In honor of last week’s Halloween festivities, I thought I would share our family pic from Addy’s first Halloween five years ago, in 2008.

Keith and I had realized that, with all her laser surgeries, it might be the only Halloween in which Addy’s port wine stain was visible enough to be part of a costume.

So we decided to have fun with it.

We figure we can either make her port wine stain into something to be hidden (and therefore ashamed of), or something to be openly acknowledged and celebrated. And our choice has been to accept life, and the stain, as it is. And to have fun with it.

So, yes – I dressed her up as a Dalmatian puppy. And called her “Spot.” You can probably figure out my costume. 🙂

Hey, I have to give her something to hold against me as a teenager…