A little life update

Ezra and I are in Edmonton, and despite knowing we have a very early morning, I am not able to sleep just yet. So, why not write a little summer-time update.

The boys finished the school year at the end of June. Earlier that month Ezra and Elijah both earned their yellow belts in Taekwondo. They both then enjoyed a short Spring baseball season and another round of swimming lessons. This made for a very crazy couple of weeks at the end of June. I am not sure that I have quite recovered.

Elliott completed his first year of playschool and is excited to go back again in the Fall. Both Elijah and Ezra earned the fine arts award for their Grade level at the end of school awards ceremony. Ezra also earned an academic achievement award.

Cody and I were so proud of both boys, but it’s worth noting that our Leukaemia warrior, who did not attend Kindergarten, who did not quite know all of his letter sounds ahead of the first day of Grade 1, who missed almost 40 days of school, achieved academic excellence. This kid is amazing.

The summer, so far, has been full of slower days, lots of outside play when the air isn’t too smoky, so many crafts, some reading, and recently a whole lot of Monopoly.

Most of you won’t know that Cody loves Monopoly. In fact, we own six (or seven?) versions of the game. And he has three (or four?) more versions on his wish list. Monopoly isn’t a great two-player game, so unfortunately most of these Monopoly games have sat unused in our games chest, until last week. Since then, Cody has played several rounds of Monopoly with Ezra and Elijah – and they love it. Elliott has even gotten in on the fun a few times.

Elijah always seems to lose, whether that’s bad luck or much too risky game play, I am not sure. Luckily, he’s been a fairly good sport about that and continues to have fun playing the game.

Tonight Ezra and I are in Edmonton in preparation for his second-last lumbar puncture appointment, ever! That’s right, 19 down, just two more to go! He is also quickly approaching the second anniversary of his diagnosis.

More and more I find myself so grateful for this life we are living. Ezra is doing so well, all things considered. We are six months away from end of treatment. But even now, life feels normal.

Our family has recently started going back to church in person. We stopped attending in person when COVID closed the world down. Then as the world opened back up, Ezra got sick and we went back into isolation to help protect him. Then Ezra got a bit stronger but still struggled with every little bug and virus he was exposed to at school, so we chose to continue to minimize our contact with large crowds. Then, it just became too easy not the attend.

Cody and I knew we had to stop giving into the easy and get our family back into a church. It’s amazing how you don’t realize how much you missed something, or need something, until you get it back. That first Sunday we went back, I have never felt more at home. It was as if God Himself was welcoming me back into His house. Families belong in church, and I am so glad we are getting ours back into it.

What’s more, is that every single week I am reminded that we are where we are because of God. Was the beginning of this journey incredibly hard? Yes. Beyond hard. But despite all of the trials, our family has made it through, almost to the other side, completely intact – and maybe even stronger than we were before.

God is so faithful.

A song that is a ministry to my heart recently is “Faithful Still” by KingsPorch. I will attach a video of the song below. I don’t have all the right words yet, but I do know that God was faithful to our family during these last two years. And he remains faithful still. Being able to see his faithfulness – even when things seem bleak – has always been what has carried us through and what I know will continue to carry us through whatever may still come our way.

After all, “I have a hope, I have a future. I’m a child of the mountain mover.”