First off, I can't believe it has been 3 months since I last wrote. Well, actually I can. I have no time. I wish I did because I truly enjoyed keeping everybody up to date with Hayden's progress and how we were all growing. I wish I had an extra hour once every five days that I could fulfill the first wish!
Well...here is a quick run down. Kelsea went back to work. I was afraid it would cause a lot of strain on our family as a whole trying to adjust to getting everything done in the few short hours we have after work. I was way off. I think we passed with flying colors. We don't get everything done, but we get what we need! Dinner and time with Hayden, and sometimes the animals!
Hayden is doing awesome. He will be 15 months old in another week. He loves daycare and Jen and all of his friends and even learned to say his "girlfriend's" name today! He is still a very picky eater and his favorite food is none other than....bread. Yes, bread! Toasted or untoasted. White or wheat. As long as it's bread, he doesn't care! He still lights up the room when he sees Tucker. He is a running fool and is starting to conquer the front and back yard. Although he throws his fits and walks across the room to pick something up, just to throw it down to show he's mad, he is still the happiest little boy I have ever known!
While he has done awesome and has continued to amaze us and his doctors, Kelsea and my grandma (and Tucker) have struggled with some health issues. A couple of days before my parents went back to Florida in January, we found out my grandma had cancer. She is currently receiving treatments and, as many of you know how difficult it can be, she is doing great.
Kelsea has been dealing with some back/spinal cord issues for the past year and we have gotten some different diagnoses, but we are really in the dark regarding what exactly is going on. There have been several doctor visits to different places and more to come, but so far, everybody has kind of disagreed on what is going on. Without throwing too much out there, it has really been quite a struggle these past few weeks/months with letting go and giving my worries to God.
I have always been the "fixer." Almost every night, Kelsea ends or begins her stories with, "I don't need you to fix it, I just want you to listen!" Just like I did with Hayden, I have spent countless hours trying to research and find answers. However, I am struggling because this time, they have usually ended in dead ends. And to top it off, we just found out that Tucker has his displaysia and a mild ligament tear in his opposite knee and has been "prescribed" crate/cage rest as a first non-surgical approach to try to get it to heal. this has not been a fun few nights! We got some sedatives last night, and it helped him sleep, but man did he struggle walking this morning!
I know we have our rough moments and times we stray from what we know is best, but tonight it hit me again. Kelsea and I are both so thankful for the love God shows us. Even in times of struggle, when we look back on what He has done for us, it is hard to question Him and hard to think I could come up with a better plan than He. We were laying on the bed tonight, and it was amazing watching Hayden jumping on the bed on his own, then throwing himself down on the pillow, then getting up and doing it all over again.
To think where we were a year ago and look at what he is doing now, it instantly wipes away any doubt. A year ago, Kelsea was sitting the ER at Blessing and I was rushing home to pack a few items together because Hayden (and Kelsea) were about to get another ride in the back of an ambulance at midnight again!
It was another one of those nights where God gave us strength and energy to follow his plan. A year ago, we were concerned because he was struggling to breath after his first surgery and weren't sure what the future held. Tonight, those were such distant memories and it was comforting to know that God led us here, and He will continue to lead us through it.
