Epiphany House Family Journal Fall 2007

An Epiphany House family who's who:
Kathie and Dexter Lanctot, co-founders of Epiphany House Inc., are adoptive parents to Sonty Lanctot, age 13, Suky Lanctot, age 11, Ebony Lanctot, age 8, and Salinna Lanctot, age 8. Foster children include twin boys Lyle and Kyle, age 9. Daniel, 14 (to 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, 11 months. Also, there is Lauren Derrington, fiancée to Courtney;  Jim Pio, fiancé  to Kelly. Miss Marie, Salinna's home nurse. Our pets include puppy, Nellie; cat, Oliver;  Bunnies,"Trixie" aka Bun-bun" and Gizmo;  Two Turtles, and some fish. We do frequent respite care for Kelly’s pooch, Molly. We welcome summer intern, Fredrica Gwyan.

With the arrival of September, schools opened. We have five children in five different schools. We began the month mourning the sudden death on September 4th, of the only son of Kevin's Godmother, Judy Griffith a long time friend of Kathie's. Stephen Griffith grew up with our older children and his loss deeply affected our family.

Our younger children are off to a good start this Fall. Daniel has been involved as a Building with Books volunteer going to projects almost every weekend, He's advanced in his Tai Kwan Do martial arts to green belt. Sonty has begun his third year with the Philadelphia Boys' Choir, and became captain of his football team at Drexel Hill Middle School. Suky has advanced in Tai Kwan Do as well as horseback riding lessons. (She has fallen from her horse several times). Suky has also has joined her school choir. Ebony continues at horseback riding and is doing quite well at school, she regularly participates in after school walking club and continues to do lots of artwork; Salinna is called "smiley face" by her school bus driver and brings lots of joy at home and at school. Suky, Sonty, and Daniel are active in the youth group and serve at Sunday liturgies as acolytes at Christ Church in Philadelphia. In October, we held our Bringing Nicky Home Concert, featuring the Philadelphia Boys' Choir and Chorale and at which Nicky was a special guest. In early November, we hosted another Nicky fundraiser that drew many unusual costumed characters in support of our goal to make Nicky O'Keeffe a family member. We are grateful to John Paul Hoerdemann for organizing the party, which featured three live bands.

Also this Fall, Dexter has taken on some per-diem hospice work with the Asera Care organization and accepted a part time position with The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Palliative Advanced Care Team aka PACT.

September

3rd – Outing to Ridley Creek State Park. Sonty and Suky fish. Nellie, Daniel and Ebony explore creek. Nellie barfs in her car crate.

4th – begin back to school. 

9th – Kathie and Dexter 12 year wedding anniversary. Corky and Lauren visiting and describe all the fun things there will be to do during the week of their wedding next June in the Adirondacks. During the afternoon, they join us and the kids at the Schuykill river walk. Along the way, Lauren teaches waltz steps to the kids and Suky collects change from a fountain near the art museum. In the evening we go to Manyunk for ice cream.

10th – One week into the school year: Daniel can't find his planner, Suky misses her bus, Sonty forgets his lunch. On the front porch, Sonty and Daniel came accross our missing bunny, who got out of her cage last night. They did not recognize her. "There's a rabbit on the porch." they tell Kathie. So guys, how many tame blond bunnies do you usually happen to see in the neighborhood? Hmmmm maybe that needs to be rephrased.  Daniel begins a series of appointments at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School for a root canal.

11th – Daniel learns to spell his name with chinese characters.

14th – Dexter goes on weekend retreat  at St. Joseph in the Hills, Malvern, PA. Back at home, a weekend of family and out of town guests came together for Kelly's house warming party. Kelly moved into her new home in Drexel Hill during the summer. From Malvern, dad sings night song for Suky over the phone at bedtime.

22nd – Daniel and Dexter play runaway wheelchair with Salinna on driveway. Salinna loves it.

23rd – Family attends 100th birthday celebration of Suky's school, St. Philomena's in Lansdowne.

26th – We have fun watching our dog Nellie chase a laser light beam all around the yard. Ebony gets a kick out of a photo of Salinna pictured with her first boyfriend.

28th – Kevin takes a flight school introductory offer to fly a plane. Dexter locks himself out of his car in Northampton Township. The local police come to his rescue.

29th – Daniel passes greenbelt test at his martial arts class. Building With Books holds a carwash fundraiser, for their organization, in our driveway. 

October

3rd – Patrick's 25th Birthday.

5th – Corky and Lauren begin a 10 day Ireland trip. 

7th – Our Bringing Nicky Home Concert featuring the Phildaelphia Boys' Choir and Chorale.

8th – Dexter and Kathie pick up a Craig's list bed for Salinna; Kelly falls from a ladder while painting shutters and she breaks her foot.

12th – Sonty's football team wins its first game.

15th – Kathie and Dexter put together Salinna's new Craig's list bed three times. The third's the charm.

16th – Baby Anna's first birthday.

21st – Family Dorney Park Hallow Weekend trip. Ebony had anticipated for weeks. Dad has many, many rides on the Steel Force with her.

26th – Halloween bingo at Suky's school.

27th – Ebony cooks a giant pancake. Family attends an engagement party for Corky and Lauren in Alexandria VA and Salinna has to be taken to Children's Hospital in the middle of the night due to seizures.

28th – We attend Children's Sabbath at Christ Church. Sonty Suky Daniel participate as readers and acolytes.


31st – Halloween trick or treating

November

3rd – Halloween beef and beer fundraiser for bringing Nicky Home.

9th – Kids go bowling with friends.

11th – We set up donated pool table in basement. Also set up fish tank there and move fish in from outdoor pond.

12th – Long dentist appointment with Ebony, who needed a crown.

17th – Suky, Sonty, Daniel, Dexter attend Heart Gallery Philadelphia event.

20th – Daniel plays John Travolta's role from Hairspray in skit for Upper Darby H.S.  homecoming.

22nd – Thanksgiving. Uncle Bernie fries a turkey; we have lots of company and no turkey leftovers.

24th – Cousin Megan stops by for visit on way from California to her mom's; Kevin sells his BMW and gets a new used Honda.

26th – Daniel's 15th birthday, Nora's 4th birthday, Nellie's 1st. birthday.

30th – Danny's journalism class chooses an article of his as best in the class. Lyle and Kyle 10th Birthday

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