There is SO much to tell about this weekend and I am SPENT and not up for it at ALL right now 🤣 But here is what I can tell you.

There is one one else I would rather road trip with,

rather spend a night in a hotel with eight children with,

rather wrangle them all at a pool with,

rather pack, unpack, repack, and load up with,

experience all the firsts with,

meet birth parents with,

choose music with,

eat burgers with,

have car trouble with,

disappoint the kids with,

get home late with,

and climb into bed at the end of the day with,

than you 💜

What a wild weekend! 😅 I am SO grateful to have spent it with you 💜

Let’s recap some of our gooders 🤣

Our years together have been LARGE and OUT of control 🤣 But there has been NO bailing. It would’ve been easier to give up on our family, for sure, but the fact that she has stuck it out speaks volumes. We are NOT easy. I am not easy. But we have a trust that is unbreakable.

I have said it for years – we are very different people. Our lives couldn’t be more different. But our hearts are the same 💜

Lots of things are really serious, but lots aren’t. We have a LOT of fun.

We made a little time for a galentine’s day coffee and presents date 💜 She won. For sure.

I could never even come close to such a gift 💜💜💜 Thank you, dear girl. I’m floored.

We will take a little breather over an early lunch to have some Stranger Things waffles and Love is Blind. We both have VERY busy weekends ahead, so now is the time to get some bestie moments in!

Relationships with spouses are really cool. But DO NOT forget your close friends!! Doesn’t have to be on Valentine’s or Galentine’s. But just, don’t forget! Its fun to make a little fuss once in a while 😘

I love you, beautiful Cherice. My BEST friend 💜💚🧡 Have a great night away!! I miss you alreadyyyyy!!!

Happy Galentine’s Day, Chairiss 😘

I have this oddly vivid memory from when I was still in a crib. I don’t know if my mom will remember it, but I’m sure I’ll know soon 😂

I remember standing in my crib, preparing to go down for a nap. My mom had stepped out of the room and when she came back, I handed her a gross long booger. As the fairly unflappable mom she was, she took it from me and walked away to dispose of it elsewhere.

When she came back, I remember handing her yet another very gross booger. Even as a toddler, I could see a less impressed look on her face. I cannot blame her in the slightest, hahaha!

Today, as I worked on things, I heard Spoons say “booga.” I heard the padded footsteps as Spoons approached me, repeatedly stating the same word. “Booga! Booga! Mommy BOOGA! Spoons stood, head cocked in an effort to allow me to examine the aforementioned booga that was hanging unceremoniously out of their nose. As I scooped it from Spoons’ face, I giggled, thinking this must’ve been how my mom felt, lol!

Aaaaand naturally, not to be outdone, LD came tromping through the house, shrieking about their own boogas.

It was a hilarious problem to have. One that required much handwashing, and gave me some funny, weird, sticky, warm fuzzies. Feels like something I won’t forget.

This is Laela.👋 Remember last Saturday? When it was Mom and Dad’s anniversary?🎈 I told you about the bouquet of balloons, right? How they had cards attached to them?

Well they have opened some, and they really liked them.😁 (we worked really hard on them.) So here are some of them.

Let’s go top to bottom, left to right. Wavy made the first one, Dekker made the second, Grandma made the next, then me. (I spelled it wrong😬) But they don’t care. (I hope.🤞)

Here Dad is, holding today’s!😁 Today’s was made by Solly. I could tell that he was really proud of it; as we all are. Hope you feel really special Mom and Dad!😄💜

Rowan delivered his papers today. Since Christmas is over, the flyers have gotten smaller, and things move quicker, which he likes. So today, when we sat down at the table, and Rowan wasn’t there, I realized he hadn’t come home yet! I wondered if maybe they were larger this week for some reason, and therefore taking a bit longer, where he can’t carry as many at once. But it was right as we were sitting down to pray that he emerged from the hallway, cheeks pink, smile big.

“Sorry I’m late, my friend and I got to talking.”

Rowan has made friends with an elderly lady along his route. Based on his stories, she is a pretty lonely lady, and I can attest that Rowan is great to talk to. So she has befriended him! She will talk to him at length, and he is so happy to stand and visit with her for as long as she wants to talk.

Today, she offered him a drink. He brought home a root beer. She told him about her late husband. Introduced him to her puppy. Told him stories from the past. How her kids came and cleaned her entire house with Qtips 🤣 Meanwhile, Rowan told her about Brady’s cancer. Our family. Some of our things, but mostly, he lets her talk. And I LOVE that.

I also LOVE this. He confessed to me that this lovely old lady actually thinks he’s a girl 🤣 He doesn’t have the heart to correct her, and he takes it in stride. I think thats amazing.

Anyway. Now he knows her birthday, so he plans to drop a card off around that date. I suggested a little treat, but when he started listing her allergies off, we decided a note might be safer 🤣

Goodness. I know it seems small. But the value it gives to children when adults put into them is so precious. Get to know your paper boy or girl. Its super sweet.

It was a low key day. Which was so welcomed after this last week of crazy.

It was also helpful because the babies were less than cooperative today, so if there were things I really had to get done, it would’ve been much harder.

I tried to be productive in the morning, and it just wasn’t going to happen, so I resigned to the living room floor, where we played, read books, and took it super duper easy.

