The Daily Hailey

We actually really enjoyed sharing what we’ve been dreaming of with you guys. It has been amazing helpful, encouraging, and exciting to be able to finally talk about it! You guys thought of a lot of things that we hadn’t, so we made a big long list and have been going through it thoroughly, weighing options and possibilities. It really feels amazing to have you all in our corner. Thank you for being here 💜

I won’t lie, though. On Monday, we got a real punch in the gut.

Brady called someone who specifically works in the vocational rehab program. It was in that call that it was officially confirmed that Brady going back to work would mean losing our disability benefit. Completely. Poof. Gone.

If Brady wanted to try to go back to work, he would have a two year window to decide it wasn’t working out, and he could pop back onto disability. But if he wants that option, he needs to go through the vocational work program that helps him get back into the work force. He would have to do that first. If he does not go through the program, he loses his disability payments altogether. And the wait to get into that program is about 18 months.

*sigh*

So. Brady going back to work means he loses his benefits. Therefore, if he goes back to work, he needs to get paid VERY WELL, IMMEDIATELY, because there would be NO assistance. Which is a BIG ask when his area of expertise – contracting – isn’t really within his grasp anymore. There would be no slow entry back to the workforce. Its all or nothing.

We trust God above all else. This feels completely impossible at this point, because whether we move or not, the disability payment is simply not enough. Its about half of what we need to live, whether we build or not. Conveniently, the house we had planned to build would very likely carry a smaller mortgage, and we could maybe get by there without a full time job on top of it all. But at this point, it seems impossible.

We have tons of calls in all over the place with lots of different people in hopes to find a solution. We are deeply searching for grants, bursaries, charities, etc. who might help us go further with this. If you know any establishments who might consider us, please let us know so we can add them to the list. We may need to write a really humbling letter soon and send it to a million organizations.

Everyone we have spoken to completely understands why the move is a necessity for our life, but they also see the bind we are in. It feels absolutely amazing to have SO MANY PEOPLE backing us. I know just about ALL of you want us to be able to move, and build an accessible bungalow in which all of us could live our life to the fullest. We could live in the house we have designed for the rest of our lives, regardless of mobility, deterioration, etc. It also feels just amazing to have so much support and suddenly SO little hope. How can we ALL be rooting for this when it looks like ALL of us are up against a wall?

We are praying for miracles. Please join us.

I completely missed the boat on showing off the kids costumes! I did remember, but clearly our life is incredibly busy and there were bigger, more important things to talk about. So I’m here now, lol! Better late than never.

Being that Halloween fell on a weekend this year, we had no idea when people would start going door to door. According to some town Facebook posts, it seemed people were planning to start a little earlier than usual so their kids could be tucked in at a reasonable time for school the next day. It all made sense. We had a super easy, snacky supper around 4pm.

Then everyone got ready! Keep in mind that we really don’t care a whole lot about Halloween over here, so we don’t go ham with costumes. We have an awesome garbage bags full of costumes and everyone picked one that day. No big pre-planning went on here.

So we have a skeleton, two tigers, a slice of pizza, and an unnamed princess. 💀🐯🍕🐯👸

We were out in the blistering cold before 5pm, and it became evident that our plan to cover our street on foot was just not going to happen. Everyone, including the adults, was miserable. It didn’t look terrible out but it was ridiculously cold! We made it to maybe three houses near us and it was clear that was all we could muster. To the van we went!

We covered the town in our usual way – with our pretty short list of our favorite people to visit. There are maybe 8-10 houses we always hit. And then alongside that, we can stop wherever else looks good. It was a little different this year, because Brady couldn’t join us as easily :/ But the kids are also a bit older this year, and it was a little bit earlier and lighter, so we let the kids run from the van on their own most at most of the houses, which was fun for them and nice for us.

The kids came home with a great haul of candy, and Brady and I didn’t do so bad either 😏 We even hauled in some Baileys chocolates. I’d call that a great success!

