Christmas Cards

2009

As promised, here is our Christmas card for 2009 -- not the most professional picture you will ever see, but it definitely captures the monkeys at this stage. Caleb is content with his ABC book, and Eveley is content to be a handful.

For me, the family Christmas card was something I really looked forward to when Robbie was born and we became parents. I was so excited to have a little one to show off to the world and pretend that everybody wanted to see and hear about our business (kind of like I do on this blog...).

Anyway, I scheduled the appointment at a department store's photo service just a few weeks before Christmas. BIG MISTAKE. But here was our first family Christmas card!

Christmas 2005

I have since learned that it is all about the kids - nobody cares to see a full body shot of us... Thanks, Sears.

I then resorted to taking my own pictures. Much better idea. Controlled environment. As many takes as we can handle. Editing galore.

Christmas 2006

Just a month after this picture was taken, our sweet Robbie went to heaven. After that, the process of creating and sending our Christmas card would change dramatically. I wanted our 2007 card to somehow capture the crazy year we had experienced.

Christmas 2007

Another year. Another change. At the end of 2008, we were getting ready to welcome little Caleb into our family. As I was preparing our cards, I just couldn't leave Robbie out. It still felt very wrong to sign our names - Bob, Lauren, Eveley Joy and Caleb. To me, it seemed so obvious that something was missing. I couldn't do it. (which is why I just referred to ourself as the Byrne family in the previous card).

This became our Christmas/New Year card for 2008-09

Creating our card for this past year, I faced the dilemma once again on whether to include pictures of Robbie. I don't believe there is a right or wrong way to handle this situation. And next year I may decide to do something totally different. But this year, I didn't let the decision taunt me. I no longer believe that my decision to not include Robbie's picture somehow means that I have forgotten him, no longer think about him, or have "moved on."

We are moving ahead -- taking each day as it comes and trying to gloriy God in this life that He has given us. We are walking this journey with the firm assurance that God is with us and has already scouted out the path ahead. He knows what is in front of us, and we trust where this journey will ultimately lead -- to an eternity with Christ and our sweet Robbie.

"Trust Him at all times, O people. Pour out your hearts to Him. For God is our refuge."

Psalm 62:8