Today, once again, felt like a Saturday. This whole week, really, has felt like a Saturday. But today was an errand day. We haven’t done too many errand days recently, opting for Brady to quickly do a thing or two before coming over after work, but those trips are usually for things like milk or bananas. The rest of our list had grown, and it was time for a big shop. 

We got to Superstore as it opened! 

The kids honestly did SO good. They were happy to wander the big grocery store with us, as they always are. We don’t get much fresh stuff at Superstore, as we tend to go bulk for that stuff, but we got all of our little canned stuff, some little toiletries, creamer, dressing, and a few other things we don’t buy in bulk. It ended on an especially successful note, as we used up some gift cards that were gifted to us around Christmas, and paid less than $30! Woot!

We hit Walmart next. We didn’t need too much from there, but there are those few things that we always get at Walmart. Dekker needed a dress shirt or two, as he’s grown out of all of his. We needed some oil for the work van. A mattress protector. Stuff like that. But the biggest thing we needed was our gift for Rowan’s birthday, and Walmart was sold out. 

We grabbed some lunch for everyone and drove to another Walmart. And then the other Walmart. Finally, the third Walmart had what we needed 😅 But then we had to backpedal a bit to get to Costco. So. Many. Stores. 

We haven’t done a big Costco shop in a long, long time, and we were out of everything. Except diapers, strangely. We didn’t need diapers. But seriously, everything else. I’d try to read through our list, and it would’ve been more efficient to have a list of what we didn’t need. But we made it through, and the kids helped grab stuff and load up our cart to overflowing. We should’ve got two carts, and we thought about it, and decided against it because we weren’t getting diapers. It all fit into one cart, but the lovely people at the till repacked it into two. Because there was just SO much stuff! We were able to use a rebate cheque and knock $150 off the top, thank goodness! Also, thank goodness my medication is working and I was able to push a cart today! Yay!

Brady often rants about how we need to build shelves in the back of our van. He might be right. It gets tricky knowing what we can stack and what we can’t and what will squish and what won’t.

We got it all home and unloaded, which sounds like the work is done, but its definitely not. 

Its also late. Like, 2:30. Which isn’t late in general, but is late for naps 😳 So that might make for an interesting evening! Wish us luck! 

But hey. At least they’ll be fed!

#wbw

Today feels SO much like a Saturday. Partly because of the lack of school. Partly because Brady is home. Partly because we did waffle brunch! 

We all know the most important part of waffle brunch 🥓

My mom came over around 9:00am, bearing clementine oranges and a mystery bag for after. We had bacon going and waffle mix measured out. Music was on and kids were up and playing. Grandma was barely in the door before she was offered a book and Wavy began her her blind “back up and sit,” so that was where story time began. 

We ate waffles around our loud, rowdy table, until everyone was full. Of course, there was also incentive. Because a bag of some kind of present was sitting in the entrance, tied shut. 

The bag turned out to hold a new little car for both Solomon and Waverly, a book full of sticker faces for animal pictures for Rowan, and these super cool “paint by sticker” books for Dekker and Laela. Everyone was officially happy and occupied. 

It was around that point where Brady, my mom and I decided to play a couple rounds of cards before my mom had to head out for the rest of her day. And as tends to happen, everyone migrated over to join us ❤️

If this could just be our life forever, I’d be SO thankful! 

That being said, Wavy wasn’t as fond of morning cards. 

We distracted her with a granola bar, don’t worry. She was fine. 

We played two games. The first game, I barely got any cards out, and the second game, I won! Woot! Laela always cheers for me 😉 Thats probably why. She has become SO much more protective of me since my pain really kicked into high gear. So really, credit for my win should probably go to her. 

It was SUCH a nice morning. Now, nap time is in the works and Brady and I are going to take a little break to watch some Schitt’s Creek. I say again, if you haven’t heard, its about to go off to Netflix! Watch it while you have the chance!

