Well, since I last updated you, Trev has fallen (while at work) and has been off work for weeks again. We've made a whirlwind trip to Calgary to celebrate Christmas with my family and we've quietly celebrated Christmas and New Years here at home.
To expand.... About a week after Trevor originally went back to work, his boss (or more accurately, his safety officer out of Vancouver) decided that it was ridiculous of his doctor to say that he needed to be doing strictly office work and they put him to work in the shop fixing parts. Not two hours after he called me to inform me of his changed duties, Trevor slipped on the ice walking from the shop to the office! Idiots. I had to rush out to pick him up.... He'd spent almost an hour lying on the floor in excruciating pain. When we called the doctor, he demanded that Trevor come immediately to the office for an assessment and decided that, while he didn't seem to have damaged his neck any further, he needed to be at home for another 2 weeks. I think Dr. Saujani was pretty angry and a big part of this decision was to punish the company for going against doctor's orders. WCB was also very angry and have not argued that he should be at home. When Trev went to the doctor on Wednesday of this week, he was told that he would be off work until at least January the 8th, after he sees his neurologist. On a positive note, Trev received the radiologist report from his MRI on the tumors in his spine and they appear to be stable. We're still waiting to really celebrate until after the neurologist reads the MRI himself.... The radiologist in town is notoriously stupid.
Trev's been thinking a lot about major life changes.... maybe taking employment insurance in order to re-train in a different field. This is weighing heavy on his mind and we'd sure appreciate your prayers that God would lead us quickly and in a way that we know exactly what we should do. Another option is that Trevor stay home with the boys while I head to school for my degree.... Really not sure what to do!
As I mentioned, we took a quick trip up to my brother's house for Christmas on the 18th. We had a blast, but really missed my oldest sister and her family. My high-light had to be the lively game of spoons.... LOVE that game. It's so violent and it's always been a part of our family celebrations! It gets a little noisy though and we did wake up some kidlets :) We also had a surprise visit from my old band teacher and his wife.... I guess they've always been more than teachers to me. Mentors, employers, friends. Mike and Jennifer really share my love for music and I look up to them a lot. We had a wonderful time catching up with them. Haven't seen them in a few years. I also realized during this visit how much my nieces and nephews are growing and changing. I feel like I'm missing out!
This year was the first Christmas that my parents weren't with us for. Even in the past when we've celebrated the Bartell Christmas on a different weekend, we've always had Mom & Dad around. They headed to Denver for Christmas this year, which was absolutely the right thing to do (I don't know how my sister does it so far from family. I'd go nuts!) but we really missed them. Trevor bought an 11 pound turkey for me to cook.... 11 pounds for the four of us! After we ate, I almost wanted to cry looking at all the extra food on my table. I know, I know. We eat it for days afterwards, but I was very aware of the number of people who go without, especially around Christmas. This winter has been very cold and there are people with no place to go. Sad. I wished for the first time that we lived in a larger center where we could take plates of food to homeless people.... Out on Whyte Ave in Edmonton, for example. Anyway, I froze a bunch of turkey and will make soup at some point. We really did enjoy playing with the kids, letting them stay up late(r) etc.
New Years was equally quiet in our house. Less than a decade ago, I would have been out until 2 or 3 in the morning celebrating. I can't tell you how happy I am that my life is calm and quiet now. Eli woke up at the stroke of midnight, came to our room to scold us for still be awake, and then teetered his way back down the hallway, drunk with exhaustion. This kid is hilarious when he's half asleep.
Anyway.... photos.
