Hanging out

Today is a pajama day. We are just having a low key, TV watching, sit and relax sort of day. We even had chicken noodle soup for lunch. An old fashioned comfort day. We had a pretty crazy weekend so we are just taking it easy today. We are all doing well. I thought I was coming down with the house cold on Saturday but thankfully it seems to have passed me by.

You would all be really quite shocked at how normal my life with the kids is. There are a few odd things of course- like the fact that I have the pharmacy on speed dial - but on the whole we have an average existence. I actually make a point of not trying to obsess about Bronwyn's condition - which sometimes is easier than others. Today it was easy - she is such a sweet girl and it can be so easy to forget that she has such a serious condition. While I was holding her today she sat with her tongue out and a silly grin on her face - wow is she like her dad! Ha.

Gavin's new favourite song is "The Wheel's on the bus". Take it from Mommy this song NEVER gets old. Just super!

I am fairly careful not to see brilliance and brag about it in my kids - but I dunno he really does seem to be fairly artistic. He very intentionally draws, of course it looks nothing like what he says it is but he is trying to draw things. Of course Mommy ends up looking dumb because she can't tell what it is! Silly Mommy - as Gavin says.

So you see my life is very much the life of your average Mom of two kids - I just have more of a reason when I jump up in the night and check her heart rate (admit it - you do it too).

For now we sit at home living our average life waiting for a new surgery date.

Happy 40th Jonny

Today is my brother's 40th birthday - holy smackers that is old and to think you don't look a day over 39!

Happy birthday Jon (or as Robbie says - brudder).

Sunny day

Wow it is amazing what a sunny nice day can do for your spirits. It is a bit too windy to take Bronwyn out for a walk but it is beautiful. We were just out to Hope's for lunch. Gavin played outside with Hunter for a while. That has been one of my biggest challenges get outside time for Gavin in a way that fits with Bronwyn's needs. Mel and Cadence were there too - so it was a house full of kids and babies - whooo hooo.

Bronwyn seems to be symptom free so I am just starting to count down now. She loves to chew on her toes - changing her diaper is difficult because as soon as it comes off up her feet go and she has a hand around each foot and her big toe in her mouth. So cute! Gavin never did that - I think he was too chubby!

Well - I best go the little one is stirring.

In waiting

For now we are just hanging out waiting for Bronwyn to be symptom free. She really hasn't been very sick at all - just a touch of a cold. I hope tomorrow that she will be pretty free and clear so I can start counting out the days.

I was waiting until we got back to Edmonton so I could give an update on Quinn. I was hoping I'd have a chance to see him and report on my own findings - but alas that has to wait. The word I have from his Mom however, is that his heart is holding strong. He is running into some bumps on the road to recovery - but this is apparently quite normal for a little guy who has waited so long for a heart. We just continue to pray for him and for all the doctors who are caring for him.

The other person I have been thinking about this weekend is my Grandpa Bailey. He is moving into an old folks home in Midale tomorrow. Aunt Mary has been looking after him since my Grandma passed away. I could write for a long time on just how amazing my Aunt Mary and Uncle Bill have been - but those of you who know them understand. Lets just say I am so proud of them for caring for Grandpa's physical and emotional needs so well. I am also very proud that they had the strength to make the choice to move him when his needs required it.

One of my favourite mental images of my Grandpa is him sitting in a chair upright, slightly leaning forward with the newspaper in his hand and a pencil as he worked on the crossword puzzle. Often his tongue would be sticking out the side of his mouth as he worked it out. My Grandpa had a keen intellect and a love of people and God. He is an absolute tower of strength and wisdom in my world as well as a source of great joy.

I love you Grandpa!

To clarify

My last post was so brief that I realize now that many of you are unsure or where we are or what happened.

We are in Calgary - we were literally an hour or so away from leaving when I phoned the coordinator in Edmonton. When I said Bronwyn was getting a bit of a cold they cancelled her surgery immediately. There wasn't any questions of how bad or when it started - it was immediate - no surgery.

We now have to wait and call them back when she has been symptom free for a week. Then they will rebook with in the next couple weeks.

The important thing is that her overall health is great and she can sustain this wait. I was of course discouraged but I am now much more rational about it. It felt like a set back at first but now considering how sick we all are here it is a blessing. We will all (particularly Wes & I) be able to handle surgery and everything it entails better if we are all healthy and on the top of our game.

I have rarely through this process felt so overwhelmed that I just couldn't face one more problem. When we first found out about her condition I felt that way and when I couldn't hold her for the first couple days I felt that way too. But as in both of those situations yesterday God provided the help and support that I required to handle what was on my plate. Whether it was a well timed call from a couple supporting and loving friends or the amazing support of my parents and family - God had it covered. I occasionally feel so overwhelmed at how incredibly lucky I am to be surrounded by such care and concern.