This post is a LONG time coming! I so badly want to be able to announce that the basement is DONE, but its not. However, there are sizeable updates that are worth sharing becaaaaause *drumroll* its in official full use! 🥳 Originally, I didn’t want to do any living down there until it was DONE done, because once you settle in, the little details don’t seem as important. However, there is very little left, and opening it up for full use has been a HUGE relief to our family, and I’m SO thrilled! 

It’ll be a shorter list to tell you whats left to do, so here’s that. 

We haven’t done the drop ceiling. We will, but its oddly expensive for what it is, and we’re more inclined to save that money to put towards our fence in the Spring. 

We don’t have the hand towel bar for the bathroom. Who knew that towel bars are common but not shorty hand towel bars? So thats on order. 

Shelves!! This is a big one. I want shelving above my laundry machines, and we need shelves in our furnace room so we can properly store things off the floor in there. 

And guys, that’s basically it 🤷‍♀️ The rest is DONE! And its beautiful!!! 

Quick rundown time. 

Remember those super cozy couches we bought before Christmas? They’re perfect down here. SUPER cozy. The tv is rarely used, but we do listen to music on it, as well as the occasional movie and Bachelor night. Brady installed the surround sound speakers recently, so thats nice. The big white coffee table has made its way down there, and I like it way better!

Our laundry area is just a closet, which is not everyone’s jam. But we love it. This door track system was a large expense and kind of a pain to get locked down, but NO REGRETS! I bet Brady could write a post solely on that system. Except I wouldn’t let him. Because I”m embarrassed by how much it cost 🙈 Aaaaanyway, this place needs a a shelf along the top and maybe some super skinny cabinets next to the sink. But its close. 

I’m not going to show you the furnace room. Its still WAY too disorganized. But at least it has a door now. 

The kids toy area, I think I’ve showed you. We got that beautiful IKEA shelf recently. Again, no regrets. We have the big chair that came with our couch set turned around, so the kids have somewhere cozy to fight over 😳 I kind of don’t love it, though. Its a really big chair that I wasn’t expecting when I was looking for a couch set. I’m still hot and cold on it, honestly. It might need a new home. Any opinions on that, friends? 

We have one oddly shaped corner in the basement and were going to put a filing cabinet in there, but were given a big chest that comfortably holds our unreasonable amount of cozy blankets, and it lives there instead. Its a perfect fit. 

The bathroom is done except for that hand towel bar. 

The front bedroom is our “extra” room right now. Sometimes it has a spare bed set up in it. Other times it has the drum kit set up. It depends on the day. 

And the basement bedroom we use every day currently holds Dekker and Solomon! Its a nice fit. And because I know some of you are thinking it, yes, Solly is actually still in a crib! It seems crazy, but it isn’t. He never tries to climb out, and Dekker can easily lift him out if needed. Solly’s big boy is actually not so far behind at all 😉 Its possible we got it just the other day and haven’t made the switch quite yet. 

Thats basically it, folks. We hired out carpet, and taping. We had help with electric and plumbing. Otherwise, credit goes to Brady! I’m SO thankful for all of his hard work and drive to make this extra space for our family!! I still really want to decorate, even just a little, and make things a bit more us, but one thing at a time! We’re on our way!!

Who else wants Spring to come so we can start on the fence??? 🙋‍♀️ I can’t wait!!

I am so relieved to say that today has been a noticeably better day for our family 😁 It started with an early morning date with Cher, involving poor mans London fogs. The kids got up and ate real amounts of breakfast with little fight. Even Wavy, who has been boycotting most meals for about a week, ate lots and drank lots. It was awesome. And after a good breakfast, the kids played well, with very few arguments to break up or interference needed. They coloured and wrote up unused valentines cards. They read a lot and made paper airplanes. They snuggled a lot, and we listened to lots of music. It was really, really nice. 

Lunch went smoothly, without fight. Everyone ate great, and the younger ones went down for naps painlessly. It was oddly perfect. Then the big kids played lego together at the island and Cher and I took a bit of time to indulge in guilty pleasure Netflix. 