Best of all, we made it home basically right at bedtime!! And the kids were happily exhausted and ready for bed. It was SUCH a win!

Aaaaand then Brady couldn’t even eat any treats because chemo doesn’t let him eat after bedtime 🙄 Its ok. He’s making up for lost time now 😆

Yesterday closed off the first half of Brady’s year 🤮 of chemotherapy! I am SO relieved to be halfway done, and at the same time, in total disbelief that we have to do this amount of chemo again.

Above all, we are grateful to God for how well Brady has tolerated his treatments.

I asked Brady how he would describe his time on chemotherapy. He used the words ineffectual and annoying. Hahaha! Honestly, I see where he is coming from. I don’t want to seem indifferent, but I’d like to be blunt. Please hear my heart.

There is NO WAY to know if Brady’s chemo treatments are working. Our surgeon had told us with confidence that he felt he had gotten all of Brady’s tumour out. When it was tested as a grade two tumour, he stood behind that. Then someone in the states tested and said it was grade four. And apparently, if it is indeed grade four, there is no possible way anyone could have removed it all. So the chemo is treating the hypothetical cancer cells that could or could not still be disrupted. So. There is absolutely nothing to look look at. There is nothing that bloodwork will show in terms of cancer. The treatment could mess up his blood, but there is nothing in the blood to indicate how his “cancer” is. So in that way, the chemo treatments feel completely useless. But 🤷‍♀️ We’re in it!

For six months of chemo, there aren’t many side effects to show for it. I’ve mentioned them before, but to roll it all into one quick paragraph, I’ll recap. While Brady is actually taking his chemo pills, he has a lesser appetite than usual, and he is a little more tired than usual. No extreme fatigue or nausea, thankfully. He also says the pills taste super bad. They taste like metal. Since starting chemo, the longer term side effects he’s experienced are few, but notable. Brady has a sticky throat now, meaning certain foods have a hard time travelling down, and he has to drink water with every bite or two. From that, he gets heartburn a little bit more often. Lastly, and not unexpectedly, Bradys hair is thinning. Its really too bad, but its not falling out by the handful like many chemo patients experience. I think a short haircut is coming in his near future. But I think he’ll be so happy to have it short and easy for a while 🙂 And the curls will tighten up and hide the thinning a little bit.

We are beyond grateful that this is as “bad” as its gotten. God has not left us, and that is undeniable. I trust He will continue to cover us with peace, and also with His protection. Please continue to pray along with us as we jump into the second half of these treatments.

I have to say, friends, I had the most fun I have ever had at Value Village today. As you know, I don’t exactly have a slush fund these days, but after a bit of a rougher day yesterday, Cher asked if I’d like to go, just for fun, and maybe find a few things I really needed, or even some Christmas gifts. We got there this morning right as it was opening, and it was hoppin’! It was amazingly full for being there right at 10am! But we rolled with it and joined the thrifty fray.

The first thing I found was a big pan. Its basically a full sized cookie sheet but with taller sides. As our kids eat more and more (they only get cheaper as they age, right?) we are in need of bigger cookware, so I picked it up. I figured, if I was wrong and we didn’t actually end up using it, it would work beautifully as a pan for the BBQ at the lake. It was only $4!

Also in the kitchen stuff, I found four $2 items that will be really nice to have.

One of the items is a pointy noodle serving spoon. We only have one, and we’ve caught ourselves really wanting a second one in times where we fall behind on dishes. I found one from Twisted Goods that is an upside-down dinosaur head, and the teeth help hold the noodles. The kids will be STOKED. And its cheap, so I’m happy.

I also got a ladle, because at home we have a GIANT ladle, and then a gravy scoop, and nothing in between, which is what we most often need. So, win. Cheap.

I got a square cow that holds kraft singles so they don’t fly around the fridge the way they do now. Both tidy and hilarious and cheap.

And I bought myself a glass. Ok, I’m actually pretty sure its a small vase, but its bright and purple and floral and I love it, and I am in for any gimmick that might convince myself to drink water. Bring it on, purple cup!

