Looking Back and Ahead

I think it’s time for another update on what’s happening in our world.

I’d sure like to blog more like at least once a week but there just isn’t enough time.  There are too many other things that are more important at times and that’s just part of our life.

Greg’s been hangin’ in there and waiting patiently for his kidney transplant.  I do believe that everything happens at the right time.  There were so many instances that happened when Greg was in the hospital and looking back it was truly amazing how lots of things just worked out.  But, he’s definitely getting more and more tired and to top things off he’s nauseated every day, all day.  That’s the results of a failing kidney. 

Greg has an appointment at the end of September and we’re hoping for some good news like perhaps a surgery date.  I try not to think about the details and how this will all unfold.  As time progresses you can think about and deal with what’s on your plate and when the time comes, I hope we’ll be all good.

I’ve recently finished writing all about Greg’s hospital stay in Winnipeg.  It was hard to write and I found myself reliving the whole thing and weeping because the smells and the feelings all are still so real.  

I’ve inserted a brief passage of the day they transferred Greg to the ICU in Winnipeg.  If you also look in the column to the right you’ll see a ‘Featured Post’ that I wrote in September of 2014 before everything unfolded.  You should probably read this post first.  

Here's a short look into that day Greg was admitted into ICU.

 Five days later on Oct. 7, the Respirologist (sometimes referred to as pulmonologists, are medical doctors who further specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of lung disease, such as asthma, emphysema, or pneumonia) came to see Greg and said, “We have to move him to the ICU”. 

Ok, this was better.  By the time they rolled Greg into a space in ICU, we heard the doctor talking at the desk to someone regarding a transfer to the Health Science Center.  The name ‘Greg Esau’ rang thru the air.  We looked at each other.  Winnipeg!?  Really!  I began to panic inside.  Greg looked so sad and scared.  It all seemed so much and no one even was talking to me, they were too busy hooking up Greg, then their instructions changed as they needed to prep him for the transfer to Winnipeg.  There was no official ‘this is what we are doing’, it was unspoken.  I felt lost and alone.  It was happening very fast.  

I haven’t decided yet how I will post these writings but I’ll work on that as they are lengthy.

We celebrated our 37^th anniversary this month.  I began to think about how many times we had moved in our marriage and came up with this list:

First married we lived in a four-plex in Linden

. . . Craig was born

Moved to the family farm and lived in an old mobile home

. . . Crystal was born

Moved to town (Linden) into a newer four-plex

Bought our first home – a bungalow

. . . Craig started school

Moved back to the family farm into a newer mobile home

. . . Craig and Crystal rode the bus to school

Moved into Greg’s parents big house on the farm

Moved back into the mobile home on the farm

Built a new house in Linden

. . . Craig and Crystal graduated high school

Moved to Calgary and rented an old house by Confederation Park

Moved into a duplex that Greg’s brother purchased in Calgary

Moved into a townhouse in Calgary in Ranchlands

Purchased our second home in Calgary in Sandstone

Moved to Morden, Manitoba

. . . lived there 7 years

Moved back to Airdrie, Alberta

I wonder if we’re done moving?  Maybe not.

Anyways, we’re happy in our home here in Airdrie and I’m slowly getting the house painted.  Maybe in the new year it will be complete. 

Greg and I are looking forward to things taking on a new look in the new year and going camping and hiking and even renovating the house.

AND we have to take our new grandson to the zoo!  He sure has been a blessing and we’re waiting for those first smiles to come!

Gunner is being a true puppy at heart.  Boy, does he have energy

and sometimes at the wrong time.  He loves to jump on company and just wants to play.  He also thinks it’s time to race around the house when we are heading to bed.  I’m so glad he’s good company for Greg during the day.  Since we got him he spends a good part of the day in Greg’s office at this feet curled up in an afghan.  Sometimes I’ll be doing housework and I’ll find him downstairs with Greg.

My list of projects are still very much the same.  I just went to the Etsy Calgary event with my daughter and I got a little excited again to pursue the things I love to do most.  First and foremost I spend my time with Greg most evenings.  I just can’t work all day and then come home to say that I’m going to paint downstairs.  I’m not like that.  There’s a season for everything.

Well, I must go and make a cup of tea and see why it’s so quiet in the living room.  I’m sure I’ll find puppy curled up with Greg on the sofa.

Till later,

Bonny

Main Bath - a work in progress

Things around our house sometimes happen at a snails pace  .  .  .  . like this main bath makeover.