For such a hands on morning, naps were short, and the afternoon was a similar level of whiny. That being said, I had willing hands helping in the kitchen. Simple supper, but it was yummy and I really enjoyed cooking with the kids.

A whiny, under napped baby tends to go to bed a little early, and more willingly. So, they did that, and the first round of kids went down not too far after the babes.

The evening wrapped smoothly. The last three chatted together while they gathered up some night snacks. Dishes sort of fell by the wayside today, and the boys jumped in to help Laela finish up washing the pots and such, which is not always the case. It was VERY warm to witness. I LOVED it.

Bigs are up, reading quietly in the living room. The dishwasher is running. Everything is super low pressure. I’m going to crochet a little bit (assuming Munchie Mix stays down nicely) and then call it early. Our newfound routine of 5am milk is not something my body or nervous system appreciates.

Our lovely Laela asked to post yesterday, so post she did, and it was very sweet 💜 She’s a cutie.

But I wanted to post a little something something myself, also.

Our anniversary was heavily overshadowed by a kid needing to go to the city for a visit. We’ve never done weekend visits before. And of all days. But! Duty calls, and thats ok! We loaded everyone up and drove in. Brady made coffee for the drive, and we listened to good music.

He really is, you know.

This is a good man 💜

I took our babe into the visit and Brady waited out with the rest of the kids. Then, once babe was effectively dropped off, he dropped me off to do some thrifting at VV on my own, and he took the kids to drop off a STACK of recycling at the depot by Lawson mall. Those giant Costco flat boxes will just NEVER fit in my bin. They also went and put gas in the van, and went through the car wash.

Meanwhile, I bought some puzzles. Some gifts. Shoes for Wavy for spring. Very few things. But I breathed a little. It was nice.

We all went home after the visit, and my mom took the big kids during nap time so Brady and I could just spend time. Truthfully, we just watched our show and stared. It was SUCH a huge week. But I wouldn’t have chosen to spend that time with anyone else.

Goodness, boy. These have been huge days. I love you so terribly much.

Thank you Lord for EVERY year I get the privilege of spending with this man 💜

Hi, Laela here!😁 My parents have been married for 17 years!

When Mom was in the hospital this week, us kids went to Grandma’s house after school. She reads us adventure chapter books.😍 So we went to her house so Dad could stay at work. When at Grandma’s house, we read, but we also planned for Mom and Dad’s anniversary. We made cards. Then Grandma was going to make a giant heart shaped cookie with candy all over it after we left, but Dad probably couldn’t eat that. Cancer makes his mouth hurt. So when she came over today to drop them off, she had rolled the cards up, and taped them to a bouquet of balloons. She said Mom and Dad could open one per day. Then she put all the candy (that was supposed to be on the cookie) all in a bag to snack on at night.

I’m gonna admit, I kinda forgot it was their anniversary.😬 So in the morning, I whipped up a quick card. To bad Mom looked in our junk drawer.☹️

Well, I know she doesn’t mind!😉 Happy anniversary Mom and Dad!😁

It has been one heck of a week over here! Wow!

The first half centred around hospital stuff, and everyone trying to coordinate to keep our family life running. Couldn’t have managed that without all the loving help!!! 💜

Then we had a day or two of catching up.

Now we’re short one kid to a youth retreat, and the first batch of sleepers are down for the night.

Brady’s at an MRI tonight. Which is ok, but always a little nerve wracking. Once bedtime round 2 is done, I’m going to crochet in the living room until he’s home. That provides me SO much rest, I can’t even explain it.

Tomorrow we’ll start the day off with a visit for one of the babies. Which is odd because we don’t do weekend visits ever.

Tomorrow is also our wedding anniversary…

And the Morsels birthday 🎂💔

Whew! What an evening!!! 😅 What a day!

What.

A.

Week.

We have a meal train this week. It was set up while I was in the hospital with our babe, and has been SUCH a beautiful help. When I’m away, and the troops have been called in to take care of the masses, then someone still had to cook, and it was incredibly relieving to my family to know supper was coming.

So now, we’re all home, and there is still another day or two of the meal train. And my dumb self cannot shake the guilt!!!

Should we even still be receiving help? Like. I’m home. I could cook. Whatever. Its not like I’m the one who is sick and laid up. And baby is mending and somewhat less hands on. I could do things. What am I doing still on the receiving end of this arrangement?!

But because of counselling (though its been a minute 😅 ) I know why!!!

Because we should not wait until we are absolutely at the point of desperation before we accept help. Sure. I could work out a way to put supper on the table. Yes. However, if sickie be sickin’, it’ll be vastly more complicated to get things going. A lot more stress. Maybe baby just having to cry while I do things. Or everyone eating late. Or me delegating a lot more tasks. All of that IS doable!!! And sometimes we have to do that, and thats ok! But if we can have a break from it, gifted to us by people who are happy to put in this way, why do I have to feel guilty?!

Ugh. Anyway. Thats where I’m at. I am SO grateful for this gift. Today, at one point I had a moment where I went from “Oh shoot, I have to figure out supper” to “I actually don’t!” and there was such a wave of relief.

We feel so loved and supported. Thank you to everyone who continues to offer their love and care to us in all the different ways.

Rowan also says thank you for the night snack leftovers!

Ok. All babies are down! I actually have crochet time! Better get to it!! 🧶