This Christmas season has brought on a lot of mixed emotions for not only us, but our entire family. We celebrate the life of a Savior who came and both lived and died for us. We celebrate family. Friends. Blessings. The list goes on.
For us, we also celebrate the ability to be together for Christmas. One year ago, we never knew what was in store for us for the next 365 days. We didn't know we would be welcoming a chubby, bubbly, brunette haired baby girl into our lives. We had NO intentions of having the medical journey that God had laid out for us with Brad. Christmas comes with a bitter sweet taste this year. Aubrie has added so much more joy and happiness to our lives while Brads handicap has added a lot of stress, emotions, and hardship.
This year was full of wonderful times with friends and family but a lot of struggle and pain has been mixed into the batter as well. A lot of people have commended me for how amazing I've done this year, holding down the fort. I can't believe how many people have made comments about my strength and capabilities of keeping our lives on track.... yet I don't feel that accomplishment. Our lives have been hectic. They've been a mess. It's been stressful, emotional, tiring, and had just down right sucked. The last few months have been pure struggle. Every day. Between work, kids, everyday duties, and life in general, I'm just drained. I'm ready for a new year and some new beginnings.
So with that. I want to wish everyone a Meery Christmas! I hope everyone stayed safe today in the height winds and THUNDERSTORM we experienced today!
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Graduation!
For the past 9 weeks I have been attending puppy training classes with Bre, our one year old blue healer puppy. I decided that it was time we did something with her training wise, so I decided to start with the basics.
In September I had heard about a puppy training course put on by an employee at the local vet office in Le Mars. I contacted them and signed Bre up for the class. We attended 8 classes, every Tuesday and Thursday for 4 weeks. Bre did great! She was the oldest in her class, she out performed basically everyone in her class, and she did great from start to finish.
We learned everything from sit, down, sit-stay, down-stay, wait, heal, come, leave it, etc. It was all basic commands but it was good for Bre for beginning commands. Our next adventure is getting her un-scared of cattle. Then onto the basics with training her to run cattle. We will see how far we get. I know that as time goes on, she will mature and a lot of the time they just naturally pick up on a lot of stuff, but we just have to wait and see on that part. If anyone knows anybody in the NW Iowa area that trains cattle dogs, let me know!!
Bre finally graduated with flying colors and we are onto bigger and better things!
In September I had heard about a puppy training course put on by an employee at the local vet office in Le Mars. I contacted them and signed Bre up for the class. We attended 8 classes, every Tuesday and Thursday for 4 weeks. Bre did great! She was the oldest in her class, she out performed basically everyone in her class, and she did great from start to finish.
We learned everything from sit, down, sit-stay, down-stay, wait, heal, come, leave it, etc. It was all basic commands but it was good for Bre for beginning commands. Our next adventure is getting her un-scared of cattle. Then onto the basics with training her to run cattle. We will see how far we get. I know that as time goes on, she will mature and a lot of the time they just naturally pick up on a lot of stuff, but we just have to wait and see on that part. If anyone knows anybody in the NW Iowa area that trains cattle dogs, let me know!!
Bre finally graduated with flying colors and we are onto bigger and better things!
Monday, November 14, 2016
Catch Up
I cannot believe that it has been nearly a year and a half since I was last on here! My life has been a hectic roller coaster for the past 17 months. So many things have happened I don't even know where to start. Our family has changed DRASTICALLY.
In September 2015 we welcomed Sampson into our lives. He's a black and white long haired cat. He is claimed as "Melanie's Cat" even though he has an obsession with Brad.
Shepp died October of 2015. We welcomed Bre, another blue heeler into the family in November.
In January 2016 we found out that we were pregnant with Baby #3. We found out it was a girl in April.
At the end of April we also found out that Brad had a rare type of cancer in the form of a tumor in his hip. He went through chemo and radiation over the course of the summer and in August underwent an 8 hour surgery to remove the tumor. Brad had a rough recovery after the surgery, but he's managing to recover slowly.
In September, only 3 weeks after Brads surgery, Aubrie Jo was born into our family. She arrived via c section at 8:10 am on September 9, 2016. She weighed 7 lbs 13 oz and was 20" long. She's proven to be the total opposite of her big sister so far. So we are in for a joy ride with her!!
I've returned back to work now, and Brad is be-bopping around until he can return to his job.
In short, that's our lives for the past 1.5 years! Lots has been going on, hence the fact that I haven't been updating much! I'm hoping to get back into the groove of things because I'm in need of a place to vent my frustrations like I used to! 😊
In September 2015 we welcomed Sampson into our lives. He's a black and white long haired cat. He is claimed as "Melanie's Cat" even though he has an obsession with Brad.
Shepp died October of 2015. We welcomed Bre, another blue heeler into the family in November.
In January 2016 we found out that we were pregnant with Baby #3. We found out it was a girl in April.
At the end of April we also found out that Brad had a rare type of cancer in the form of a tumor in his hip. He went through chemo and radiation over the course of the summer and in August underwent an 8 hour surgery to remove the tumor. Brad had a rough recovery after the surgery, but he's managing to recover slowly.
In September, only 3 weeks after Brads surgery, Aubrie Jo was born into our family. She arrived via c section at 8:10 am on September 9, 2016. She weighed 7 lbs 13 oz and was 20" long. She's proven to be the total opposite of her big sister so far. So we are in for a joy ride with her!!
I've returned back to work now, and Brad is be-bopping around until he can return to his job.
In short, that's our lives for the past 1.5 years! Lots has been going on, hence the fact that I haven't been updating much! I'm hoping to get back into the groove of things because I'm in need of a place to vent my frustrations like I used to! 😊
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