All I want for Christmas

The past few weeks I have been asked to make my "Christmas list", a task I normally relish but that seems, I don't know, just kind of silly this year. I'm happy to relay the lists of my family, and to get ideas from other people's lists, but my own list - well - can't you all guess what's at the top of my list? That's not fair, I know, and so I try to think of a few things to write down so I can stop being asked.

Only God can give me what I want most this Christmas. It was my 30th birthday wish,too, as I blew out my candles. We go for an ultrasound next week, 30 weeks, and I pray that somehow there will be a miracle. I want Sully to be made completely whole. I know it's outrageous to ask for - that's why it's a miracle right - because no one else can do it but God. But I find myself asking him to fix every single cell in Sully's body. Don't worry, I know that if that isn't what God chooses to do that there is already a miracle to Sully and what, according to what modern medicine tells us so far, will be his short, yet still purposeful life.

And so, I have a second thing on my Christmas list. I want a "miracle" playground. Yes, a playground. I want Sully to be remembered in a place full of joy and laughter and childish fun. I want to take my children there and see my friend's children climbing all over a beautiful playground and think of Sully that way instead of at a cemetery. There is a perfect spot at our church on Colonial Avenue for it(and with the teaming amounts of children that are part of our church it will be a very welcome gift). It is an enormous task to raise support for a public playground like this. But, I know it must be a divinely inspired idea, because the effort and large price tags don't daunt me at all (and normally they would). Instead, I have loved leafing through playground catalogues and trying to decide, with Sully, what we "want". It is a comfort to me to be able to do this now, to dream of this now, to raise support for this now, to plan for this now while Sully is with us. It makes him a part of it now and so, when "then" comes, this time, too, will be part of my few but sweet memories with him.

So, with the help of some friends and our church, a fund has been set up for my sweet little Sully to help us build this dream. Many people have asked what they can do for us. I think this is what I'd like to ask you to do for me, for us, for Sully if I can be so bold. Help us build this playground. Anything you would like to contribute may be sent to Trinity Presbyterian Church (1600 Colonial Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23517)and marked for the Sully fund or Sully's playground. To build this for him and for all the children of our community, will be nothing short of a miracle.

That's all I'm asking for this Christmas - just miracles...