KID!

We gained back Rowan and Solomon, but Laela is spending her week at camp with Avery this week! We will miss her, of course, but I have no doubt she will LOVE being at camp, away from everyone she sees everyday. I hope and pray she comes home feeling refreshed and happy!!

I LOVE how Jaxon just scoops her up to hug her! Ack! Its SO cute!

Stacy and I brought the girlies over to register them for camp, and once we arrived and got lined up, the Heavens opened and BOOM! ⛈ It POURED!!! Which was awesome, except that their stuff was not under the shelter at all. A couple of us ran and retrieved the girls things, Jaxon being the only one who ran back for a second time, rescuing Laela’s water bottle from the back of the golf cart. He. Was. SOAKED.

Laela goes “Eeeeek! Welp. I guess I’m wet now.”

We got the girls all checked in and as the rains came home hard, the staff assured us they would get everyone settled into their cabins, which both Laela and Avery were fine with 💜 So we got our hugs and kisses in, and off they went!!!

Once they were off, we tied up a few loose ends, and then we were also off! But then we forgot something and went back, and then we were off again!! Hahaha! Whew! It felt whirlwindy but also pretty peaceful. The van went from hyper to verrrrry quiet to verrrrry tearful in that final stretch 😂

We got home and unpacked, and then Rae and Tom arrived with Dekker! The gang is back together!!! It feels oddly boy-heavy, which is funny because we are only one girl short! But she has a lot of personality, and it really shows when she’s gone 💜

We already miss you, Lala!!! Have the BEST time at camp!!

It was beautiful out today. Windy enough that it kept us all in denial about how much sun we were all getting. 

A day of good food and friends and even some crocheting. Not by a fire, of course 😩 c’mon rain!! 🌧️ but it was still absolutely lovely. 

The highlight came about this evening. After a potluck supper, we made our way back to our site, and the morsel was toddling around on the deck. Without warning, the morsel pulled a messy plate from supper down atop their head, landing up with a face pull of coleslaw dressing. When I ran over to rescue aforementioned toddler from themselves, little feet stomped the plate and spread the coleslaw yet further. My efforts to clean the baby were in vain as it wiggled away from me, much more interested in eating the goldfish crackers left on the floor of the deck. All in all, it was a hysterical “throw your hands up and let it go” kind of laugh. It felt good to laugh big. I would give just about anything to share pictures on here but you’ll just have to take my word for it, I suppose. It was absolutely adorable 🥰 

Time for bed. We are all tired but the kids are coping quite well actually 💜 thank you Lord for giving us things to laugh about and enjoy, even when we’re dog tired and going through all kinds of things. You ALWAYS take care of us. 

There are few things I never ever tire of. But goodness. This kind of view is one of those things. 

I remember asking Brady how we were so blessed to get a spot here so easily when we did, only to have everyone after us stack up on waiting lists for summer after summer. It felt unfair. And now, I can see how beautifully timed that gift for us was. At the point we were madly building this camper in anticipation of this campsite, Brady’s back was starting to hurt. His tumour was on the move. We got three weeks in at the lake that season, and the next spring, we came here in a very different position with totally different needs. And we were cared for so beautifully. This place is so perfect for us. 

Thank you Lord for always providing. Even the things we don’t need. What a beautiful love gift Kinasao is for us 💜 

Today felt somewhat restful. Or like, quiet. QuietER than usual. Its not ever quiet quiet. But, I sat for a little today. I gathered up some very minimal stuff for camp. I daydreamed a bit about crocheting I am aching to work on. So many projects. So little time. But it was nice.

Dekker biked around a bit. Got the mail. Packed clothes for the weekend. Read some new books he got. He spent some time in the afternoon with a friend.

Laela had quite a few jobs on her plate today, so she worked quite a bit, and then she packed up, and even went to the spray park with Wave. They did nails and tattoos.

Wavy followed Laela around to a degree, but she coloured. Practiced writing. Looked at booked. And mostly, she played with the babies. She is awesome with that. She sat with the big babies through breakfast so I could feed the lemon drop a bottle in the living room. It was awesome. And thanks to that, she got herself an afternoon at the spray park!