Everything has been nice post-naps as well. Solomon napped a little longer and was a bit disgruntled when he awoke, but thats not uncommon, and he’s rallied pretty easily! Waffle grilled cheese is on the menu for supper, because, delicious. 🤤 

I am SO thankful for such a smooth day! Thank you, Cher, for the role you play in our family ❤️ You are a huge part of why today was smooth. A big, giant part, even 😉

Often, on days that are “supposed” to be stat holidays, or days where we “should” be all together, the kids are super off, like they know Brady should” be with us. And today was just sweet, even though, of all days, Brady was not with us on Family Day. But now he’s home, and he CRUSHED his house, and even has a little bit of time at home ❤️ How perfect is it that his break falls over the kids break?! Thank you Lord! Your timing is ALWAYS aces!! 

I missed worship leading in church today, thanks to my oddly persistent sore throat, but mostly, my consistently ill children. The older three managed to get to church with Brady, but Solly and Waverly were in bad shape. It was clear who was well enough and who wasn’t. 

Solly always begs for a friend to come downstairs to play with him, so once Cher and I both eaten some toast and drank some coffee, we went down with him and Wavy. We spent a lazy morning down there, though this kids mostly just shared a couch with us, snuggled, and generally lived that ill life. It was relaxed and coughy. It was actually really nice, though.

Brady and the three kids came home after church, had some lunch, and the littles went to bed. Same ole, same ole. We often spend Sunday with my mom, but this weekend, she had so much going on and so much work to do, she couldn’t commit the time. Instead, Brady and I had some lunch with Cher before she drove me over to my moms so I could spend some time with her while doing stuff! It was also really nice. 

Now, it’s the evening. My kids are down for the night, and Brady and I are just trying to figure out supper. My poor throat hurts SO badly, but it was marginally better earlier today, so I’m hopeful than healing is on the way! Its amazing that it can actually hurt this bad, considering the absurd amount of painkillers I’m on 🙄 I digress. Soup is on the stove and a bath is run. I really couldn’t ask for a whole lot more. 

I imagine the evening will also be very nice ❤️ Have a lovely end to your weekend, friends. 

As I mentioned earlier, Rowan and Solly both have ear infections. I half expected Waverly to have one, too, but thank goodness we’re still in the clear on her. However, she looks the worst 😬

Music perks her up, but she doesn’t want to eat or drink or play, really. Poor baby. 

I figured I’d update on the boys. They’ve both had two days worth of their banantibiotics (see what I did there?) and there is definite improvement in their pain, thank goodness! I hated pouring all four little cups, two of amox and two of Tylenol, but it had to be done for a bit there. It seems we’re out of the super pain part, and now we just work on the healing!

Unfortunately, as I mentioned also, Solly’s eardrum is perforated. I feel pretty discouraged about that, because there was NO warning! He woke up after a long nap, around 4pm, crying about his ear. I got the soonest appointment I could – the next day at noon – and his eardrum was perforated 😔 Feels like a total mom fail. Regardless, it happened, and now we’re dealing with it. While he’s in less pain, he is a BEAR! He doesn’t want to do anything. He doesn’t want to eat or drink much at all, but don’t worry, I’m pushing fluids and making at least that happen. He is SO tired. Yesterday, he woke up for the day at 10am and was back in bed, fast asleep, but 11:30am. He slept until just before supper, and easily went to bed at 7pm. He must be feeling just so so crappy, poor guy. 

Rowan is definitely doing better. His eardrum was red and bulging, according to his doctor, but it seems like we might have avoided it bursting! He’s not on the same level of “out of sorts” as Solly is, and he’s eating better. 

Both boys, however, are deaf as posts. So thats fun, lol! 

This morning, Dekker is noticeably happier 🙂 He was already in better shape yesterday, but today he barely looks sick. Just that raw red nose needs to heal. And Laela is going great still. 

Brady and I aren’t 100% at all, but we’re moving forward! Brady has a full, gross, congested head cold. I, on the other hand, feel pretty fine except my throat is on FIRE! If I didn’t know better, I’d think I have Hand Foot Mouth. Because its just my throat and absolutely nothing soothes it. As in, drinking water burns. And with all the pain killers I’m taking, its pretty ridiculous that I’m still in this much pain 😳 

If you’re the praying type, please pray for our family, that health and wellness is in our near future. We are a bit struck down at the moment.

