Well, we had a very hyper and excited 6 year old come Friday October 31st. She started practicing for trick or treating on Thursday night at home. We found Annika and her older brother trick or treating at her bedroom door. Of course that started the sugar rush going.
For school on Friday she got to wear her pajamas and have a party. I told it was no fair because I didn't get to wear my pajamas to work. She offered to go to work for me but then back out when I told her she couldn't wear pajamas to work either.
School told me that she was a little tired on Friday but you never would have guessed that at about 1 p.m. on Friday afternoon. She was running around and giving her therapists a run for their money at therapy. After her weekly therapy sessions it was home to get the princess ready. Cassie took her home while I was still finishing up work and started on her hair. After I got home and did all the finishing touches on everything, it was off to the local photography studio and get our annual Halloween pictures done. It was only about 4:30 p.m. when we got back from there and she was ready to go out trick or treating. And if she couldn't go trick or treating she wanted to take off the costume and go rake leaves in the front yard. She isn't slowing down for one second let me tell you.
Finally it was time to head off for a little trick or treating before heading over to the church for a Reformation Party. She was so independent and wanted to walk all over. She cried when we made her get in the van so we could drive a little ways to the next block (it would have taken way too long to walk!!). Finally she wore out but thanks to her brother Daniel she finished trick or treating on his shoulders.
After about an hour of candy gathering it was off to the church. She got to carve her own pumpkin (with the help of Dad but she did get the chance to really just pull the "stuff" out of the pumpkin). She also had her first chance at bobbing for apples. We took off her implants to make sure they didn't end up in the water and let her go. But she was so careful, she would just bob her head above the water. Mom helped her grab hold of her apple finally and she was ready to try it again later. Mom said no. What I couldn't believe is the fact that she kept it up all night long and was still ready to go at 9:30 that night when we left the church. Where does she get all this energy?
Today she is off rollerskating with Cassie. I will try to put in an update later on to tell you all the antics from the rollerskating party.
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This blog is about our daughter Annika and how she has been a true blessing from God. She lost her hearing and has mobility issues because of an illness as a small baby. She has truly taught us endurance, joy, love, patience, and just the ability to laugh at any circumstance. You are truly a gift from God and taught us to be aware of the simple things in life. Love Mom and Dad.
Annika's CI Surgery
Annika and her ski instructors-Mr P and Mr Joe
Goodbye Marcus
Annika's birthday at MOA
Wanha Christmas
Family Picture
Wanha Kids at the Twins game
Annika outside of Six Flags
Annika shows off her new glasses & Callie the cougar
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- Rebecca Wanha
- Annika's Mom
Welcome to Holland
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel.
It's like this . . . When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum, the Michalangelo David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes and says, "Welcome to Holland." "Holland?" you say. "What do you mean Holland? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place. So you go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills, Holland has tulips, Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." The pain of that will never go away, because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you will never be free to enjoy the very special, very lovely things about Holland.
by: Emily Pearl Kingsley
It's like this . . . When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum, the Michalangelo David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes and says, "Welcome to Holland." "Holland?" you say. "What do you mean Holland? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place. So you go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills, Holland has tulips, Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." The pain of that will never go away, because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you will never be free to enjoy the very special, very lovely things about Holland.
by: Emily Pearl Kingsley
Celebrating Holland- I'm Home
I have been in Holland for over a decade now. It has become home. I have had time to catch my breath, to settle and adjust, to accept something different than I'd planned. I reflect back on those years of past when I had first landed in Holland. I remember clearly my shock, my fear, my anger, the pain and uncertainty. In those first few years, I tried to get back to Italy as planned, but Holland was where I was to stay. Today, I can say how far I have come on this unexpected journey. I have learned so much more. But, this too has been a journey of time.
I worked hard. I bought new guidebooks. I learned a new language and I slowly found my way around this new land. I have met others whose plans had changed like mine, and who could share my experience. We supported one another and some have become very special friends. Some of these fellow travelers had been in Holland longer than I and were seasoned guides, assisting me along the way. Many have encouraged me. Many have taught me to open my eyes to the wonder and gifts to behold in this new land. I have discovered a community of caring. Holland wasn't so bad. I think that Holland is used to wayward travelers like me and grew to become a land of hospitality, reaching out to welcome, to assist and to support newcomers like me in this new land. Over the years, I've wondered what life would have been like if I'd landed in Italy as planned. Would life have been easier? Would it have been as rewarding? Would I have learned some of the important lessons I hold today?
Sure, this journey has been more challenging and at times I would (and still do) stomp my feet and cry out in frustration and protest. And, yes, Holland is slower paced than Italy and less flashy than Italy, but this too has been an unexpected gift. I have learned to slow down in ways too and look closer at things, with a new appreciation for the remarkable beauty of Holland with its tulips, windmills and Rembrandts.
I have come to love Holland and call it Home.
I have become a world traveler and discovered that it doesn't matter where you land. What's more important is what you make of your journey and how you see and enjoy the very special, the very lovely, things that Holland, or any land, has to offer.
Yes, over a decade ago I landed in a place I hadn't planned. Yet I am thankful, for this destination has been richer than I could have imagined!
by: Cathy Anthony
I worked hard. I bought new guidebooks. I learned a new language and I slowly found my way around this new land. I have met others whose plans had changed like mine, and who could share my experience. We supported one another and some have become very special friends. Some of these fellow travelers had been in Holland longer than I and were seasoned guides, assisting me along the way. Many have encouraged me. Many have taught me to open my eyes to the wonder and gifts to behold in this new land. I have discovered a community of caring. Holland wasn't so bad. I think that Holland is used to wayward travelers like me and grew to become a land of hospitality, reaching out to welcome, to assist and to support newcomers like me in this new land. Over the years, I've wondered what life would have been like if I'd landed in Italy as planned. Would life have been easier? Would it have been as rewarding? Would I have learned some of the important lessons I hold today?
Sure, this journey has been more challenging and at times I would (and still do) stomp my feet and cry out in frustration and protest. And, yes, Holland is slower paced than Italy and less flashy than Italy, but this too has been an unexpected gift. I have learned to slow down in ways too and look closer at things, with a new appreciation for the remarkable beauty of Holland with its tulips, windmills and Rembrandts.
I have come to love Holland and call it Home.
I have become a world traveler and discovered that it doesn't matter where you land. What's more important is what you make of your journey and how you see and enjoy the very special, the very lovely, things that Holland, or any land, has to offer.
Yes, over a decade ago I landed in a place I hadn't planned. Yet I am thankful, for this destination has been richer than I could have imagined!
by: Cathy Anthony
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