The babies were a little bit less peaceful. They played alright for times, but they alternated their naps, one altogether boycotting naps. There was a very brief moment where everyone was quiet, but it did not last worth anything. But. Isn’t that what happens? As soon as it seems peaceful and quiet, someone wakes up screaming? Just us? Cool 😎

As a very generous gift, Brady and I were offered a kid free couple of hours to go out for supper after radiation, which we jumped at. We enjoyed some restful time and ate a giant supper at Montanas. It was awesome 💜 and really nice to see each other away from all the other stuff. Cancer stuff. Busyness. Kids. Work. Driving. All the messy stuff. Its easy to get lost in there. So this was incredibly refreshing. Thank you, Rae and Tom, for not being afraid of our crew, no matter how the numbers change. Wait. You’ll still love us if the numbers change, right? Don’t worry. We are NOT looking to add anytime soon!

Ok. Everyone is tucked now except one, and that one isn’t home yet. So while we wait, I think we’ll eat dessert and watch some shows and finish up the deceptively restful day. My body and brain knows tomorrow will be worky and then whirlwindy. So for this evening, I hope to rest. Tomorrow, I will work. I will have help, thank goodness and also Cher! 💜 And then we’ll be gone – to radiation and then the lake!

Psh. Who stops?! 😅

The plan after radiation today was to knock out a speedy Costco shop. And by speedy I do not mean that we had a short list. We did not. But some days we meander a bit more, while others we motor. And today we were hoping to make it a quicker one so we could actually be home at a reasonable time to have supper at home.

As it tends to go recently, some of the family broke down in a big way and I was left to rush in while everyone cried in the van. As you can imagine, this method is fun for absolutely no one. And today it was especially a bummer because there had to be two carts. Brady was gracious and said I should take in a big kid to help me, so Dekker grabbed a second cart and in we went to tackle Costco!

We had to get some diapers and wipes, so we went there first in order to load carts in a smarter way. However, for the first time ever, we did the rest of the shop from there instead of going with the natural flow of the store, and that was a MISTAKE!!! Hahahaha! Dekker said “I didn’t know there was a right way to do Costco!” But guys, there absolutely is. And with that, there is also a wrong way to do Costco. Going against the flow of traffic after work hours. Do not do what we did.

However, we did get a good haul. We only missed a few things but they were things that either could wait or weren’t there this time. No big loss. We even watched the Amazon guy come and go on our doorbell camera while we waited in line.

We came home, got everything put away, and had ham and eggs for supper. For the kids, anyway. Everyone was so hands on. Brady and I will eat later. And I am SO looking forward to it. Toasted tomato sandwiches with cottage cheeeeeeese!!!

We ALL have mountains to climb. Without a doubt.

I know many people feel the need to compare mountains. And thats not necessary. EVERY mountain is a challenge to conquer. They all still feel rewarding to overcome. A “smaller” mountain is definitely still a mountain.

When Brady has his first surgery, I hated that I struggled because it was not about me. Except, realistically, of course I was part of it. Of course I struggled, too. Absolutely NO ONE faulted me for that except me. It is literally what brought me into counselling. I needed to be able to suffer without feeling guilty. Yes, Brady’s stuff seemed way bigger than mine. And I think thats a pretty fair statement still. But my suffering was just as important to come through. My struggle was just as relevant. I needed to climb my mountain just as much as he needed to climb his. Both were super important. Very different, but super important. Hopefully Brady’s mountain is wheelchair accessible….. 🧑‍🦽

Cher gave me this yesterday.

It means a LOT to have you with me on my climb, girl 💜 Your care and love are a huge support, and something I desperately need and do NOT take for granted.

Snacks, however, are on you. I’ll bring the coffee 😘

My favorite man has completed his first week of radiation treatment!

Today was his fifth fraction out of thirty. Five more weeks to go! If you were to ask him how he’s been feeling, he would likely tell you he feels no different thus far. In fact, I would way he’s a little bit more upbeat than he’s been previously, partly because he is finally doing something to tackle the issue at hand. No more waiting. Just getting to it.

Have you noticed he’s changed his look? He had to take his beard WAY shorter in order to accommodate the scary mask he has to wear during his radiation treatments. And this weekend I shaved his short hair good and short, anticipating losing much of that hair to the radiation treatments. The top should survive, however, so we’ve left it longer. He is so handsome 💜

On Brady’s first day of radiation, I posted it on Facebook because I chose to blog about Wavy’s birthday rather than Brady’s cancer treatment. I’ve started to post it each day, right around his treatment time, and I’m kind of loving it! I SO appreciate everyone who prays and reaches out, and while its possible people might lose interest in seeing the same post thirty times, I may just keep on posting those reminders. What will it hurt? Nothing, thats what.