Do you remember last years Valentines Day post? It was funny, if I do say so myself. This years post is going along those same lines. A meme/gif battle. There were times I wondered if Brady realized what was happening, or if he remembered last year, but I wasn’t going to help him!! No way, man. So it just began. 

My kick-off:

He followed up with this gif. I get a kick out of her. But, only alright?? 

I countered with cheese. Thats a big deal. 

He countered with James Marsden. He is also a big deal.

I tried to express the level of my love…

And he seemed confused, and unsure of how to reciprocate my love.

Maybe we both felt awkward. 

Then he told me he loved me and decided to be a grown up and go back to work. I gave him about 15 minutes. 

He wasn’t upset. 

I thought this was funny…

But he called my bluff and told me it wasn’t true. He’s right. Hashtags filled with lies followed. 

Eventually, I left him alone, and he texted here and there about work stuff. Ceiling paint. So naturally, I felt neglected. 

He reassured me

And then I made a dirty joke.

He was ok with it. 

Later on, he sent me this one. I didn’t like it. I don’t love rage 🤷‍♀️ 

But he probably doesn’t like pathetic either. 

Then this happened. I’m not sure the goal, but it was cute. 

I made it funny with sexual innuendo, as I do sometimes. 

He was into it. 

Twice. 

I took it too far.

He wasn’t put off.

I sang him a love song.

He countered with Ryan Gosling. 

And Parks and Rec.

But I retaliated with Jim Halpert, so naturally, I won that exchange. 💁‍♀️

Especially since he took it from romance to a wiener doing flips. 

I liked it tho. 

Finally, the work day was done and he was on his way home. 

And as the classy lady I am, I propositioned him. 

And now thats on the internet. *sigh* Its ok, though. We love each other. 

I hope you all had equally dorky, funny, days 😁 Not everyone likes Valentines Day, but I think we can agree this is a fun way to “celebrate.” The chocolate covered strawberries that walked through my front door don’t hurt, either! ❤️

I haven’t updated on this years big events in a while. Dekker’s collarbone is nice and healed up, as far as we can tell. I can thump him in the chest and shoulders playfully and he just laughs. He’s good to go! The short version about my pain is that there is continued progress, but I’m still working on it. I have a bigger, more in depth post about that coming, but I need real time to actually get it all written out and these days are not the days for long blogs, becauuuse…

Everyone has colds, lol! I’m sure you’ve caught onto this. Laela missed a chunk of school last week and then passed everyone her cold over that weekend. Such a generous girl, she is. 

Yesterday, I took their snotty faces into Saskatoon with me for an appointment that I had booked for myself a month ago, and Brady sat in the van while with them while I saw Dr. Guselle. I took a full hour of her time, but thank goodness, the kids were exhausted and lethargic and no one got too antsy. 

I was SO relieved everyone stayed awake for the drive home! I lay them ALL down for naps (everyone except Laela, who was at school) and they all slept. It was lovely. Solomon and Wavy slept longer than anyone else. When it was time go in and get Solly, he was wailing. He had woken up and cried on and off through his nap, but just those tired, mournful cries that just tell me he’s super overtired. But when I finally went to him, he was SO betrayed.

“MY EAR HURTS!!!” 😩 He cried and cried and cried. 

And that left me calling Dr. Guselle’s office, trying to scrounge up an appointment for the next day. As if she hadn’t heard from me enough already that day. I called the front desk and as usual, they told me she was booking far ahead. The SOONEST I could get on with someone in her group was the 19th. That felt like a LONG time to just leave him crying on and off. Dr. Guselle has discussed this not too long ago, and she told me exactly what to say to get them to listen to me. To basically go off of their script. So I did. 

And they STILL wouldn’t find me an appointment sooner!

So I had to call Dr. Guselle’s desk. Which I HATE doing, because I always feel like I’m overstepping or pushing boundaries. But she always reassures me that she gave me her desk number for a reason, and I can use it anytime. 

