that we'd be a little late and they should start without us.  A little medical hiccup shouldn't interfere with our time together.  And so, family by family they showed up - caught up with each other, watched the kids run around full of life and snacked - waiting for their hosts to arrive with an "all clear".  But then - there was a mass on the MRI, there was the walk to the Lurie satellite ED to stabilize, there was the ambulance ride to Lurie to verify everyone's worst fears.  And the party turned to prayer as Simon dashed home to pack a bag, friends mobilized to get the van, now stranded at the hospital.  Everyone waited to see what would happen next.

Fast-forward to December 22, 2016 - the Vorels are in town again, and being geographically in the middle of the Andrews and Hamiltons makes it ideal for us to host again.  And so family by family, they show up.  We catch up with each other, we watch the kids run around full of life and we snack.  But we also celebrate.  We celebrate life and the many ways that God has blessed each of us in the last 18 months - there are new family members, new houses, new business ideas floating around, renewed commitment to health.  There are accomplishments both big and small, there are character defining moments that we have all lived through that have cemented more of who God is shaping us each to be.  In this celebration of together, we are able to redeem the hard memories that we don't want to linger in of our last attempt at together.  We can see that we truly are learning to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15).

And by looking back together, by acknowledging that we all hold a thread of the same life-changing moment, we are able to more fully celebrate together all that God has done.  This time when we gather, we rejoice - Jonah is with us - playing, laughing, talking and joking.  Because, after the mourning of July, the celebration of December is all the sweeter.

Celebrate

Last year for his birthday, Jonah had a small belated celebration at RIC, after spending his actual birthday at Lurie finishing a round of chemo.  This year an all out celebration seemed called for - a chance to celebrate life, to celebrate the fight, to celebrate the community that has stood with us and carried us during this long journey.

Here are some of the highlights of our joy-filled celebration.  If are interested in seeing all of the pictures, they can be found here:

http://aimeemazzenga.pixieset.com/jonahs6thbirthday/ (password: jonahisloved)

RC Juggle came and provided balloons, entertainment and balloon entertainment at the party.

We were delighted to be able to celebrate with Blaine, Christina and their families.  Although these lovely ladies are friends we've added on the journey, it's a shared journey which builds fast and strong bonds.

Kid Group Shot

Some old preschool buds

And some new preschool buds

Jonah thinks that someday he may marry RyAnn

Mrs. Marmorstone was Jonah's teacher in the 2s and 3s room - these 2 have a special bond

A little cake on the nose for Dan

Jonah and Granny

Party favors - #teamjonahgoodall all the way

The kids watching the entertainers perform

Granny and Julia

Auntie Leslie came into town as a surprise 

Celebrating life and love and community

So thankful to be able to celebrate together

My heart burst with joy at being able to soak in these moments

The party was jumping!  It was like a wedding for kids - friends from all venues of life together in one place.  Seriously, there were about 200 people in attendance and our wedding only had 115-120.  This was a big deal in our family.

Daddy and Noah

The cake - there was little direction, just airplanes, minions and puppies

Happy Birthday Jonah - you fought hard to get here, so let's celebrate like never before

Jonah and Liz

Julia's bestie came to the party too

Until this moment, I don't know that I've ever been truly 100% surprised by something, but Leslie's arrival for the party was certainly a complete and delightful surprise to me.  

Julia and Liz

Anna and mummy

The man of the hour

Chatting away

Jonah was surprised by Auntie Leslie too

In the spirit of giving back, we asked people to bring donations for the pediatric floor at RIC instead of gifts.  I'm going to be honest, most people brought both, but with the generously of community, we were able to shower blessing onto RIC through our celebration.  This picture doesn't do justice to volume of toys filling the table.  This is stuff they will use for therapy, for entertainment for families on the floor and for gifts.  Because they are just 1 floor of a hospital that stands in the shadow of a full pediatric hospital, sometime RIC gets overshadowed, but they do amazing things to for kids too and we just wanted to make sure they didn't get forgotten.