My week without a husband

Justin had a conference in Las Vegas this week and I was alone all week. I am not going to lie ... it was really hard. There are many things that contributed to that result, but nevertheless, I am glad he is going to be home in about an hour. The best part is that we survived (it was touch and go some days)!

Here are some pictures to recap

Landon's nose describes a lot. Evan has been sick for a while (like every fall/winter) and because the cold has been hanging around our house for so long, Landon got it. I don't sleep well when Justin is gone and so I got the cold as well. Landon doesn't sleep when he is sick, I am tired. It is just a cold, we will all survive, it is just annoying.

I took the boys to North Calgary for a live performance of Toopi and Beanou. They loved it! Evan was very concentrated on the show and Landon was just excited.

I wanted to say a little bit about what else happened this day. I arrived with the boys early, so they would be able to see. There was a soft mat in the middle of the floor and I made sure that we sat just outside the mat so that Evan wasn't in anybodies way in his wheelchair. Yes it meant I was on the floor, but since we weren't aloud strollers the only way I would be able to manage both boys was if Evan stayed in his chair. During the hour we made friends with another mother sitting next to us. The area filled with people and I was glad that I had gotten there early. About 10 minutes before the show was going to start someone from the mall comes up to me and asks me if I would please move my family to the handicap section (WAY IN THE BACK) so the people sitting directly behind Evan would be able to see. Then a woman beside Evan pipes up and says "Yea, that would be nice." I explained to the woman that I had gotten there early so my kids would be able to see, that we were sitting on the outskirts of the mat that they had placed down and that all the children were standing up anyway. She insisted that Evan would still be able to see and that they set up the handicap section for a reason. My eyes started to tear up and I really felt like we were being slightly mistreated and that it wasn't fair to Evan. I started to get up and leave when our new "friend" sitting next to us began throwing a fit on our behalf. She was saying things like " How dare you make this little boy feel different when he already has so much against him." "Everyone can see behind him just fine" "They aren't even in the middle, why would you put him in the back?" In the end they let us stay where we were and I felt so grateful for the sweet lady who stood up for our family. About 3 minutes after everything was settled and I was thanking our friend for her help the rude woman next to Evan leans over, pats my leg and says in an oober sweet voice "good for you sweetie for standing up for yourself". I felt like strangling the hypocrite!!

why do I even bother putting on a bib, when this is what happens to the other end.

We said goodbye to Timmy this week. With A LOT of hard work I got Timmy to the point that I didn't feel euthanization was an option. Through this whole ordeal we planned to euthanize him twice, but he would show improvement and I would cancel it. Finally he stabilized! The problem was that he ended up losing his sight and is still very gimpy and slow, but he moves around as much as he did, his personality is back, and he eats and drinks on his own. The problem is that in our home you need to be able to see a 300lb wheelchair, AND be able to get out of the way fast enough. Since Timmy could do neither we knew he wasn't safe in our home. I called the trainer who helped me find Timmy to see if she knew of anyone who would be able to love and care for him "as is" knowing that his eyesight and mobility may or may not come back. She said that she thought she could place him fairly easily and even offered to keep him herself until she found a new home. I felt that would be the best thing for Timmy and yesterday she came and picked him up. We were all very sad to say goodbye, and it really affected my day in a bad way. I am so sad, but I know this is the right thing for Timmy and it is WAY WAY WAY better an outcome than I originally thought we would face.

check out Landon's shoes. He brought them to me and wanted to wear these ones ... why not?

p.s. I came to the realization this week that BOTH of my children are going through the terrible two's at the SAME TIME!!!!!! Evan is late and Landon is early! I am just hoping that the double tantrums, the HUGE double messes, the talking back and the hitting, the screaming, and the complete and utter irrational behavior, etc. will be over at the same time so I can have both of my angel children back again. We are about a month and a half in right now so that means I should only have 10.5 months left right?????? Please tell me I'm right.

3 of 4 cousins in superman shirts ... TOTALLY UNPLANNED!!!!

Friday morning I got an email from the Muscular Dystrophy Association saying that they had tickets to the hockey game available to anyone who might want them. I emailed her saying we were interested. We got them and I asked one of our sweet babysitters if she wanted to come with me to help me with the boys. It was such a fun night for the boys and me. I loved having Maddy there with us and hopefully it was a good memory for my boys. I think it was.

Today I took the boys to the Farmer's Market to get some yummy produce, farm fresh eggs, and say hi to Granny Lanny and Grandpa Mark. The boys and I had a ton of fun on our outing, came home and us three sickos slept for 3.5 hours, went to the store to get some last minute thanksgiving items and had a fairly relaxing evening together.

I am so grateful that I don't have to be a single mother. It is hard and every time I have to do it alone my heart goes out to all of you who have to do it alone. Yes it is possible, yes I could do it full time, I am so glad that I don't have to!!