Epiphany House Family Journal December 2006

An Epiphany House family who's who:
Kathie and Dexter Lanctot, co-founders of Epiphany House Inc. are adoptive parents to Sonty Lanctot, age 12, Suky Lanctot, age 10, and Ebony Lanctot, age 8, Salinna Lanctot, age7. Foster children include twin boys Lyle and Kyle, age 9. Daniel, 14.  (t o comply with confidentiality requirements the names of some DHS foster children are changed in this publication). In addition, Kathie's six birth children: Dennis, Courtney, Kelly, Patrick, Danny and Kevin McCunney. Dennis' spouse Kathy and their daughters' Nora Catherine McCunney, age 3 and Anna Claire McCunney, 2 months. Also, Lauren Derrington, fiance to Courtney; Rachel Barrett, girlfriend of Patrick. Jim Pio, boyfriend to Kelly. Miss Marie and Miss Laura, Salinna's home nurses. Our pets include dog, Molly; cat, Oliver; Bunny, Milkshake; Parakeet; Repete, Cockatiel; Olive, a Turtle, Speedy, fish.

December was a lively month here. We celebrated  birthdays for Corky, Lauren, Ebony and Jesus. The Pony, Pickle, for whom we had to find a home 4 years ago when our township’s regulations forbid him to be with us, once again needed a home. When things looked darkest for Pickle we had a little miracle. We observed advent, celebrated Christmas and New Year with lots and lots of family and friends coming through during the holidays. Kathie baked large quantities of cookies and walked many miles through local villages towns, malls shopping for a huge list of people that  included teachers, school bus drivers, aides and even the safeties at Ebony’s school.

It was a month when seagulls wreaked some havoc in our lives and there were strange encounters with tall bicycle riders. We assisted in organizing the angel tree project at Philadelphia’s Christ Church and the community there responded generously. 140 Gifts were distributed to children and families in shelters and organizations that are part of the church outreach. Highlights of this and more from our family journal can be found below.

December 2006

1st – Ebony decides she hates her lunch box. A water main break nearby leaves us with no water today. Daniel has read 11 books from The Series of Unfortunate Events, within two weeks.

2nd – Suky at horseback riding. She does jumps. On the way home we see very tall bicycle riders at the WAWA. 

No the RIDERS were tall; not the bikes.

Dexter plants Darwin hybrid mixed tulip bulbs. Uncle Larry repairs our driveway gate. Uncle Mike cooks angel hair pasta for dinner. Suky loses her third tooth in less than a week. Tooth fairy bank account depleted.

3rd – First Sunday of Advent. Kathie, Suky, Ebony meet Kelly and go to the Movie "Happy Feet."

4th – Ebony uses a half bottle of dish washing soap to clean her shoes in the sink.

6th- Shoes were out for St. Nicholas. Ebony’s were the cleanest.

7th- Geeze Louise, what a day. We had arranged move for our horse, Pickle, who has been living at the Archway school in NJ. They had no more “use for him.” Since a boarding fee is out of the question, we made an arrangement over with a contact we made on Craig’s list to move Pickle to the stables at Valley Forge Military Academy where his a family would have use of him in exchange for board. Upon arrival, a glitch; the stable at VF says no to him because he’s too small. The gentleman who was doing the transportation agreed to keep Pickle for weekend and we had to have a place for him to go by Monday. While all this is going on, the Christmas tree goes up. Kevin had picked it out, Ebony and kids decorate, Kevin hangs outdoor light display. We shun the all white in favor of colored lights.

10th - Angel tree gift collection at Christ Church. Daniel, Sonty and Suky all eagerly join to help with the sorting. 140 gifts collected.

11th – Corky’s 28th birthday. Lauren’s 30th birthday. Pickle’s deadline and a miracle on his behalf. With no place arranged for Pickle it was decided he’d have to be taken to auction (euphemism for sale to a meat packer). We were desperate!!! In a Pickle for sure. Dexter begged God for intervention. In an amazing turn of events an Amish family was identified for him at 2PM and by 5PM Dexter met Pickle’s transporter in Lancaster County at Pickle’s new home. He was to become a Christmas gift to the family’s grand children.

Pickle's new home.

12th – Suky purchased gifts for everyone in the family at her school’s Santa workshop. She has placed them all, in their little blue and white gift bags, under the tree.

16th – Sonty has to sing at the Nutcracker. Dexter Ebony, Daniel, and Suky go to see the movie “The Nativity.” After the movie they drove around looking at Christmas light displays.

17th – Baby Anna our most recent grand daughter visits here with her mom, dad and sister Nora. High volume of family and guests through here over the weekend. At midnight Ebony decides to put on finger nail polish.

19th – Suky's sings in her school's winter concert. " Here we go a waffling." Kevin takes his car to the carwash “ to get the d--- seagull s--- off of it.”  

“Stop complaining Kevin, at least it was only on your car.”

Salinna’s nurse, Miss Marie says, “I’m too blessed to be stressed.” Maybe you should tell that to Kevin, Ms. Marie.

20th – Ebony’s 8th Birthday! Happy Birthday Ebony! Ebony gets caught sneaking what we believe is a cup of soda to bedroom. It turns out to be wine. You are 8 Ebony not 21. This is not France or Italy. Fortunately we made the discovery before she had a chance to drink it.

21st – Winter solstice. Daniel’s class has PJ party at school. He wears pajamas to school.

22nd – Dad, Suky and Daniel attend Christmas peace vigil with Brandywine Peace Community during teeming rain. From there onto shopping for a bird house.
Salinna  goes to mall for secret Santa and brings home gifts for her family.

23rd- Daddy and Ebony at BEST Buy to purchase an iron. Daddy tumbles in dark corner of parking lot drops the new iron and sustains scrapes and bruises. Then finds seagull poop on car.

24 & 25th – Family celebrates Christmas

26th –Danny, trying to avoid seagull in the WAWA parking lot, hits a curb with car and blows out back tire. Tall bicycle riders, in same lot, are unable to avoid seagull

28th – Dexter and Daniel in DC for Holy Innocents’ faith and resistance retreat. They visit Corky and Lauren before returning.

31st- New Years Eve. Friends visit and all play game Apples to Apples.

JOURNAL ARCHIVES:
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2008
JANUARY 2008
FALL 2007
SUMMER 2007
JUNE 2007
APRIL/MAY 2007
MARCH 2007
FEBRUARY 2007
JANUARY 2007
DECEMBER 2006
NOVEMBER 2006