He fell asleep in the van.
4
Feb
Feb
Happy Penny Day!
February 4, 2013
Today, February 4th, 2013, was the final day of production for the Canadian Penny!
Take a look at what Metro News had to say in eulogy of our little treasure.
Samuel celebrated, as he does every day, by walking the length of our living room picking up pennies from one container and depositing them into another container. This is Stephen’s genius invention to encourage longer and longer periods of walking in his prosthetics.
Just think of all the ways those little copper gems have been used in generations of parenting!
We’ll miss you little penny. You’ve been a faithful friend!
5
Jan
Jan
What can you do on a snowy day?
January 5, 2013
Grace teasing me with her smile…
Faith working on her polymer clay figures…
Appreciating my last night with the glow of the Christmas village…
Gazing outside the schoolroom window at the snow…
Garnet building creatively with the new Magformers…
A reintroduction to Anne of Green Gables…
Bring the fun inside. Snow in the kitchen? Samuel thought I was hilarious!
5
Jan
Jan
Full Circle
January 5, 2013
While we waited for Samuel, we were blessed to see him online. Now? Daddy travels for work and Samuel (& everyone else) is blessed to connect with Stephen online. Ah Skype – you are a wonder.
2
Jan
Jan
Genuine Christmas Spirit
January 2, 2013
Like most of us, I really love the weeks leading up to Christmas. The lights, the visiting, the anticipation – they bring out such a warmth in my spirit and in the demeanour of so many around me. Truly, what’s not to love?
Unlike many, I try to avoid the Boxing Week sales. The return lines in the mall, the 70% off everything signs, the bedraggled decorations – they put a damper on my glow, you know?
Today though, I decided to take James out to exchange a couple items. And as expected, folks were a bit more down in the mouth. And things didn’t have the sparkle that I’d noticed just a few short days before. Until, that is, we headed over to a new prosthetics office that we haven’t been to before.
I needed to pick up some spray that helps Samuel’s prosthetic liners suction a bit better. We go through a ton of that stuff. I ran in expecting a quick errand and stopped dead in my tracks. Amongst the clients and professionals, there was laughter and smiling; friendly banter and joking. I paused for a second while they waited for me to announce my reason for stopping in. Such a contrast and in such an unlikely place, or so one would think.
But that it the secret that we have discovered over the past five years. The key to happiness and joy has nothing to do with the packages and shiny lights and brand names and deep discounts. It has to do with perspective.
And today I realized, not for the first time, that I am one of the privileged few who have been let in on the secret to joy and maybe even the true essence of Christmas Spirit.
It was a wonderful reminder for a brand new year.
Welcome 2013!
(Don’t mind the late Santa photo – it needed a home here.)
14
Nov
Nov
How do you like my birthday present?
November 14, 2012
Samuel trying out his brand new prosthetics with feet!
12
Nov
Nov
A few of my favourite things (and people too!)
November 12, 2012
It was a very good week – full of the best!
{Hover the cursor over the individual photos to read the captions.
Click the individual photos to enlarge them.}
30
Oct
Oct
A Halloween Sneak Peek
October 30, 2012
Samuel LOVED his first preschool party this year.
He makes an adorable Firefighter, doesn’t he?
12
Oct
Oct
A few modifications…
October 12, 2012
We were in Portland this week for another post-surgical visit for Samuel. We were told that he will be undergoing another surgery within the next 6 months to a year. This next one will help his gait a fair bit and will involve creating a better hip “cup” for his leg to sit in. The surgeon will basically carve out a better fit in his hip area and and reinforcing wires to help it to seat better. He currently has to swing that leg a fair bit in order to get forward motion. Hard to explain. We were expecting the surgery to be a possibility, but perhaps not so soon. We’ll head back to check on things in a few months and will find out more then.
Samuel also had an adjustment made to his boots! His Portland prosthetist has made them a much wider base. He was totally thrilled to get to standing on his own without a stick of furniture to hold onto. He tried a few steps with them and was pretty pleased. We then took them off to make the super long drive home. You see, they no longer fit in his pant legs and lets just say that Mana was glad that she’d bought Sam new undies as he got to show them off around the O&P lab and for the videos they take of him in the motion lab. Lol
I’ll get to altering his clothes tomorrow!
(The glow stick was courtesy of some members of the National Guard that were visiting. Samuel received a glow stick lanyard, a puzzle, mini football, art kit, Dino stickers and a monster truck toy all within 4 hours. The community, volunteers and staff really love spoiling the kids and teens that are in their care. Actually, I think they really just love the kids and teens. Period.)
