It's Starting to Look at Lot like Christmas

Andy and Jennie-Lynne invited us to Bennett's birthday party, which Quinny was very excited about! She loves parties. She picked out her "princess party dress" the day before and she picked out Bennett's present - Chase Paw Patrol slippers and a Paw Patrol shirt. She kept saying in the store "Oh Bennett with LOVE this!" which I thought was pretty cute. And turns out, he did love them! Yay! We went there a week later and saw him wearing them which made me happy! He is such a sweet kid. I wish we lived closer the Renton's sometimes so that our kids could play more. After he opened each present, he went around and gave us hugs... melt!! Love him.

 And of course, I love spending my evenings with this lovely lady. She makes the drive to Lake Cow very worth it! (I told her the light was bad, she said it made me seem angelic. Ill take it! haha!)

On Wednesday (the 16th) we had to head back down to Victoria for another ovary ultrasound. Still not much happening, but more than 5 days ago. The doctor seemed hopeful that the IUI could move forward as planned, just later than we thought (me and my dang 5-6 week cycles! UGH!). I was feeling pretty emotional this day - it just so up and down and exhausting and it is hard. And unless someone has had fertility issues, they can't really relate, so it is also fairly isolating with no one really to talk it out with. I am so thankful that I have a husband who is also my very best friend and a good listener and so steady - his even emotions and clear head are such a good balance to my very uneven emotions! Jon wanted to go visit Nana again, who was now in hospice, so I dropped him off and Quinny and I went shopping. That afternoon was Quinny's last dance class. She was so sad when we left! I told her that I would definitely sign her up again, after the holidays. The curtesy at the end is me favorite part. It's so cute! And such improvement from the first time she attempted it!

I worked a lot that Thursday/Friday because it was Christmas Chaos at the Island Savings Center. I worked in the youth center and also in "Santa's workshop" - a craft area for kids. It was fun! And good money... sweet! They sent me this on Thursday because Quinny asked Jon to play with her and he said sure... she had my rubber keypad set up, and her fake cell phone. She said they were going to play "homework" and she pretended to frantically type on the keys while Jon was supposed to "organize the meetings" with the cell phone. She is so unique and so funny

On Friday he said they couldn't stay home for another full day together (it is still a work day for him, so she solo plays a lot while he sits at the table and works from home - so amazing that we have a kid who can play by herself happily and quietly for long periods of time!). But he needed a break from the house, so that afternoon he took her on a hike. What was supposed to be a little hike turned into a 12 km hike! All with her on his back. He said it was awesome and she said "ya mom it was so fun! And my feet didn't hurt at all!" hmm, I wonder why! haha

These were all over the building as decorations and I was so proud because I made them last week haha!

I love that he does stuff like this with her. She is a lucky kid, getting to have him as her Daddy! Dad jackpot!!!

Back down to Vic again for another appointment on Saturday morning (November was seriously exhausting with not nearly enough time spent at home together. But on the plus side Quinny got in lots of time with Jon's family!). Nannie watched Quinny for a little while and they did hopscotch together. So fun! Things were progressing for us, follicle was growing (just one, possibly two, but not sure if that second one would mature on time), but not enough to do the IUI just yet. They sent us home saying that we had to take ovulations tests every morning and call if we got a positive, and if nothing in the next two days, then just come back again Tuesday for another ultrasound.

Their driveway drawings :) Nannie is the best

Lois started the process of pulling all the Christmas stuff out and we all helped out with starting the decorating! I feel a little unhelpful in these situations because I know they like things very precisely and I don't totally know where things go. But I helped hang garland and I fluffed a lot of bows! For those of you wondering what "start the process" means... let me enlighten you. My Mother In-Law has THE BEST HOUSE EVER at Christmastime. It turns into a Wonderland, seriously. I mean, she has decorations for absolutely every season/holiday/event known to mankind, but Christmas far outdoes the rest. It takes days to decorate the house. It is magical and beautiful and I love it. It is my dream to have a house that transforms like that during the holidays! This year she sent me home with a bin full of "new" decorations for me that she no longer uses. SCORE! I very happily put them up! Quinny was very into helping decorate with her Auntie KK :)

