My sugestion is take some photos to a local sketch artist and have a sketch or painting made. A good place to start is at your local college, they can often connect you with some local and talented people.

You could be holding a large framed photo of him in your hands or possibly have a picture taken of you and the baby ...with him above you so he would be looking down from the heavens ..other than that I cant think of anything else sorry!!

Hi Michelle - what a beautiful family picture you have posted. My kids and I are getting ready to go through our third holiday season without my husband. I can share with you what we did the first Christmas after he died (he died in September 2007). We sent out a Christmas letter on which we scanned a number of pictures. Some were of our family before he died, but we also included a picture of our family after his death. I wanted us to remember the past and honor his memory, but at the same time realized we had to build a different family for the future. Hope that helps. I will be praying for you and your precious daughter as you travel through this difficult time. All the best, Tami

I think you have some good suggestions. Any of them would include your husband and I understand how you feel. For a long time I referred to myself as being married, even though my husband had died. I felt married and if it gave me peace that was right for me. The first holidays are very hard but you will find you are able to be a family with your beautiful daughter and her daddy looking over you both. I pray for peace for you both. Sharon

MIchelle,

My brother in law is a photographer and from that I know that there are many ways to insert one picture into another. Go to one and they will be able to give you suggestions. Your daughter will cherish it the rest of her life.
Kathy

I no we just did this for my family photo that we never got to take. there a program my brother used on his computer and he just basically, copy an paste and you could barely tell.

Maybe you should skip the family photo this year and send cards with a nice spiritual message and enclose a photo of your daughter to those you are closest to. If I received a Christmas card with someone's dead husband in it, I am not sure how I would react. I think I would find it sad, or unnerving, or creepy, or all of the above. But maybe that's just me.... Do what you feel is best. Love and Hugs, Martha

cliffskat in response 2 your comment I never said I would be send the pic with my husband who has passed away to others as Christmas cards, this will be something for myself, my daughter and my family to have. your statement was a little hurt full to me as saying someones dead husband and creepy. I would use the words past away as it came across harsh to me.

I'm sorry, Michelle, I misunderstood what you were saying. When you said holidays I assumed wrongly you were going for one of those photo Christmas cards. A picture just for you and your daughter is a different thing entirely. I didn't mean to sound harsh, and I'm sorry if I did. I was trying to put myself on both sides of a Christmas photo card and how I would react. Again, sorry if I offended you.

I understand you can be sensitive right now to certain words and terms. I guess after 2 years I have accepted the fact that my husband is "dead" no matter how I put it. No matter what I say or do or want or wish or pray for he is still dead. The words to describe what that has meant to me don't actually exist in this world, so perhaps I've become numb to the impact of how some words sound to others. I'm sorry I upset you with my choice of words. I didn't mean to.

Love and Hugs,
Martha

Hi Michelle - Just wanted to say I think Edyz suggestion is a very sensitive and beautiful way of doing your picture for this year.
Hugs ..

Wow - isn't it amazing how we always seem to find someone on this site experiencing the same thing? My fiance wanted to have a family picture taken for christmas and i said no, wait til we're married. Oh lord how i regret that decision. For my birthday, my daughter surprised me with a beautiful hand drawn picture of the four of us. My god, i love it so much. A friend of mine then volunteered to photoshop a picture of the four of us together. i gave him tons of pictures (need pics with similiar lighting) and he is working on that for me. Ask some of your friends if they are familiar with photoshop. and good luck. I think it is a wonderful idea and i'm glad to hear someone else wants the same thing! If you get a chance, look at my pictures to see the gorgeous pic my very talented daughter drew for me.