my favorite decoration

Lots of people cry the day they take their Christmas trees down. 

I cry the day I take the cards off the wall.

The cards are, by far, my favorite holiday decorations. I love seeing the faces of loved family members and friends watching over us for at least a month every year (this  year, for two months...). And this year, we had nearly 150 beautiful cards staring down at us. 

I guess that's the one bonus of having a large family and moving around so much. We have friends from childhood, college, California, New Hampshire and Iowa and friends we've met because of Rett syndrome.

Kate concentrated on them at each meal, telling us about the people she recognized (gamma!, Aunt Kelli!), or the babies she loved (Nolan!). Leah giggled each time we received a card from one of her friends.

But, February is here and I felt like Leah's school work deserves its place back on the art wall. She works hard on it, after all.

So, with tears in my eyes, 'til next year, friends.