*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Happy Friday, y’all! We have a crazy busy weekend ahead – Olivia’s birthday slumber party, an honors recital piano tryout for Jacob, the annual benefit ball that we attend every year, and a double birthday celebration for Brian and Olivia on Sunday. It's going to be exhausting, but it’s going to be so much fun!
Edited at 9:23 AM Friday morning to add – I wrote this post a couple of days ago before Maui took a turn for the worse. She has being going downhill for a couple of months, but she really started deteriorating earlier this week. She was still eating here and there and she was drinking a ton of water, so we weren't terribly concerned. However, yesterday, she stopped eating and drinking altogether and she's been lethargic, she barely responds to anything, she can't stand up anymore... when she tries she is wobbly and falls over, and we are now having to feed her baby food and water with a syringe.
I called our vet yesterday afternoon when we realized that she wasn't going to drink any water on her own, and they told us that we needed to schedule an end-of-life appointment so they can assess her. Unfortunately, they don't have any availability until first thing Monday morning, so at this point, we are just trying to keep her alive until then. I know they are going to tell us Monday that it's time to say goodbye and I know in my heart that it's the right decision. I have made my peace with it, but I am still so heartbroken.
The last few days have been rough. There have been lots of tears and lots of grieving over the parts of her that have already been lost, but all the while, life goes on – the kids are still going to school, we're still doing homework and studying for tests, we're going to music lessons and dance lessons, we found joy in celebrating Brian's birthday Thursday night amidst a day full of tears and sadness, and this weekend, the show must go on with all of the events we have committed to. In between, I have stopped doing all unnecessary work, cleaning, and working out so I can spend every single second possible with our girl before we say goodbye.
Our hearts are broken, especially at the timing of all of this, but prayerfully, everything will work out just the way it's supposed to.
Today I’m sharing some favorites, as always…
O N E – Hot and Cold
Neck and Shoulder Wrap
Okay, I’ve had this hot and cold neck and shoulder wrap for over a year, and I can’t remember if I’ve posted about it or not, but it is one of my very favorite things… I have been using it nearly every day since I bought it.
This neck and shoulder wrap contains wheat and flaxseed + lavender, chamomile, peppermint, and lemon grass, and it can be heated in the microwave or cooled in the freezer. Heating it and draping it around my shoulders and neck has been a huge relief for my tension when nothing else works… it just melts away the tension. I have also been putting it at the foot of my bed at night to warm my feet since it’s been so cold. It is such a treat to get in bed and have a nice little warm spot for my feet since they’re always freezing.
The grains move around inside the wrap so you can customize the fit to any part of the body where you’re experiencing tension, stress, pain, or cramping. And it stays warm for hours. This is one of my favorite (and most useful) purchases on Amazon of all time.
T W O – Everyday Gospel
by Paul David Tripp
I’ve been doing my new devotional for nearly two months, and I am loving it so far. This devotional isn’t like traditional devotionals, and rather it’s more like a Bible in a Year kind of study. Paul David Tripp works his way through the entire Bible in this 365-day devotional, and each day he breaks down the scripture for the day and explains how it relates to us in present day. This is a great option if you’re looking for a daily devotional or if you’re looking to dig deeper and do a Bible in a year study. It's currently 43% off which is the cheapest I've seen it since it was released!
T H R E E – Wire Flower
Craft
We bought this craft kit for Olivia for Christmas – she is the queen of crafts! – and she loves it. The kit comes with various colors of wire, a plastic apparatus that you use to make the flowers, detailed instructions on how to place the wire to make different kinds of flowers, and a wooden block to showcase your creations. This is a really unique kit that would be perfect for gift-giving, and it makes a beautiful display when you’re done. Olivia had so much wire leftover afterwards that she made flowers for a bunch of family and friends, and she even got creative and invented her own flowers.
F O U R – Swiffer
Dusters
I’ve been using these Swiffer Dusters for my entire adult life, and I don’t believe that I’ve ever shared them here on the blog. I hate housework, so I’m always looking for anything that makes it a little easier. These Swiffer Dusters make dusting a breeze – they are so much easier to use than a rag and spray. All you do is slide one of the dusters onto the plastic wand and then get to dusting! The wand is narrow so you can slide it under hard to reach places, and the dusters trap dust so it doesn’t get pushed around. I can typically dust our entire house from top to bottom with just one duster. Then you just pull it off and toss it in the trash. So convenient, so much faster than dusting with a rag and cleaner, and they get the job done well! Just thought I'd share since spring cleaning is right around the corner!
F I V E – Beautiful
Words
Right now it feels like the whole world is on fire and things have been heavy. I shared these beautiful words on Instagram and thought I’d share them here, too, for any of you who are feeling the weight of everything that has happened in our country this past month.
When things feel heavy and I feel helpless, my favorite thing to do is to pour into my family – walking and talking with Jacob, getting ice cream and chatting with Olivia, having long (sometimes hard) conversations as a family, doing puzzles together, listening to the kids play music and create, eating dinner together every night, snuggling with Maui on the couch, going on date nights with Brian, and just being together – it is always balm for my soul, especially when I’m weary.
Not only is this time together beneficial for me, but it’s beneficial for our kids, and I know our time together is shaping them into the future humans they will become. And I pray that those humans end up being kind, honest, compassionate, helpful, inclusive, funny (and maybe a little sarcastic – hehe), light-hearted, spunky, and unapologetically themselves no matter how different they are from others.
Friday Funnies – Gotta Laugh So We Don't Cry
How to Fix Album Artwork on Your iPhone When It's Changed or Corrupted During an Upgrade
I hope the weekend is so much fun! Slumber parties are the best! Those words are so wonderful and everyone needs to hear them! Our world makes me so sad so just keep being a sweet inspirational person!
ReplyDeleteI like those words. Things are so hard right now.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a busy, but also fun weekend! I have that same neck wrap, but don't use it as much as I should. I woke up with a headace so maybe today I will pull it out for some head/neck release.
ReplyDeletePraying for God’s peace as you care for sweet Maui. The hardest part of being a pet parent is that trip to the rainbow bridge.
ReplyDeleteI am ordering #1 asap and I have so been enjoying #2. BUT I am praying for you. Oh sweet Maui! I am so sorry. When we lost our first pug almost 11 years ago, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do and I am sure Duke isn't to far along with his CHF. :(
ReplyDelete