Do you ever have those days that feel like a month packed into 24 hours? We had one of those this week! We had ear tube surgery for Dakota, a cold that showed up at the worst time, and a toddler who decided to join in on the sickness. It called for extra coffee, cuddles, and prayers.
Even between the hospital wristbands and tissues, there were silly yoga poses in the living room, homeschool lessons at the kitchen table, paint markers (that should have been supervised a little more closely 😉), walks in both sunshine and chilly air, and even a permanent jewelry appointment with my sister-in-law.
Life lately has been a mix of surgery, snuggles, sniffles, and sweet moments. There has been chaos, connection, and God’s steady presence in it all.
Surgery, Snuggles, and Sniffles 🤧
The night before Dakota’s ear tube surgery, I laid her down for bed and she was totally fine. I had a hard time sleeping thinking about the next morning, but eventually drifted off until 4:30 am when I had to get up to get ready for the day.
Dakota had to fast for the surgery, so I was bummed out when she woke up extra early at 5:00 am and I knew I couldn’t feed her. I got her out of her crib and she had literally developed a full-blown head cold overnight complete with a cough and runny nose.
Jimmy and I looked at each other and shrugged. We figured we would let the surgery team know she had the sniffles and go from there. As we drove, Jimmy prayed over the surgery and at gave me so much peace. We arrived at the hospital at 7:15 am and everyone there was so kind! They weren’t fazed by Dakota being sick and gave her the green light to still have the procedure done. We changed her into her hospital gown, had her vitals checked, and talked with the anesthesiologist and ENT.
Then, two nurses came into the room and told us we could give her hugs and kisses goodbye and then we had to pass her off to them to go back to the OR. Ugh, that was hard! We kissed her and handed her over and then went to the waiting room.
The surgery went really well and she was done before we knew it! The surgeon came to talk to us and let us know she had fluid in both of her ears. He said they suctioned it out, successfully placed the tubes, and that Dakota was in the recovery area. Relief!
A little later, we were ushered back to a room where a nurse was holding a very upset and very out of it Dakota. It was so weird to see someone we had never met holding her after a surgery. She was in such good hands, though! I was able to immediately breastfeed her and comfort her.
The nurse went over all the discharge paperwork with us while Dakota cried. We gave her a granola bar and she perked up a little bit! I’m sure she was a bit hangry, haha.
The nurse said she could tell Dakota’s hearing was already better from the surgery because as soon as they took the cotton balls out of her ears, she woke right up and was looking around. They had put the pulse oximeter on her pointer and middle finger (the fingers she always sucks on) and apparently she was mad she couldn’t suck on her fingers when she woke up. 😂
We were instructed to give her antibiotic ear drops for the next few days and to look for any warning signs like high fevers or severe pain. We also laughed a little at the fact that she had a fall risk bracelet on because of the pain medication she had been given.
We packed up and headed home to our big kids. My mom had come out bright and early to be with them so Jimmy and I could both be at Dakota’s surgery (thank you, mom!!!). Poor Mordecai had come down with some sort of stomach bug, unfortunately. The next 24 hours were a blur of administering ear drops, comforting Dakota and wiping her runny nose, and cleaning up after the stomach bug overtook poor Mordecai.
But we made it through those tough hours. Did I have a few moments where I felt like I was going to melt into a puddle of tears because I was emotionally and physically spent? Yep. But God met me in the hard moments and gave me His comfort.
Dak will go back to the ENT to have her hearing checked and have a follow-up appointment in April. We’re relieved it’s all done and are praying for good health from here on out. 😊
Handstands and Homeschool 🤸🏼♂️
At home, we’ve been trucking along through Sadie’s schoolwork. When I have a warm mug of coffee with me while we work, we can get through any lesson. 😉
Mordecai is a sponge and listens to everything I teach Sadie. He’s constantly counting and mumbling things that I had no idea he picked up on!
Here he is, listening in on a lesson! See the flowers in the windowsill? My sister sent those to me and I could just cry! How sweet is it to know that someone you love is thinking of you and sends you something so beautiful? They’re preserved flowers, too, so they will last a long time (a miracle in our home!). Thank you, Hannah!
I made another batch of my latest food obsession: spicy chicken thighs. I took a moment to photograph them so I can share the recipe here! I will be posting it soon. I think the post will need an “enter if you dare” button or something. 🌶️😆
Before her cold and tubes, Dakota played soccer around the house! She looks like she’s ready for the Olympics in her little track suit, ha.
And then… she found Sadie and Mordecai’s paint markers. Oops!
We also had a magical thing happen the other day: Mordecai and Dakota napped at the same time!! I was tempted to sprint through the house picking up toys, spraying countertops, and folding laundry… but I took one look at Sadie quietly playing at the kitchen table with her dolls and sat down with her. We so rarely get time just us two, so this was a treat.
After we played dolls for a few minutes, we decided to do acro yoga together. I hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time. We truly had so. much. fun.
It was the best way to spend nap time. And guess what? All the household chores were still waiting for me after! I have been trying to focus on spending one-on-one time with each child whenever I find pockets of time. It’s so good for our souls. ❤️
Fresh Air and Forever Bracelets 🚲
We had one day this week where the temperature went above 50 degrees. This felt like a miracle and a blessing and gave me so much joy and hope for spring! Like one day, we will see grass again?! Is this real life?!
Of course, we had to get outside on a bike ride/walk! Without gloves or jackets. Swoon! It was bizarre to see sunshine and mounds of snow at the same time. 😂
Then it was back to cold weather, so Dakota got bundled up like a mummy for our walk!
We also went to the library. Our happy place! Mordecai said he set up a market for Dakota to play with.
And we popped by the car wash afterwards per Mordecai’s request.
It was nice to get all the salt and grime off our car!
Last but not least, my sister-in-law and I were recently talking about how we both wanted to get permanent jewelry. It’s basically a piece of jewelry—like a necklace, bracelet, or anklet—that is welded onto you. It never comes off unless you cut it off. It’s safe to wear in water and it doesn’t cause any issues in airport security!
So, we decided to book it! We got forever bracelets together and it was so cool. I chose a simple rose gold bracelet.
I was surprised at how inexpensive it was, too. We each paid $17. The lady who did my bracelet said she finds that people with kids and/or pets have their jewelry break the most often so we’ll see how long mine lasts. 😂
Other Notes and Thoughts 📝
- Scripture I’m loving: You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 🙏🏻
- I’ve been giving Niva a dried sweet potato chew with her meals lately and she loves it! She is always so happy with her Pawlicious Pet Food, too. It’s sweet to see a dog enjoy mealtime as much as a human does! 🦴
- When we went out for ice cream last weekend, Mordecai kept telling us he wanted pistachio ice cream. We thought for sure he would hate it. He proved us wrong and ate his whole cup! 🍦
- I’ve been using a shower steamer each time I hop in the shower and it instantly makes my bathroom feel like a spa, even if there’s a toddler at my feet playing with monster trucks. 😂
That’s a wrap on this post. Happy Friday to you! We’re celebrating Valentine’s Day as a family this evening and I cannot wait 😊
Living My Full Life 