I passed my swim class from Level 2 to 3! And I touched the bottom of the deep-deep-deep end in the big pool with my toe! And Mommy and I went to see a 3D movie in the theatre. That was fun.

He said…

With Emelia finally feeling much better and her appetite back in a BIG way, we were much more relived. It’s probably the nastiest thing we’ve ever seen her battle through aside from the croup and pneumonia she had back to back at the tender age of one. So, it was a great source of relief to have her back to her usual self.

I managed to have Monday and Wednesday off this week which happened to be school days with Emelia. While I didn’t get to spend the days off with her, I did get to walk her to and from school which was an absolute delight — especially on the trip home as we would talk about her day at school.

Work this week was a little bit hectic as in addition to pulling 7 and 8 sessions a day, I was also juggling editing a recap video for a big business event we had at the store last week. This weekend we had a big store meeting and there were lots of projects we were frantically putting together for it, that kept both my brother Matthew and I very busy.

I then, found out on Friday that they also wanted me to get up at this event and speak about my journey at Apple. I was more than happy to have the opportunity — as many that have seen the change understand just how much I love this job and the transformation it has had on me. So added to editing the video all weekend, I was in the back of my head working on the off-the-cuff version of what I would say.

The fact that I was so preoccupied with sessions and the video project was a bit of a blessing as I didn’t over think what I was going to say, or have much time to get nervous about speaking in front of the entire staff of 80+. And by all counts, it went off very well, so it was a huge relief.

The title of the post this week comes from the next piece… Upon leaving work tonight I got news from Danielle, that Dad and Mom are no longer coming on the Disney Cruise. It seems that Dad has been getting tired more easily and that is actually an issue that has popped up with his heart. There is some blockage and as a result the Dr. has ordered an angiogram and that Dad cannot travel which comes at the expense of the cruise.

My heart broke when I heard that news — one of the biggest things I think all us boys were looking forward to was Dad and Mom being able to experience this firsthand with all the grandchildren. Not to mention nothing felt better than being in a magical place with everyone that mattered to most to you.

Dad and Mom are insistent that while they can’t go, we are to go, to make the most of it, and to bring the memories back to them. And while I understand their wishes, part of me feels like we should put a pause on it and wait and see if they can’t eventually go… But from the sounds of things, not likely. And not something that Dad or Mom wants.

So the countdown this week… takes a bit of a less joyous note.

Tonight with that news heavy weighing in, and not much else we could do, we still went out to see our friends Jenn Grant and Daniel Ledwell play their show at The Aeolian Hall. We got a chance to visit with them before the show, sitting down to eat dinner together in the green room. And then we were treated to the perfect reprieve from our worries, in the form of some fantastic live music.

It didn’t make us completely forget the news, but it certainly made us forget for a couple of hours while we smiled and laughed a little. So, when I got home I sent them a message to let them know what they did because they should know what great friends they are.

So with that, we put an end to a big week with ups and downs… The life kind. We’ll hope for the best possible news this Wednesday when Dad has his angiogram — send your positive vibes, please.

Only 26 more days till Disney… sigh.

She said…

This week things were back to normal for the most part, Emelia was back in the daycare and school and it was wonderful to have our healthy full of beans girl back. It is never easy seeing your child so sick but she was so good through the whole illness we were both so proud of her.

The rest of the week outside daycare was focusing on the trip, what we needed to pack, what we needed to have altered, and getting all the plans in order. It took a couple calls and updates with Disney but we have everything in order.

Saturday we had Emelia’s swim class, her swimming and confidence has grown leaps and bounds in the last few weeks and she has been able to swim farther and farther on her own. She is a natural fish that one. So it was really no surprise that she passed her level and is moving on to level 3 next term.

After her swim on Saturday I promised her a movie day with mommy. We looked online and found that there was one movie playing that we thought she would love. So off we went nice and early (thankfully we did because it was packed) and got our seats and popcorn to see The Croods. She adored it and so did I. I was concerned this time because this was the 3D movie we had seen since she needed glasses but she did just fine, trying to grab all the object flying towards her. She loved the movie so much that about 3/4 of the way through it she asked if we could buy a copy of the DVD when it came out.

We then came to today, we had a full day ahead. First was my Sunday trip to the gym to get my workout in and for Emelia to get lots of activity in the children’s program. We went from there to my friend Daisy’s house. Daisy had so sweetly offered to make Emelia a pirate skirt for our Disney trip so we went over there and she also offered to help me out by doing some alterations to some clothes that I really needed adjusted after all the weight loss. Emelia had a great time playing with all the toys in Daisy’s daycare space while she and I chatted and she pinned for all the alterations.

We then made our way across town for a quick lunch and then off for a visit with my friend Maria and her daughter. Then we were on to visit Poppa and Grandma. Emelia was set for her sleepover and to see the progress of her plants that she and Poppa had planted the week before. She loves quickly the plants are getting their sprouts.

It was then that Doug shared with me the news, it felt for a moment that the world stopped. At that moment it was not about the cruise or the trip, it was the realization that the whole family would not be together for this amazing trip that was almost a year into the planning. It feels wrong that we are not all going together. My heart aches that they will not be there to share everything with us, a trip that is only possible because of them. I believe in my heart that everything will be fine, that the doctors will be able to help and get the blockages removed and we will have our father back to full health. But it is heartbreaking for all of us that the two people who are the centre of us all are not going to be there.

I keep hoping for a miracle that somehow everything will be fixed and healthy in 26 days, in the end all we all want is that the doctor can fix this, that it will be better. All we can do is wait and see. I have a feeling the next few days and upcoming weeks will be the longest of our lives. Waiting for some answers.

But at least for tonight with that Emelia is visiting giving I am sure a million hugs and kisses to the man she thinks can walk on water. I am sure that is the most welcome distraction that her grandparents could use right about now.

So for now all we can ask is for the most positive thoughts coming our way.