I bought Brady a really nice plaid flannel shirt. See, we had plans this winter, of finally heating our garage, and Brady set up shop to do his woodworking in there. Unfortunately, as we talk about moving, we are thinking less and less about improving our current place. So in the meantime, the space heater pumps, and Brady dresses a little warmer. With that, I wanted him to have some nice shirts that could be work shirts but also still look like him. This one is beautiful, and I got it for $5.49.

Onto the really, really good stuff!

Christmas gifts!!! Thriftmas! I found really really cute pajama pants for three of the kids so far. I made a point to look solely for the things I think the kids would like, not necessarily what I would like. I found for Laela, Rowan, and Solomon.

I was super happy with these!! Every year, we try and get the kids all matching onesies, but its a pretty expensive endeavour, and frankly, they’re really annoying to figure out whose is whose in the laundry. So jammie pants it is!

I found a hammer for Dekker for Christmas. Don’t tell him!!! Its a little smaller than average, and its hulky and heavy. Brady is going to clean it up really nice for him, and I know he will be SO excited!!!

Last but absolutely not even close to least is a shower chair for Brady!!!!!

Now this might not seem like a big deal to you, but hear me out.

Since Brady has had his surgery, he has obviously become connected to Saskabilities in Saskatoon. This should surprise no one. Saskabilities works with people of many abilities, and “lends” them what they need to make life easier, or at least as far as public health goes. Fun fact. Public health does not supply grab bars. Bizarre, right?? Anyway, they provided Brady with a shower bench when he came home. It was gigantic. It was legitimately bigger than our bathtub. It also wasn’t tall enough to fit over the side of our super standard tub/shower combo. We actually had to have a stack of a couple 2x6s under one side for it to work. Which took up yet more space in our small main bathroom. It was pretty ridiculous. He finally got so frustrated with it, we moved it to the garage and he chose to shower on the floor of the tub. I could rant a whole bunch, but it was clear right away that Brady did not need a whole bench with the amount of strength and mobility he still has.

Except.

Public health supplies benches. But not chairs. Its a bench or its nothing. So we looked into buying a shower chair, and would you believe they are CRAZY EXPENSIVE?! THEY ARE!!!

Today, I found this shower chair at Value Village. We will obviously clean it, don’t worry, but it is in excellent shape and is exactly what we need.

It was $7.

At Home Depot, this exact shower chair is…

$80!!!! EIGHTY! DOLLARS!

It makes me feel like crying. People have no idea what its like to suddenly be faced with such a gigantic change, and how absurd so much of it is. The hoops they expect people (who can’t jump) to jump through is just incredible, and not in the good way. I don’t know who “they” is, and I’m not trying to make some big statement, but I wish the right people could see some of this. To grasp the excitement that came with finding this shower chair today. Such a “nothing” purchase. But it gives Brady comfort and freedom. He doesn’t have to see me struggle to find where to set it during the kids bath time, as it pours water its holding all over the floor.

A grown man should NOT have to sit in the bottom of his tub and hose himself off like a dog. Yet he does, happily, and humbly. But I want him to have more dignity than that. And hey, saving $73 doesn’t hurt!

That turned into a whole thing. Whew! I am SO happy with our shower chair! I am SO happy to have found FOUR Christmas presents! And I am SO happy I got to spend a morning out with Cher 💜 With no deadlines, no lofty goals, and nowhere else to be. It was a nice, light morning. Thank you, Lord, for today.

I had a phone appointment with my doctor last week to look at my medication and see what we can do next. If you don’t remember, I’m on a handful of different things to manage my shiny new off-the-wall anxiety, and we’re working towards getting my quality of life back with far less medication. I have no regrets, to be clear. I was desperate, and we treated symptoms as needed until I was ready to talk BIG changes. For the last month, we’ve been working on getting me off of some things, and onto another. The new med should cover ALL the bases, and be the only pill I need. Thats the hope, anyway.