She called me shortly thereafter, and booked us an appointment for the next day over the lunch hour. And thats today!!

What a whirlwind that appointment turned out to be. I had expected to take Solomon in for his ears, but he was already feeling a lot better. Meanwhile, Rowan came home from preschool a ball of tears, wailing about his ears! He would cry SO hard, and then stop, and then CRY, and stop, and CRY and stop. On top of all of this, Wavy didn’t really show symptoms of an ear infection but she was super sick, so I decided to just embrace it and take them all in. I knew Dr. Guselle wouldn’t mind. 

Cher had offered to come hang in the van during the appointment, since it timed out so well with her class finishing up, but turns out I made her come in with us instead. 

The kids cried so much. The boys did NOT want their ears checked. They were overtired and upset and did not want to be poked at. We did get it done, however, and both boys have good solid ear infections. We’ve only had one before, and it was Dekker in kindergarten. So while its not new, its been a while, too, without much practice. 

Solly was doing SO much better than yesterday, and we learned the reason why is because his eardrum is perforated. *sigh* So it went from pain to perforated in less than 12 hours. Which is pretty frustrating, because how could we know?? But Dr. Guselle figured he was feeling better with that pressure released. But now he has that open spot in his eardrum. Antibiotics it is! Rowan, on the other hand, has a red, angry, bulgy eardrum. If its going to perforate, we’d rather it happened while he was already on medication, so antibiotics for him too. Waverly looks the worst of the three but has nothing crazy beyond a common cold virus. Thank goodness.

It was a LONG drive home to that banana medicine, but thank goodness, everyone is sleeping and content now. Wish us luck! Medications are changing up all over the place here, and I can’t forget these three doses a day! Who wants to remind me?? 🙋‍♀️ 

As part of my “resolutions,” I made a to-do list for this year. Its a bit odd, admittedly, haha, but I like a good list 🙂 Some of it is simple. Some of it is a lot bigger. Some of it is in my control, and some isn’t. But I thought it would be a fun idea to see how far I get! The first month of the year wasn’t particularly gentle, and I didn’t have many opportunities to accomplish anything. While thats been kind of hard to swallow for me, I’m trying to remind myself that its just that first month. There are many more to go. And frankly, January was spent working on the first item on the list! So, in no particular order… 

1. Physical restoration. Thats a pretty big goal, but of utmost importance. I’d love to be back in good health as soon as possible. So I did that for a month, and I can tell you I’m still working on it. I can confidently say there has been great progress, and I’m so grateful for that 🙂 Win! 

2. Make noodles. I’ve been wanting to make my own noodles for a long time now and for whatever reason, I find it super intimidating. I have a great noodle roller machine and everything, but I’m just spooked. I’d love to get over that and at least try it once. If anyone wants to noodle with me, that would go a long way! 

3. Kids in new rooms ✅ Dekker and Solly room together downstairs now. Laela and Wavy share the bigger room on the mail floor, and Rowan has his own room now! When does the middle kid ever get their own room?? And he’s the middlest middle kid!

4. Tidy up the Christmas mess in my room ✅ 

5. Organize craft stuff. This is an area of my house that I find SO overwhelming! I can make it beautiful and organized and SO clean, and it gets trashed so fast. As our house comes together, we’ll soon be buying a particular cabinet that will hold some of the craft stuff. We don’t have it yet, and I’m pretty confident that our craft area will be overflowing until we have that extra space, no matter how much I purge and tidy. Its just too many things in one space. The craft cupboard holds ALL the craft stuff, extra packs of paper, the printer, external hard drives, and extra cans of coffee, haha! Maybe this one should actually be called “Buy IKEA cabinet.”

6. Wash high chair ✅ My mom just did this for me the other day. It was HORRID and she soaked it and scrubbed it and made it like new again ❤️

7. Wash car seat covers. Ugh. This should be done from time to time, right? 

8. Anniversary plan ✅ I had a plan in mind a long while ago and never brought it to fruition. January was NOT my month, wow. I had a backup plan for a home date, and then Brady surprised me with a date night, flowers, and earrings. So, I didn’t do this, but Brady did! 

