Saying Goodbye

Our birthday exciement was tragically interrupted last week.  Monday, Sadie nipped at Snickers over a piece of stolen food  He eneded up getting bit around his muzzle with a small puncture wound.  Tuesday found us at the vet for an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory for the terrible swelling.   

We made return trips on Thursday and Friday for more help as his ability to eat and drink were compromised due to pain, and his condition continued to worsen.  Through it all, and with each car ride, he was sweet and compliant, happy to just watch out the window, and very agreeable despite all of the painful prodding.

Late Friday night, we made a decision that he needed further help as we noticed his breathing becoming a little labored, so he and I headed to the new emergency vet nearby were I stayed in the parking lot til after 2am to learn that the vet thought an overnight stay and some different treatments would help.  The kids awoke Saturday morning with the younger two unaware he had been taken to the hospital.  We recevied a call from another vet that morning indicating more time was needed, that he was less inclined to eat and had had a seizure, but that we could come and visit.  So, about 10:30that morning our family arrived for a visit with Snickers.  Over the short time of our visit it became clear he was not doing well, and sadly passed away while we were holding and with him that morning, despite all efforts to help.

This has been a devastating blow to our family, still grieving the loss of Barb, and now the so many questions that cannot be answered about Snickers.  We were able to bring him home with us and Daddy spent Saturday melting the ground so a hole could be dug for his burial.  Sunday morning, after many tears and hesitation and lots of pets, we had to make another huge step toward saying goodbye by placing him in a special made box, adding in his favorite things, and placing him to rest beside Barb.

The kids were allowed to handle and participate in any way they felt led, but not forced to do anything they were not comfortable with.

As we grieve and nurse the hurts of our heart at the loss of such a sweet dispositioned, fun and enternaining part of our family with the loss of Snickers, it's hard not to feel so many emotions and even fatigue at the prospect of doing this all again only 4 months after losing Barb.  We certainly have lost a dear friend once again, but rest in knowing he is now pain free and binky in Heaven.

It's Birthday Time!

 I'm not sure how, but we have made it through another year, and reached the point where the chain of birthday celebrations begin.  First off in 2022, we celebrate our "Birthday Twins", Alora & Elam!  It's a big year for both of them - 10 and 5 years!

On January 28th, their birthday, the kids woke up to find bows hidden all around the house with money attached to them, with much help from their sisters.  

Later in the day, with much anticipation, the kids finally got to open their gifts from our family!  Elam was thrilled to get a bow & arrow, Cars character shirts, a Hot Wheels shark track and color changing cars, his 5 year old doll and a car painting set.

Alora was thrilled to open a wood carving set, a Lego Friends airplane, her 10 year old doll, a horse painting set, a devotional and some horse slippers.

That night, we headed to the Sebrights house to extend the birthday celebration with our friends.  We brought along a cookie cake for a treat, which we enjoyed after the kids opened their gifts - a horse necklace from the Poldermans and a horse light from the Sebrights for Alora; a Cars light from the Sebrights and a train book from the Poldermans for Elam.

We waded through an emotionally difficult weekend following their birthday with the sudden and unexpected loss of Snickers that clouded a lot of the birthday celebrating and fun.  However, we were able to find some cheer in celebrating on Sunday at Great Grandma's house with Opa and Oma joining us for lunch and birthday fun. Grandpa and Grandma joined us via Facetime from Florida for gift opening and the cake reveal.

Elam opened a construction vehicle building set, lego set, puzzle, rocket launch toy and more!  

Alora received books, a puzzle, craft sets, a lion blanket and fences for her stable among many other gifts.

This year, the cake was a combined effort.  Elam's half sported Radiator Springs with some of his favorite Cars characters, including Mator and Lightning McQueen.  Alora's half was a lush pasture with horses.

January Drags On

 Running a bit behind this month...

Two weeks ago, the kids set to spreading some sunshine when we visited Great Grandma.  They built a big, cheerful snowman/lady right outside her big picture window

And she LOVED it!

Then they continued their cheer spreading, snow building fun by heading to Uncle Ryan and Aunt Nancy's to build them a snowman, and then to Tara and Vance's new house under constructio to build a snow deer.

They were thrilled when we returned last week to find their snow sculptures still standing!

Around home, we've been doing our best to stay warm, and the cats have been on board with the warm and snuggly set up.

While Daddy is over the worst of his cold, the cough continues at night, so he's been remaining out of the bedroom, and the kids have fully moved in for a month-long sleep over.  Some mornings they wake early and set to entertaining themselves.  One morning, I found Elam and Tierney snuggled under a blanket together, soaking up the sunchine.

The kids have also been prone to close proximity when watching movies.  We're all cold!

We have had quite a few very low temperature days around here, the kind where the trees glitter in the sunlight, so deceptively beautiful to see from inside, but not to experience outside the house.  Even the kids, who are normally prone to finding fun in the snow have been hesitant to brave the breezy weather that keeps sticking around. 

Last Monday we had 4H and Ezri was suprised with the opportunity to re-unite with Stormie when Uncle Don asked her to demonstrate how to show a chicken to the rest of the club. She loved seeing her chicken again and did a really great job remembering everything she had learned in the fall.  It was a very fun night for her!

Last week was a big scramble of activity for us as we prepared for Mommy to be gone on Wednesday to help with Kathy's surgery, which was then rescheduled to Friday after we had already re-arranged our school schedule and our visit with Great Grandma.  So, they ended up with 2 days off of school for their hard work ahead of our schedule, getting extra stuff done early in the week to account for needing to change our school week.  We got to visit with Great Grandma on Tuesday instead, and Friday, after MOPs, they spent time with Daddy while I accompanied Kathy to the hospital, where I stayed until her procedure was finished later that night.  Then we returned to her house to see our families and get her setlled in to recover.

Saturday morning, after returning home from sleeping at Kathy's, I got back into the swing of things at home and our morning was spent doing some catch up before heading out into a very cold and windy Saturday afteernoon of sledding for a 4H party at Uncle Don and Aunt Peggy's house.  It ended up being just cousins who joined in, so it was maybe more fun because the kids all had a great time playing with their cousins/2nd cousins.  That night, after we got home and warmed up, I was out the door again for a mom night with some MOPS friends.  Sunday brought a welcomed day of laying low at home and time together.

We are looking ahead to some birthday celebrations this week as Alora and Elam will soon be celebrating another year!