One of the things I loved about this house when we bought it, after looking at several cookie cutter houses, was the 2 large 4-pc bathrooms with huge vanity space.  I still don’t have anything stored underneath because I also have a hallway closet.  Anyways I’ve started the bath on the main obviously because guests use it more. 

Suddenly my design ideas ran dry.  With all the magazines stacked in my office you’d think I had lots of ideas but no, I was frustrated, so I just began with paint.  It was so nice to get rid of the horrible hospital green. 

Eventually the entire vanity and counter will be removed and replaced with a new vanity or just a pedestal sink and a beautiful floor to almost ceiling cabinet to display nice bathroom ‘stuff’.  This won’t happen till we do the flooring and the kitchen probably. 

Anyways, here’s some photos for your enjoyment.  Please refrain from saying “what was she thinking?!”  I think this is the perfect time and room to try out some new ideas.  Have a look.

nope, this isn't the finished bathroom vanity . . . I wish though

~my inspiration from Hooker Furniture/Decorative Chests

looks almost the same right? 

except for the different color and design.  

The detail is hard to see in this picture

still working on the wall decor

the original just after painting

original - trust me they were in bad shape

I started with white because originally I thought the white would 

show thru nice when distressed - NOT

~see my helper?

it was too dark and I hated it, 

so I looked to Hooker Furniture for inspiration

I sanded them again to rough them up, 

obviously revealing some of the white paint

ta-da

Now for a new accent rug to cozy up your bathroom experience and of course wall décor.  I’m leaning toward a huge picture OR black and white old photos.  Who knows.

Thanks for reading or just looking at the pictures.

Bonny

To Milo

Milo Steven Boisselle

Born July 26 – 2016

This little bundle added to our family needs his own blog post!

He is 6 weeks already and I can’t believe it.  It was that long ago that we all waited and waited and waited.  Then all of a sudden it happened!  Now, he’s in our lives and we are blessed.

Here’s a few photos of Milo.

day 10

a little apprehensive about today

isn't she beautiful! 

Milo is not thrilled with his new outfit

the day we all met Milo (one day old)

see the champagne on the counter - 

of course we had a toast!

proud daddy

no he's a bit young for the Penquin game

taken at the mall on day 10

I'm praying for the best news today

Milo gets his new outfit for the big day

Grandpa Boopie brags he has the touch.

four generation picture with Greg's mom, Alice, at the baby shower

proud Uncle Craig

first camping trip for Milo

Uncle Luke, I know you're grinning!

hey Boopie, what are you two talking about?

I can tell you exactly where I was on July 27, when Greg and I first heard of his appearance in our lives.  We knew nothing about him, we actually didn’t even know he was a ‘him’.

I had left the hair cutters and was heading to get groceries.  As I drove I was getting text messages.  When I stopped at the lights, I quickly checked my phone and read a few words from Craig, “Are you KIDDING ME???”  I had no idea what he was talking about.  Then I get a text from Greg that I can hear in the car.  He says, “better check your text from Crystal”.  I do, while driving, because now I am in high alert mode.  All I see is a baby blanket, which I recognize immediately.  I’m almost to Sobeys, so I drive in and park.  I look closer to Crystal’s text.  “Look what we brought home today!”  and not only in there a picture of this baby blanket but also and pair of small feet in the corner of the picture.  What!!  By this time my cell rings and Crystal and I talk in real.  It was, in truth, a little weird.  I never expected it to happen like this.  I’m sitting at Sobeys realizing I’m a grandma and we get to see ‘him’ tonight.  After talking with Crystal, I drive home to see Greg.  I know he’s going to be ‘over the moon’.  He’s just showered and as I enter our bedroom we look at each other with huge grins and say to each other, “Boopie!”  “Mim!”.  It was a time for happy tears.  I’ll never forget these moments.

That evening we gathered at Crystal and Mick’s home along with Craig and Luke (Luke drove back from Edmonton) and held Milo for the first time. 

But the grey cloud still hung in the air and we all didn’t want to talk about it. 

10 days.  We had to wait 10 days for Milo to be officially in our family.  Those 10 days were extremely hard on Crystal and Mick.  Oh how they have walked a long and sad road and I only hoped and prayed that this time it would end different. 

It did.

If you want to read Crystal and Mick’s blog, here is the link.  I assuming they will post again soon and you can read their side of this journey. 

  

Dear Milo, 

we love you very much and 

promise to do our part in 

loving you, 

spoiling you, 

rocking you, 

tickling you,

 and  

all the other things a grandparent does.

Love,

Boopie and Mim