We (me and my tapeworm) are good and once again in a better frame of mind.

False start

Bronwyn has Gavin's cold - her surgery has been postponed. At the moment I feel devastated. I need some time and some sleep to feel better about this.

I also need some coffee!

Here we go... again

Well tomorrow I head off to Edmonton with the kids. My parents are going with me tomorrow. Wes will follow at some point this weekend. It is a familiar trip and yet a very different experience this time.

Last time when we headed to Edmonton to wait for Bronwyn's birth we knew we were having a girl. We did not know however just what a lovely little girl she would be. We didn't know if she would live to have surgery or live through the surgery. We did know that we desired to have her as part of are family.

I felt a great deal more uncertainty as I headed north last time. This time I have less anxiety but I do feel that we have more to loose. There really is not a good time to loose a baby. We are anxious and desirous that all go well and that we can bring our baby home safe and sound in a couple weeks time.

I am, however unsure the above statement sounds, completely confident that God has us in his grasp. He has given us a wonderful few months and Bronwyn has done so very well so far. I truly believe that he will hold us all safe through this next phase.

I ask that if you pray please pray for us as we face this next challenge. (You could also pray for Gavin as he has reach the end of his mother's patience this evening!)

I will do my best to keep you all posted.

Spaghetti and more

The picture of Gavin was taken the other night at the end of dinner. After he had enough to eat he discovered the other use for spaghetti - skin care.

I love this picture of Bronwyn in her sooo cute tights - she looks like she is kick boxing. After all Wes does love to watch ultimate fighter.

We are having a bit of drama today. Gavin had his flu shot yesterday and now today he seems to have the flu. He is throwing up. I don't know if this is a side effect of the flu shot or if he just happened to catch something around the same time. He is miserable and I am trying to keep little Missy away from the action. I have been washing everything he throws up on with bleach (including him - bad mommy eh?) and I have been dousing everyone with that antibacterial stuff. I am so worried that Bronwyn may catch something. I am more worried than normal because if she gets sick they may postpone her surgery!

We will just take it as it comes though. There is nothing to be gained by worrying about it. If she gets sick well - we will just deal with it. But for now I am praying that she doesn't.

She is such a grabber these days - she tries to grab everything. I have to be careful if I am holding her at the table because she'll pull my plate right of the table if I'm not cautious.

Gotta run - little guy is calling.

Surgery date

We have a surgery date. January 22nd. This surgery is called the Glenn. It is another open heart surgery but is slightly less complicated than the last surgery. They are going to attach her superior vena cava to the pulmonary artery so that the blue blood will flow passively to the lungs before being directed to the heart. This will alleviate some strain from her heart. It should also cause her oxygen saturations to be more stable.

While we are nervous about having her go through another rather large ordeal we are also very excited to get this next step over. I personally have nothing of the fear that I had before she was born. Our familiarity with the hospital, the system and our daughter's nature have made me far more confident moving into this next phase.

We do ask, however, that those of you who do pray, please pray for Bronwyn and the rest of the family. We have enjoyed our daughter so much and we want to continue on as family.

I can't help myself

OK I am going to tell a story that isn't mine to tell but I just can't help myself. My mom and I have been laughing for days over a story my sister-in-law told us about her son - Robbie. Robbie is about 3 and a half and recently he was at a birthday party for the daughter of one of Cindy's friends. This little one year old - Sydney is just learning to walk. She staggered over to Robbie and started to grab him to steady herself. He pushed her away. When his Mom exclaimed "Robbie!" He responded, "She started it."

Isn't that the funniest thing! It has amused me almost as much as that clip of Joe Namath trying to kiss the lady interviewing him. Ha - that was a few years ago. Both Mom and I agree that my Grandma Bailey would have loved that - she would have fallen over laughing. For those of you who never knew my Grandma I am not exaggerating when I say she would fall over laughing!

Of course

I don't have much time, the kids will be up and around any minute. My lovely little family loves to sleep in! Yeah for Mommy!

So I quickly have to tell how my son frequently says "Of course." He uses it like yes. Do you want some breakfast - of course. Do you want to watch pooh - of course. Did you wake up your sister - of course. It is so funny to me because I don't think we say "of course" all that much. I can't really even pinpoint why it is such a major part of his current vocabulary. With other words such as "not" I completely understand where he gets it. He uses "not" as a more firm and definite "no." If I try to take something away from him he yells - no no no - NOT. I think this is because I say no A LOT (you would too if you had a two year old), but I only pull out the not word when I am really serious. So phrases like - you will not stand on the back of the chair, you will not feed your sister, you do not hit mommy - are not common but they come out when necessary. So hears not - its the of course business that I can't figure out.

Got to run - he's up - OF COURSE!