One week down, Brady boy. Five more to go. 💪

We took a weekend off of camp and stayed home, as you know, but we drove up today to drop off our kids who are staying for the week! Overnight camp, baby!!! 🙌

Rowan and Solly get to share a cabin with Jaxon, and they were among the first to get checked in and set up! All three boys snagged top bunks and were totally ready to see their parents go 😂 Which seems healthy and also weird lol!

As we left, another couple from our campsite cordially mentioned “Freedom for the week?” I laughed and responded with “I suppose so! Freedom from two. Out of our eight. Should be a little quieter anyway.” Haha! I just had to giggle a little 🤭

The week is going to be a hot one! Good luck, Kinasao, with our temperature sensitive kids 😬 We’ll be home in our AC that doesn’t quite keep up, but sure beats not having it at all! 😅

We’ll be back on Friday of course, to pick them up, as well as send off the next kids who are going for their week!

Before then, the week holds radiation appts, blood and reviews, and all kinds of house stuff. I made a big daunting list. There is no shortage of things to do. But not all of it has a deadline, so we’ll just pick at it as it suits 🙂

Happy Sunday, guys. Reality starts again tomorrow with work and cancer treatment 💪 With only six kids though, so 😎 should be waaaaay easier.

Brady and I cooked together. It felt like it had been a while, though we work together really well, and really often. Today, we stood by our stove together, and it felt really, really normal. Normal is hard to come by over here. It shifts so much. So today felt like a treat in that area.

We made a yummy supper, based solely on the face that I bought two huge boxes of mushrooms at PBR today and I wanted to eat some of them. So we made perogies! Bacon, because I didn’t realize we were out of sausage. Roasted broccoli with garlic powder and parmesan cheese. “Gravy” which was actually condensed mushroom soup with a little milk and a LOT of sour cream. And fried mushrooms! Couldn’We made a yummy supper, based solely on the face that I bought two huge boxes of mushrooms at PBR today and I wanted to eat some of them. So we made perogies! Bacon, because I didn’t realize we were out of sausage. Roasted broccoli with garlic powder and parmesan cheese. “Gravy” which was actually condensed mushroom soup with a little milk and a LOT of sour cream. And fried mushrooms! Couldn’t actually put them in the sauce because very few members of my family like mushrooms. But I do. And Cher did. And Dekker did a little. And the morsel did!! All in all, supper did not disappoint

I am still overfull. Yet, we still ate leftover treatzza pizza in bed, because there is ALWAYS room for that.

Supper was delicious. A good food day feels like a success to me. We also got some errands done in the city, as well as some jobs done in the house. I suppose it pays to be home for a Saturday once in a while.

Sleep well, all.

While my new bathtub is nowhere near my old bathtub, I’m still incredibly grateful for it 💜 I haven’t had a ton of soaks since we moved, but as time goes on and our stress goes up, I’m having them more and more, for maintenance and comfort.

From time to time, Cher leaves me little treats, most recently, for the bath! I’m bad at using treats, because once I do (get ready) they’re gone! Lol! It just feels so final! But upon her strict instructions to actually USE her gifts, I set myself up for a cushy bath yesterday. To be specific, a pineapple bath.

I had my hair tied up in a pineapple scrunchie…

…my pineapple bath bomb…

…and I kept cool with my pineapple pop!!

These are a few of my favorite thiiiiiiings!! 😍🍍

Today, I found myself in need of another bath, which is not my norm anymore at all. But! Its not always up to me, haha! So into the bath I went, and I had the most bizarre problem I’ve had yet while running a tub.

I started the water and walked away to let it run for a few minutes. I came back to a tub that was WAY too hot. So I turned the water down into the coldest zone and walked away again. I knew it would take a minute or two to actually make a dent. And when I went to check, it was still crazy hot! I put my hand under the water and it was still good and hot! I played with the controls for a while, and let it run way too long. Hot water. That was all I could get! Granted, on the coldest setting, the water wasn’t boiling, but since I had it originally set into the hotter side of things, it was SO hot, and it would never cool off like this.

I called Brady over and he couldn’t figure it out either. Until he did.

Road work = temporary water line + black hose running down the street + super hot sunny weather = preheated water whether you like it or not.

What a WEIRD problem to have, hey???

Anyway. Brady drained the tub and ran me a fresh bath while actually paying attention to what was coming out of the tap 😬 My bad. Thanks, honey 💜 That helped a LOT.

I had a raspberry bath bomb tonight 💜 Thank you Cher! I’m loving my treats!

Nowwwww we hope my body calms the heck down soon 😅