Superhero Princess

New Year's Eve 2 without Dree.   Last New Year's  was our first without Dree.  We were fearful that New Year's Eve would be super sad.  It was.  But it was also appropriate as we searched all the videos that Audrey used to watch.  We found some funny Frozen videos.  It was weirdly an appropriate way for us to honor Audrey.  Amanda and I have been blogging on this site for one year.  Starting around this time last year, I started the tradition of finding a picture of Audrey and Hannah from the last year that we celebrated that holiday.  Last year I posted this picture of the girls from New Year's Eve.  I was disappointed that there was no picture of Audrey and Hannah ringing in the new year.   Hannah has decided she loves ice skating now.  So we went ice skating with her friend for "Noon's Year Eve"  It was a nice way for Hannah to spend the day. She had lots of fun and was smiling a lot. And then, it comes ...

Our second Christmas without Audrey has been a tough one.  There's been some not so great moments.  Its been difficult to see the joy of the season.  One of the things that got us at least this far has been our friends and family remembering Audrey this Christmas.   Before Audrey was born, my mom and sister were trying to bribe Hannah to find out what her soon to be born baby sister's name was.  They were offering her candy and toys to see if she would spill the beans.  Gradually, Hannah kept slipping more and more information.  Problem was, at two years old, she didn't have the articulation she has now.  By the end of the bribe fest/ interrogation, all my mom and sister could interpret was Hannah's new sister's name was "OJY." Fast forward to last year.  Hannah took the JOY at my parent's house and turned it into OJY. Coming home to my childhood home, it was very comforting to see that OJY is still remembered.  When I walked in the...

 To all the Superhero Center Volunteers-      I wanted to wish all the superhero center volunteers a very happy holiday.  I am so grateful for the volunteers that have kept the center running.  Since becoming volunteer coordinator in July of this year, I have had the pleasure of meeting many volunteers and seeing first hand the talents and enthusiasm you bring to the center. The center wouldn't run without you.  Your dedication and heart for our superheroes and families is evident.     In June and July of 2023, I volunteered for Wednesdays in the center for the first time while Audrey was at ABA.  In August of that year, Audrey went to heaven, but we have since been surrounded by love from her superhero family.  In May of this year, I celebrated her birthday by taking the day off of work and completed various small projects around the center.  I wanted to do something for Audrey and all of her friends who use the...

On last Wednesday, we left early morning for our first trip to the City of Angels since 2016. Flashback to 2016- Hannah was 6 months old.  It was Hannah's first summer, so we freeloaded with Amanda to her conference.  It didn't take too much convincing (the conference was across the street from Disneyland).  By the end of the trip we just took, it would be the longest amount of time that both Amanda and I spent away from Hannah in her life.  Hannah has loved Mickey forever. We made it to LA.  Amanda and I stopped in Santa Monica before we went out to the conference.  I made sure to let everybody know why I was there.  I wore my an Audrey shirt and my Audrey pin that my colleagues made for us at the beginning of last school year.  We jumped back into the car and met Brad, Sam, and Jason for dinner in West Hollywood at the farmer's market.   We weren't in Anaheim this time.  We were in downtown LA.  We were at the Partners agains...