In the last month, I was able to ween completely off my sleeping pill!!! This is a HUGE victory!! I have not taken it over the last week or two, and I am still sleeping comfortably. I have experienced some withdrawal along the way, and my doctor has warned me I might still have some side effects over over the next month. I’m not afraid 🙂 I am SO happy to be off that one. Thank you, Lord!

As previous discussed, the next thing was to go down on my antidepressant. Don’t worry, guys, I know I still need one. Just switching to the new one 😉 However, I was quite discouraged, and honestly, disappointed with myself, because during my call with my doctor, it became clear that she didn’t believe I was ready to go off of it yet. I listened to her reasoning, understood it for myself, and had my cry after the call. Now that I’m a little further from it, I can really grasp it, and it just makes me so much more thankful for my doctor.

Her reasoning began with me telling her that I still have heartburn attacks that come out of nowhere and hit hard. She didn’t like that very much, and asked me a bunch of questions about what I eat and drink, and when I do those things. It came to light very quickly that, as embarrassing as it sounds, I have to relearn food. Its like I’m a child, and I need a parent to make me eat properly and help me know what I need. Remember, I have lost a lot of weight and have struggled to keep food down all year. Now, with my new medication, my appetite is normal again, and I am actually hungry for meals! So I eat more, obviously, and now my body is feeling things that are normal for everyone, but new to me.

I shouldn’t wait 8 hrs between meals, surviving only on coffee. Eating after the kids go to bed is cool, but I have to eat in the middle there. 3:00 ish. That is a perfect explanation for why I’m suffering from large dips in my mood and energy in the evenings.

Also, I have started drinking significantly more coffee since Brady came home. He drinks more than me in general, so when he brews more, or pours himself more, I have more, too. And that, along with not eating or drinking properly, is really messing me up.

Blood sugar is important to know about.

Caffeine is important to know about.

The decisions I make today will affect me tomorrow. If I make poor food and drink choices today, I could very well have heartburn the next morning. That makes perfect sense.

With this all considered, though, Dr. Guselle doesn’t want me to change ALL my food habits while I’m trying to get off of an antidepressant. So that, unfortunately, is on hold. I was a little devastated, having not met the appropriate guidelines. I felt like I had failed.

But!! How AMAZING is it to have a family doctor who actually talks about diet as an important part of our health?! She was so loving to me, saying she didn’t want my body to have to suffer harder than it needed to at any given time. She knows I don’t have it in me to “power through” the way I want to. She said she knows coffee is more of a ritual for me than a desperate need for energy, and she really does not want to take that from us. “Does it still count as hanging out if you’re drinking decaf?” she asked. I thought that was really cute 🙂 And yes, it does still count!

So. This is what I’ve been working on.

In the morning, before the kids get up, Brady and I always have coffee in bed. Now, I have boost instead. I survived on boost while Brady was in the hospital, and I can tell you that there is a place for meal replacement drinks. Boost doesn’t taste funny or grainy, and is a really fitting thing to have in the morning. So, first thing, I have a meal replacement drink. Brady has a coffee, but I’m too drowsy to be offended, haha!

Then, I have something in me when I take my morning meds, and I have some energy to get the kids up and going.

Once they leave, we usually have another coffee together. So we still do that, but thats my first cup. I make a point to eat something with it. Toast, usually. Simple food, because I still don’t care too too much about food.

After lunch is nap time for the little ones. Thats usually when Brady and I have our lunch. So we eat, and drink water. Its after nap time that I usually would have more coffee. This coffee has become a “hit or miss” coffee, because I know its good to cut back, but I also really enjoy it! So usually after 3:00ish, I find something to drink that isn’t water. Maybe its a decaf something. Or chocolate milk. Or maybe nothing. If I’m feeling super draggy, I do allow myself another coffee. This would be my second cup of coffee of the day, if I have it. If we eat at a normal supper time with the kids, then I don’t have a snack with my coffee. If we’re going to eat later, I will make sure I eat something with my coffee. And not just something tiny like a cheese string. Maybe a granola bar, or a small serving of leftovers. But something that my body and brain can use to make it to the end of the day without completely frying.