9. Pinterest board for backyard. Ok, I’ve juuuust started this. Like I have one pin. But I’m working on it 🙂 

10. Pinterest board for garden. Am I crazy to think about putting in a garden this Spring, assuming we get the fence and grass all put in as early as possible? Might as well save ourselves having to dig up fresh grass and just throw that garden down early, right? Who wants to help me garden?? 🙋‍♀️ 

11. Retrieve blanket box ✅ 

12. Get knocked up. Lol! This is a high priority, yet its also completely out of my control 🤷‍♀️ Sooooo its on the list, but if I don’t reach this goal by December, I guess I don’t. But, let’s just say I will. Ideally the goal it so carry a sustainable, full term pregnancy.

13. Plan trips! I have a couple of little weekends/day trips I want to go on this year, and I would really love to plan them in advance so nothing gets missed 🙂 

14. Dining floor. Ugh. I have to wash that thing. I hate mopping, and that floor is beyond a mop. It needs a scrub by hand. And I’m willing to do it, except that my hands are currently in no shape to be scrubbing crusted on gunk off of such a large space. That one is going to have to wait. 

15. Meal plan? Question mark because I’m trying to be realistic. This is something I think I could do, but in the past, I’ve done it and enjoyed it for a solid week, and then it all drops off and I feel like a failure. This is something I’m not sure is worth prioritizing for me right now. I think I could be great at it, and meal prepping, when I have no kids at home. But, no promises. Rather, I’d like to do a month where we get super creative and eat out our freezer and pantry completely, and see what we end up with. Then I could see us meal planning and only buying what we truly need. This one is more something I want to think about and consider. Not necessarily do. 

16. Price drop ceiling ✅ We have the price, but we’re not in a rush. Likely, the ceiling will wait until our yard is done.

17. Price fence and shed. These pricing ones are more for Brady, but still, they’re on my list so I remember to ask. If we have the information, we know roughly what to save for each project. Our fence is 1/3 done thanks to our lovely neighbours, so we’re only on the hook for two sides. And the “shed” will be the area we close in under the deck. Its pretty tall in there, so we figured, our yard isn’t so big itself, we may as well use that space up! 

18. Price out grass. We’re looking at hydroseeding, based on a recommendation of a friend. Have any of you done it? What do you think – before or after fence? 

19. Order Vitex. 

20. Back up laptop ✅ The backup, however, did not solve our problem. We’ll either have to take it in for diagnostics orrrrr buy a new one 😩

21. Keep saving blog books. I can’t do this without a working laptop, so it has to wait. BUT! Did I mention I ordered some a while ago?? I was SO behind in ordering them, but I had FIVE completed and waiting to be ordered!! Woot!

22. Quarterly report ✅ 

23. Create system for the island. The island is our dumping ground for whatever junk doesn’t have a home. Its also the centre of our home, and pretty much the first thing people see when they enter our house. Those people include me, and I haaaaate how messy it always is. Whether we find specific homes for the things that always fall there, or just a system where its tidied every evening, something like that, it needs to change. 

24. New toothbrush setup ✅ This one is moot, actually. For the longest time, we had a cute little toothbrush drawer that fit everyone, until there was Waverly. We chucked her toothbrush in with someone else’s, and it was fine, but I wanted to make a setup that fit her better, and no one’s tooth goo had to touch anyone elses. But then Dekker and Solomon moved downstairs with their toothbrushes! So the drawer upstairs happily fits the three it needs, and the two boys have theirs downstairs in the drawer. Easy fix.

25. Hose off living room rug. Ok, so we have that black and white IKEA rug that just about everyone has. It used to be white, and now it isn’t. When our basement was still concrete, Brady took it down and drove a carpet cleaner on it over and over and over again. It used SO MUCH cleaner and the water never came out clean. It was SO gross. We never managed to get it even close to back to its original colour. My plan, this Spring/Summer is to ask a friend with a concrete driveway if we can put our carpet out on it and spray the heck out of it with a pressure washer. That should do it, right? 