Quinnlyn really wanted to paint, so Nannie pulled out all the stuff and painted with her. (Also, Quinny came downstairs on her own when she woke up and Jon and I got to sleep in a little bit... SO NICE! Thank you Nannie for painting and entertaining her!). They made super cute Christmas trees together. (A really cute side note... Jinny babysat Quinny on Tuesday after this and Q had an awesome time - she loves Jinny and Harry! When Jinny came to drop her off, she went and grabbed her Christmas tree and told Jinny that she wanted her to have it, and that Jinny could "hang in her bedroom" if she wanted. Jinny was her usual sweet self and thanked her for the special painting. Quinny talked about Jinny for days after that night, and all the fun they had. She REALLY loves going there!) Lois said that painting that morning was very therapeutic for he, after being so tired from spending all her time lately either working or in the hospital. I'm glad they both found joy in doing crafts together :)

Nana has asked a few days earlier if she could have someone with her at all times, she didn't want to be alone. Tim and Auntie Hanna were doing most of the nighttime shifts, and Jon felt that more of the family should be stepping in and helping out with that, since it is so exhausting. So being the man that he is, he talked to Hanna and to Lois and offered to take a night shift over the weekend. So that Saturday night he stayed with Nana. She was mostly out of it the whole time, but he said he spent a long time singing to her, and holding her hand and she would briefly open her eyes and look at him and smile and then close them again. The end was near for her. Lois told us that she had been getting frustrated that it was taking so long, because she was just ready to go, and wanted to meet Jesus and be reunited with her Jan. There was no fear for her, because her hope is in Jesus and in the sure knowledge that there is life after death, eternity with her Saviour. Jon was obviously very tired when he got home early Sunday morning, so he slept for a few hours and then we headed back home that afternoon. I convinced him to set up our Christmas tree that night - and we got a little fake tree for Q's room! She was soooo cute setting it up. "A Christmas tree?! For me? My very own?! Oh YAY!" She was just overjoyed with the thought of it! I pulled out the ornaments for her and special garland and lights I had bought for her, and I helped her with the lights, and all the rest she did on her own! We made a Star topper together and she was very thrilled with the result. She often runs upstairs just to go "check on my Christmas tree and look at how pretty it is". Her joy at these things is the best. She is so expressive and vocal and appreciative. I heard "Oh THANK you Mama!" about 600 times! I love doing things for her that she loves and is thankful for!

She was pretty funny setting it up... it all had to "be just right" and she spent a long time hanging the ornaments and re arranging them.

Next up was setting up her Nativity scene. This also look a while because she had to do it "properly" as she kept saying. She asked us who each person was and we talked about the nativity and birth of Jesus and why we have presents at Christmas.

This face. It is so hard to get her to smile nicely, she just pulls this out, or sticks her tongue out. Sigh. But at least she has a cute face anyways! One day we will look back and laugh at these faces. I took this because it was the first ornament of the year hung! Her stitched stocking ornament from Nannie. It's funny because Lois started these a LONG time ago, and Q's was first to be made, so hers says 2014. The rest of ours, which she finished when she was off work last year recovering, say 2015. They are super cute :) All of our ornaments have a story, and I love that. Both of our moms bought us ornaments every single year, so we both have one from every year of our lives. And for the past 9 years, we have got each other one and one for Q every year, so our tree is full of memories :) (Q actually has SO many already, only 4 Christmases into her life! Us, my grandparents, my mom and Lois all get her one each year. She loves talking about her ornaments and asking who each one came from. It made setting up the tree so fun!)

Finished product! With a crooked star which I didn't notice until after I took the pic. Besides that, the tree looks amazing :) (I only re-arranged a FEW of the ornaments this year... I tried hard to leave it as is, but some of them I just had to move because they were in a clump all together HA!) I love this picture of these two. 

I hear from the couch "Hey Mama! I put the stockings on! Look!" And she has all three on her feet, just killing herself laughing. So funny Quinny...

That evening, at around 12:45pm, we woke up from a call from Tim, who was staying with Nana that night, saying that she had passed away. We laid in bed for a long time after that, talking about Nana and the life she lived and telling funny stories. Jon was full of stories of a life spent with Nana there, in every family memory. It seemed surreal that she had just breathed her last breath. We took comfort that night knowing that she in Glory, face to face with God who was telling her "well done, my child". She lived a good, fulfilling life. I have more pictures and a few more things that I will share once I go through them all. We miss you already, Nana.