And guys, its working 🙂 I’m still taking my heartburn medication as I was before, but I haven’t had an overpowering attack in a while. I had been back to taking my emergency nausea medication every morning for heartburn, and I haven’t had to since this change. So there is marked improvement.

I have hopes of being heartburn free someday in my future. Even this year. Maybe in this coming month. That is my ideal. But the pressure is off, because I know I’m being healthy and learning how to listen to my body. I didn’t for so long, I think it just stopped talking to me. Then when it started again, it yelled. But it had every right to want to be heard.

I’m with it now. Finally. Its been a long time coming, but I’m here. We just have to get my stomach acid listening to reason, as I’m finally giving it food to eat rather than my own insides. I know I’m late to the game, and I have to pay for my choices, but I hope the wrath of the burn is almost over so I can finally move forward.

I did not expect the crazy amount of love yesterday’s post got! Thank you so much, friends, for caring so deeply about us 💜 Knowing we have so many beautiful people in our corner is unbelievable. As you know, you got the whole low down of our secrets yesterday after we had officially had hit a wall. And you guys broke that wall down and gave us further hope! This isn’t over yet!!

I wanted to keep everyone in the loop, in a way, and talk about what came up in your responses, in case someone can pull ideas from someone else’s ideas. Also, just to regroup a bit.

There was actually a handful of people who mentioned a gofundme. First of all, you are SO lovely to even consider that 💜Here is the thing. We could avoid the income issue this way, because we’d apply for a different kind of mortgage that is based more on assets than income. That is possible. BUT, we would have to receive sooooo muuuuuch moneeeeey! It seems it would be next to impossible :/ Forget the fact that if we ever actually get into the next house, we’ll actually be in a better financial position there than we are here. But still, a gofundme/crowd funding campaign would have to bring in a LOT. That being said, in that same ballpark of ideas, it was mentioned to us that we could apply for grants through localish charities. Apparently many charities carry grants, and often have a hard time actually giving them out. But they’re unadvertised. So 🤷‍♀️I’m not sure what a person is to do. I’m googling like crazy and its easy to find pages to donate to, but to actually receive is a lot harder to find, and honestly, feels a lot worse to look and press for :/ So while this avenue could work, we’d be asking for a LOT.

Another direction is going to get a job! Lol! Yes, this is the most logical idea. Brady would be more than willing to go back to work. Yet, he would be saving us a fortune by contracting his own house, and that on top of chemo, rehab, etc. would be a lot on one guy. It would have to be a pretty perfect, flexible position. In the other direction, yes, I could absolutely get a job, too. Ideally a home job. Transcription and data entry were both mentioned to me, and I would be MORE than game for either! I believe medical transcription requires schooling, though, and its next to impossible to find a data entry job that isn’t a scam. Help? Anyone? I could get a job out of the house, leaving Brady with all the child care, contracting, appointments, etc. This would be fine, but it is not the ideal for either of us. I would be sad being away, and he would be sad being at home. Its doable, if its the only way, but it would be a hard choice to make.

A couple of interesting loopholes have been pointed out to us which we are in the process of investigating, so we’ll share more about those if they come to fruition.

In the meantime, please friends, ANY idea or lead or tidbit you feel inclined to share, please do so. We have a big list of things to look up, look into, people to contact, questions to ask, etc etc etc. Grow that list! Chanted in full “ring those phones” style! Oh guys, did I tell you Telemiracle came and interviewed us and made a whole tv spot about Brady?

Ya that was a whole thing! Hahaha! It was really fun, though 🙂 The kids loved it. The whole team fit in super well around here.

Anyway, please continue to pray and plan with us. Its not over. There is still hope. There is still time. We know we cannot rush God’s timing, but the lot we want will not last, and we cannot build our hefty, extra wide bungalow on one of these skinny little lots in the new area.