26. Knit something wearable. I know. I’m kind of “off” knitting right now. But I’m SO eager to get back to it. In moderation 😉 I’ve had a couple of different items in my head for such a long time now and they just do not exist on this earth!! So I guess I have to make them! And I’d love to get the ugly newb stuff out of the way early on so I can actually make comfy cute things for next winter 🙂 

27. Get contacts. This was a goal last year, but money was just too tight. I haven’t had contacts since high school and I miss the convenience of not fogging up in winter and not sliding down in summer. 

28. Set up my Fitbit. I got a Fitbit a while ago and I tend to not pull that stuff out until I’m ready to set it up completely and understand it fully. These times where I’ve been laid up in bed would be those times, except that I wasn’t ready for the thing to tell me I only took 30 steps that day. Lol! So maybe when this whole pain thing is over but I have some time.

29. Clean carpets

30. Get more gravel to level out our driveway until we can actually pour one. (Notice pouring a driveway is not on this years to-do list. Maybe next year.) Last fall, we said how many times that we NEEDED to get some more gravel before winter came, as our van presses it down SO quickly, and then there’s a significant badump when we drive in. But we didn’t get there. Hopefully in spring!

See me with my reasonable goals? These aren’t so crazy! And let’s be real. Its a pretty haphazard list. But maybe I’ll be super on the ball, and we’ll look back at it together in December and see how much I did?? Orrrrr how many things are left? 🙈 Also a possibility! But, positive thinking!! Lots of these things are fun, or easy, and not stressful! But in the times of pushing myself, GLORY STRENGTH! Right guys?? Its going to be a great year! 

Whats on your to-do list for 2020?

Five year ago, Dekker had his eye surgery! If you’ve been here that long, this is old news. I remember feeling, even a year after his surgery, that I would never really even consider my wedding anniversary again because Dekker’s surgery felt like such a huge event. That February 11th would overpower February 7th, not in importance, but in emotional toll, maybe? Our marriage is hugely important! But Dekker’s surgery felt traumatic. Here we are, five years out, and while I can’t and won’t discount those feelings I had, we’re through that. We learned and grew a LOT from that experience, and I really wouldn’t take it back. The anger I held, I don’t anymore. 

I thought a simple photo montage would be an excellent way to mark five years 😁 

So we’ll start with right before his eye issues presented themselves. He was just two months shy of two years old. 

Then they crossed, and I didn’t post pictures for a while because I was SO devastated. This picture comes from the blog post where I basically “announced” that Dekker’s eyes had crossed, and we were sad and struggling. 

This was Dekker’s first pair of glasses. They were way too big, but what did we know? He never fought wearing them, though.  

So glasses weren’t making any headway, and we had to start patching his stronger eye, to make the weaker eye work. This picture was his first day in patches. We bought them just out of the pharmacy section and I will say 🙅‍♀️ these were HORRIBLE! They tore the skin around his eyes. I cannot believe they sell these in junior sizes! 

Very quickly after this, we learned about Ortopad and started buying his patches at the hospital. They cost a fortune but they were WAY gentler on him. 

Surgery was next, because nothing we were doing what making any difference. You’ll notice those bloodied eyes are perfectly centred!!

Shortly after surgery, he got new glasses. To this day, they are the BEST fitting glasses he ever owned! We chose them from the store, and then he cried when we had to leave them there to actually get ordered and made for him. 

Then Superstore glasses for his next prescription, because they were free! Woot woot! 

Eventually, they broke, so there were these from Walmart! These also fit him really, really well. And somehow, they gave him a new confidence! He loves them. 

And for good measure, because its so different, here is my favorite current-ish picture of Dekker without glasses. He looks like a sweaty teenager, just back from hockey or something. 

I know this is old news for many of you, but I like having it all in one place for my own record. A history of sorts of Dekkers eyes and the progress he’s made. I’m SO thankful to God for how smoothly its gone 💙