God knows these things. His timing is perfect.

We’ve been keeping things under wraps for a while, but its time to tell you guys where our heads and hearts have been for the last while. Our dream feels next to impossible, and it will only come to fruition if God wants it to. Its time for us to ask our people to put their heads together with us to brainstorm, pray, and also dream!

As I mentioned a while ago, we have begun talking seriously about moving. Having just about everything on one floor would make life SO much easier, and give him the independence that he is being held back from. We are not looking for our old normal back, but Brady is capable of so much, and he wants to do things, and right now the only thing standing between us and the normalcy we are seeking is this beautiful house and all the bloody stairs.

We did our research and found a beautiful, affordable lot. We researched floor plans and planned out the perfect accessible house that we could actually afford. We met with a realtor a handful of times, talked prices, and took those numbers to our mortgage broker. It was all looking so good. We have two years of tax returns that look great, and once Brady was done contracting the house (which is WELL within his grasp) he would find a job, and we could get on with our lives SO much more comfortably! We could even have this all done before summer, so we wouldn’t have to miss any lake time.

It all sounds great, hey?

Except the mortgage application process has changed, and because Brady’s work was owned outright by himself, they want proof of his last three months of income. And obviously, we don’t have that. Our mortgage broker is very well known and established, and she has made a case for us for weeks, but alas, we are too high risk for lenders. We cannot show any income from the last three months, so because of that, for anyone to even look at us, they need Brady or I to have PROOF of a FULL TIME permanent job, minimum 39 hours per week, making over 45K per year. Without this, we are out of luck.

As if thats not enough, here’s the kicker. If Brady were to be the one who went out to get a job, he could very easily lose his disability payments. Because he would be capable. Yet he will always have a disability. So in that case, if he went back to work and lost his disability payments, he’d need to make not only 45K, but closer to 80K. Which is a bigger ask.

Also, if either of us go back to work, contracting a home build would be next to impossible, being that we have children who stay home still, and the “home” parent would have to be on site much of the time.

So to recap, hypothetically. Brady goes back to work. Has to make twice as much money. And then has to pay more for his house because he can’t contract it. In which case we’d have to make yet MORE money.

*sigh*

We have calls in all over the place to see what actually happens when a person on disability goes back to work. If its true that he will lose his payments, the only way for us to move is for me to suddenly get full time work, which is possible but also a HUGE change in our life. I would need mad flexibility. And while Brady is an incredible dad and is actually quite happy being home more, he aches to be out, working, being productive, making money, supporting his family in that way. He can’t just jump back into being a contractor again, though, for obvious reasons.

If I go back to work, we will both be far less happy. There has to be another way.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand why we’re a risky choice for a lender. Who wants a new mortgage when they have basically no income? And who is stupid enough to give it to them?? I do see it. But we also didn’t choose this. Navigating this is completely new territory, and its not feeling hopeful at all.

Its not about how much money we have. Its not about affording to buy the house.
Its about income. Its about paying for the mortgage here on out.

I’m not asking for handouts. Please hear me. I am asking for brainstorming. I am asking for prayer. For wisdom. For help. What have we missed? What would you do? Surely we’re not the only people who have been in this boat before.

There you have it. All the secrets. All the worry. Its all out there now. Please pray with us.

Cher graced us with her presence this morning for java and chats. She hung out with the kids for a little so Brady and I could take a phone appointment together. As you probably know, Halloween is coming up, so the costumes are out in full force.

Terrifying, I know.

Once the kids were down for naps, the three of us gathered some good snacks and headed out to the garage for the crafternoon. We brought out with us fresh veggies and dill dip, pizza buns, crackers, cheese and meat, and cookies. Fun fact. Pizza buns dipped in dill dip is exquisite.

We worked for a couple solid hours. We each had our own little station.

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Cher carved. Brady sanded. I crocheted. Surprised? Nah.

We listened to Christmas music, ate snacks, and enjoyed each other’s company. It was a pretty chill time, for which I am so grateful 💜Thank you Lord for these people.

The quiet relaxation came to a roaring halt when the kids came home from school. A VERY exciting event had taken place today!

We haven’t had a lost tooth in a LONG time! This kid is overdue to lose some more teeth finally, and now that he has, I have my own personal jack-o-lantern.

Whew. I am so tired. Its going to be an early night tonight.

Goodnight, friends!

I mean, enjoy your supper…

My belated birthday present finally arrived!! I mulled between a yarn ball winder and new crochet hooks for a good long while, and I still would like both. I decided to go for the ball winder for now, and you’d better believe the hooks will go on my Christmas list!

I ordered the ball winder almost a month ago, and it FINALLY arrived this morning!

Needless to say, I was stoked. STOKED.

It’s called a Stanwood Needlecraft Yarn Winder, and it looks like this.

It rolls yarn into approximately 4 oz “cakes” which, in crochet terms, is a ball that is flat on the top and bottom, so it doesn’t roll away the way a ball does.

A quick overview of how it works for those of you who care about yarn, hahaha!

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The yarn is fed through the little eye on the end of the arm (there’s a mental picture for you) and slipped into this little slice at the top of the yarn holder. Then, you can hold the yarn winder or use the clamp under it to attach it to a table. And then you operate the crank by hand/ And it works!! There is no rule about putting the yarn ball itself in a container, but I guarantee it’ll make your life easier. Otherwise it sticks on stuff, picks up hair, etc. This little simple system works beautifully for me!

Its a little addictive, even…

I can confidently say these will take up more space than a tightly wound ball but they will stack so nicely, and they won’t roll away when I use them! They will look SO pretty on my shelf. WAY nicer than a rubbermaid tub.

All in all, I am SO happy with this ball winder!! I have zero regrets on my choice to purchase it.

Aaaaand for the next few days, if you need to find me, I will be holed up somewhere, playing with my new toy.

It was not our smoothest morning. Amidst the basic everyday busyness of getting the kids out the door to school, we had a couple of extras on top. Kids cut a few corners so they had to go back and redo a couple of things they don’t usually. Then Rowan was mad to need his toque and mini mitts, and got all huffy at me, and then it took foreverrrrruuuhhh to dig them out of his backpack. Then a mitt was lost, and then it wasn’t anymore. And then he forgot to repack the things he had emptied out. And THEN he wiped out on our ramp. We need to find a solution to that, lol! Aaaaanyway, it was a whole thing, and it took forever to get the kids out the door. Seriously. Forever.

When it finally happened, we took a little breather and invited Cher for a quick coffee before we had all had to run to our respective locations.

Getting out the door is not our strong suit, and we ended up running a bit behind to Brady’s blood appointment.

The van wasn’t even stopped when I whipped out the passengers side, unloaded Brady’s chair, and ran it to his side of the van. He went in so fast, I looked down for a second and didn’t even see him go into the building.

I was getting settled in to crochet for a little bit when Brady texted me that we had forgotten his blood requisition at home. *sigh* Of all things, where everything in the world is going paperless, we still need a hard copy of his blood form. Yes, it CAN be faxed, but it changes every month and the cancer centre just mails us one. So, its on us, and we dropped the ball.

Brady was already late for his appointment, and then didn’t even have what he needed. He ducked out of the lab and called the cancer centre. They told him they would send it immediately.

And they did! Aaaaand the lady at the front desk of the blood lab saved his spot in line, so he didn’t get bumped to a walk-in spot. Isn’t that nice? Usually, its very much a “you snooze you lose” scenario. This was very generous of them. It was such a relief not to lose that time.

We made it home in good time, as though we were never late at all. Brady got his bloodwork done, and I made two dish scrubbies. Its not a lot but it helps qualify our morning as productive. This afternoon holds lunch, more crocheting, and a phone appointment.

So. Many. Appointments.
So. Many. Doctors.

So. Much. To be grateful for.